Birthday Letter... my middle son turns 8

Today my middle son turns 8, and in keeping with family tradition, I wrote him a birthday letter as a way of preserving a "snap shot" of the little details that make him so special. Here is my birthday letter to my middle son on his 8th birthday.

To my sweet middle son on your 8th birthday:

You have an adventurous spirit, and you have tons of friends. You are kind and fun, and people want to be around you.

You love being active. You enjoy riding your bike, playing tag, and running around the neighbourhood. You also love to play baseball, basketball, soccer, and hockey... and hockey is your favorite.

You are a sweet boy, and you are always looking for ways to be helpful.

You like to hold my hand, and you still give me a kiss every morning when I drop you off at school. I know that you will be "too old" for this soon, so I treasure each time you show me affection without the slightest bit of embarrassment.

You love to play with your brothers, and recently, you have started making little movies with them. I love watching your carefully choreographed Star Wars fight scenes. :-)

You enjoy building things... and you are excellent at it. You love LEGO, have your own tools, and talk about building houses when you get older.

Your favorite color is white, and you love apples and "sour keys" candy.

You are a caring and sensitive soul, you love your blankee, and you give awesome hugs.

You can be very stubborn, but you have a big heart, and I wouldn't change a thing about you.

I love you to the moon and back my sweet, spunky boy.

Love,

Mommy xoxo

Easy Skittles Cakes

I just hosted a Carnival party for my two boys, and they requested separate cakes, so I thought it would be fun to do a number cake for each of their ages. I made a giant 6 and a giant 8, and I covered both cakes with Skittles. The Skittles cakes were a hit!

I started with 2 Duncan Hines mixes (white for the six and chocolate for the eight). I followed the package directions... but I cut the oil in half and subtracted 2 tbsp of water to make the cakes a little more dense and easy to work with.

I found a lot of cake inspiration on Pinterest, but here is how I made mine:

To make the six, I started with two round cakes, cut out the pieces I needed, and "glued" them together with icing. Then, I started making straight lines of Skittles. I covered the tops first, and then I did the sides. It took me about two hours (and a lot of Skittles) to make this cake.

To make the eight, I started with two round cakes, trimmed the bottom and top of the circles where they attach, cut circles out of the centres with a glass, and "glued" the two pieces together with icing. Then, I started making straight lines of Skittles. I covered the tops first, and then I did the sides. It took me about two hours (and a lot of Skittles) to make this cake.

The cakes were time consuming, but they were not difficult at all. I suggest using a good amount of icing and applying the Skittles right away. Also, don't refridgerate the cakes. I put my "eight" in the fridge overnight, and the color of the Skittles faded. The kids didn't seem to mind though!

My boys are huge fans of Skittles, but I think this would be a fantastic cake with M&Ms too! What would you top your cake with?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Carnival Prizes

This weekend, I am throwing a "joint" DIY Carnival Party for two of my boys. I think the kids are going to be excited about all the prizes that they are going to be able to win. Today, I am sharing a "sneak peak" at some of the easy and inexpensive carnival prizes I have purchased and made for the party.

All of the prizes will be displayed in front of a fun "prize booth" backdrop that I created from a dollar store tri-fold and red duct tape. It was a simple DIY project, but I think it will have a big impact. A good backdrop really sets the stage and adds a bit of "polish".

One of the prizes I am really excited about are the pom pom poppers I made from pool noodles, balloons and duct tape. I was able to make a bunch (inexpensively), and I am sure the kids will have a lot of fun with them. You can find the full tutorial for pom pom poppers here.

Of course, I also have a bunch of dollar store goodies. My boys had fun picking out their favorite little treats.

One of the more unique prizes that will be available to be won are these LEGO crayons that I crafted from old, broken crayons. I love how bright and colorful they are, and my boys love LEGO! You can find the full tutorial for recycling crayons here.

Another way to get a lot of prizes without breaking the bank is to buy in bulk and divide up the contents. I bought a large box of sidewalk chalk, and I bagged it up in groups of two. Now I have a bunch of fun prizes for the kids to win.

It's also fun to try new ways to present prizes. I created a fun "prize punch" (from dollar store supplies) for hockey cards. You can find the full tutorial for this carnival prize punch here. I have been making these prize punches for years, and they are always a highlight of my boys' parties.

Finally, a party isn't a party without some sweