Moms Need to Get in the Picture

On a recent family trip to Disney, my eight year old insisted that we get a family picture taken with Mickey Mouse. So, after a long day at Magic Kingdom, we waited in line, and we had our photo taken with the famous mouse... and it is the WORST picture of me EVER.

When I saw the picture, I immediately thought I looked terrible. I was clearly tired, my lipstick had worn off, and the humidity had made my hair fuzzy. However, in hindsight, even though I am not a fan of how I look in the picture, I am glad we had it taken. When I look at the photo today, I see all my flaws, but I know that years from now I will only see how happy (and lucky) I was in that moment with my husband and children. And I know my kids will look at the picture and remember how much fun we had together on that day.

Like many moms, I hate being photographed. I am much happier behind the camera, but I am making a conscious effort to step out of my comfort zone and into family photos. It is important for my boys to have childhood photos with their mom. I want them to remember that I was there... that I was part of their favourite memories.

Photo Credit: Hilary Hendsbee

So today, I challenge you to “get in the picture” with your little ones.  I guarantee that years from now, you and your kids will be glad that you did.

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Alphabet Crafts - Letter I

Last week my four year old and I had some fun with the letter I. We made a paper Ice cream cone (with sprinkles), and we did a little letter I printing practice.

To make the ice cream cone craft:

1)  Cut a circle and triangle from white card stock.
2)  Have the child color the cone.
3)  Tape the "ice cream" and "cone" together.
4)  Have the child decorate the ice cream cone with "sprinkles" by crunching up bits of tissue paper and gluing them onto the card stock.

That's it! Cute, right?

After our craft, we did a little printing practice. If you want to practice printing the letter I with your little one, you can right-click on the picture below, save it to your computer, and print it.

My little guy even had some ice cream as a special "I" snack while he practiced his printing.

Looking for a few more letter I crafts and activities? 

Check out this adorable igloo craft. Draw an igloo shape on a piece of coloured paper. Then, use glue to cover the igloo with "ice blocks" (white squares of paper) and a picture of the child. Finish the project by using Q-tips and white paint to add snowflakes.

You could also have your child decorate a letter I with colourful stickers. "Peeling and sticking" is a great way to develop fine motor skills.

And have a look at this adorable "letter I" iguana. Start with an "I", and then add a head, tail, googly eyes, and a paper tongue.

Fun, right? Next up... the letter "J"!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Find more alphabet crafts here.

Chocolate Banana Bread

About a year ago, I shared my mom's (no fail) banana bread recipe.  My boys love banana bread as an after school snack or as a treat in their lunches, so I use this recipe frequently, but this week I decided to "switch it up" a little.  I made Chocolate Banana Bread, and it was delicious.

Here's how to make it:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and grease a large loaf pan.

2) Whisk together the following dry ingredients:
     2 cups of flour

     1/4 cup cocoa
     1/2 cup white sugar
     3 tsp baking powder
     1/2 tsp baking soda
     1/2 tsp salt
     1/2 cup chocolate chips

3) In a separate bowl, beat together:
     1 egg
     3/4 cup milk
     1/4 cup vegetable oil
     1 1/2 cup (approx 3 medium-sized) mashed ripe bananas 

     {mashing bananas is a perfect job for little helpers.}

4) Mix wet and dry ingredients thoroughly, and pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes.

Enjoy... and let me know what you think!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Summer Bucket Lists

Spring is here, and my boys and I are already dreaming about summer.  Every year, we make a summer bucket list containing 50 fun summer activities, and we spend the summer months working our way through the list.  Then, when we complete our list, we celebrate with an "Ice Cream for Supper" party.  Fun, right?

Here are some of the lists we have used in the past.  (You can click on the links below for free printable versions of our lists.)

Our list from 2011

Our list from 2012

Our list from 2013

Our list from 2014

I can't wait to hear what's on your Summer Bucket List.  We'll be putting our 2015 version together soon, and I am always looking for new ideas.

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Packing Tips For Families

When you have kids, packing can be a nightmare.  If you are packing for a weekend trip or preparing for a long vacation, you should really check out these 7 really helpful packing tips for families.

1)  Make a list.  You can find the one I use here.  When I do a "final check" with this list, I always discover something I have missed.

2)  Pack good carry on bags.  You'll want to include healthy snacks, little treats, small toys/games, movies, special blankets/stuffies, water bottles, iPods/iPads, etc...  If you are flying, you will want to pack a pen for customs forms/baggage tags and some gum/suckers for the kids (to help with their ears when the plane is landing).  A change of clothes and bathing suits are helpful too... in case luggage gets lost or delayed.

3)  Pack a lunch.  I detest being forced to buy overpriced and junky food when on a road trip, spending time in an airport, or staying in a hotel room.  I always bring supplies (that don't need to be refrigerated) that I can use to prepare a simple picnic lunch.  I like unsweetened applesauce, bananas, bread, and peanut butter.  It's not fancy... but it's economical, tasty, and keeps my boys happy and full.

4)  Put together a bag of basic medical supplies.  I always pack Gravol, Benadryl, Tylenol, bandaids, a thermometer, ear drops, etc...  There is nothing worse than being in a strange city (with a sick child) searching for an all night pharmacy.  

5)  Use sealable storage bags.  I use bags to: keep organized, identify special outfits, isolate dirty items,  and hold wet stuff.

6)  Pack light (especially if you will have access to a washer and dryer).  Try to choose multi-functioning outfits and items that can be layered.  Be selective, and only take what you really think you are going to need.  Packing light saves baggage charges, makes it easier to transport luggage through the airport, and helps with fitting luggage into the truck of a rental car.

7)  Stay organized - Some people recommend rolling your clothes, but I prefer them folded in neat piles so I can see what I have and keep things organized.  I pack all three boys in one suitcase (divided into three sections).

I hope you find these packing tips helpful.  Vacations are a lot of fun, but it's important to be prepared.   What's your best packing tip for families?

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Alphabet Crafts - Letter H

Yesterday my four year old and I had some fun with the letter H. We made a paper Hat, and we did a little letter H printing practice. Who doesn't love an old fashioned paper hat? Keep reading for the step by step instructions... and lots of letter H fun!

To make the paper hat:

1)  Let your child pick his/her favorite color of construction paper, and tape four pieces together to create one large rectangle.

2)  Fold the paper in half lengthwise.

3)  Fold the top corners down so that they meet in the middle.

4)  Turn up the bottom flap, flip over, and do the same on the other side.  

5)  Have the child decorate that hat with crayons, markers, or stickers.

That's it! Cute, right?

After our craft, we did a little printing practice. If you want to practice printing the letter H with your little one, you can right-click on the picture below, save it to your computer, and print it.

I made some hot chocolate as a special "h" snack for my little guy to enjoy while he practiced writing the letter H.

If you are looking for more letter H crafts, why not make a house out of a letter H? Use construction paper for the roof, door, and chimney. Then, add a button for a doorknob.

It's also fun to decorate the letter H with "Halloween" stickers and "hearts".

Fun, right?  Next up... the letter "I"!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Find more alphabet crafts here.

10+ Disney Magic Kingdom Tips {including the NEW fast pass system}

When planning a family vacation, I love to get advice from other moms that have "been there".  So today, I am sharing tips from our recent trip to Disney's Magic Kingdom.

1)  Buy your tickets ahead of time. Even if you are only buying one day tickets, buying your tickets ahead of time will allow you to register your tickets using the My Disney Experience app.  Then, before you arrive at the park, you can link your account with anyone you are going with and select your fast passes. If you wait to get your fast passes at one of the kiosks in the park, you may find that many of your choices are no longer available. 

To optimize your options, I recommend booking your fast passes at 7am 30 days before your visit. You'll also want to book some of your fast passes for 11am-2pm when the park is most crowded.

Note:  If you register your fast passes ahead of time, you will still have the opportunity to make changes later in the day at any of the kiosks in the park.  You can read all about the FastPass+ system here.)

Money saving tip: Kids under three don't require a ticket.

2)  Buy glow sticks, souvenirs, and rain ponchos outside the park.  The kids will love having "something that glows" during the night time parades and shows, and glow sticks are super-cheap at the dollar store.  

And if the forecast is calling for rain, rain ponchos can also be purchased inexpensively at the dollar store. They don't take up much space, and you'll be happy when you don't need to pay the inflated park prices.

Also, Disney souvenirs are cheaper outside the park, and if you don't have them with you, you won't have to carry them around all day.  

Note: There is one souvenir that I recommend buying at Disney parks -- "pressed pennies".  They are a lot of fun, easy to carry, and very inexpensive.  Pack some pennies and quarters, and have some fun pressing pennies!

3)  Bring a backpack, and fill it with everything you'll need for the day.  We always take water bottles (which can be refilled for free throughout the park at fountains or restaurants selling soda), sandwiches, lots of snacks, sunscreen, a camera, and a sweater for when it cools down at night.

4)  Dress for the day.  Wear a sunhat, sunglasses and comfortable shoes.  I also like to wear special "Disney" shirts on my boys.  It's fun, it looks cute in pictures, and it lets people know they are part of the same group.

5)  Arrive early.  It is a time consuming process to get from the Magic Kingdom parking lot to the front gate.  Also, at 8:45am there is a train that arrives at the entrance with many of the Disney characters.  They put on a little show, and countdown to the park opening.  It's really worth seeing!  Also, if you arrive early, you can head straight for a popular ride and avoid a big line up.

6)  Rent or bring a stroller.  Magic Kingdom is huge, and children will get tired.  When we were there, we rented a double stroller, and all three of my boys (4, 6, and 8) used it.  (It is also useful for carrying stuff and sitting in to watch parades.)

7)  Have a plan. You are not going to get everything done in one day, so you should make a plan that incorporates each family member's "must do" ride/activity. You'll also want to use your fast passes for some of these rides/activities.  (Don't forget to use the "My Disney Experience" app to check wait times for lines.)

8)  Take advantage of rider switch passes. If you have a child that doesn't meet the height requirements for a ride, you can ask a cast member for a rider switch pass. One parent can ride while the other waits, and the they can switch.

9) Don't just focus on the rides.  Magic Kingdom has many excellent rides, but a lot of the magic comes from the parades, the light show on the castle, and the fireworks.  Arrive at the parades early if you want a good seat.  Cast members will be able to give you advice about where you should stand and how early you should arrive.

10)  Meet some characters.  Meeting (and getting pictures taken with) characters can be magical for kids, but it can take up a lot of time.  It is important to prioritize as to which characters you really want to meet.  Then, you will want to check the schedule for character meeting spots and times, and you may want to consider using fast passes.  Also, if meeting characters is a priority for you, you may want to think about booking a character breakfast, lunch or dinner.  We make it a point to meet Mickey Mouse at Town Hall, and it is always a special moment for us.  (Note:  Don't forget your autograph books!) 

Money saving tip: If you are interested in a character meal, you may want to consider choosing a breakfast. It's a much cheaper option, and the kids are often so excited that they aren't that interested in the food anyway!

11)  Have Fun!  Don't forget that the whole point of the trip to the park is to have fun.  So... relax, take lots of pictures, and make memories that will last forever. 

What's your best tip for a successful trip to Disney's Magic Kingdom?  I can't wait to start planning our next trip!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Find more fantastic family travel tips here.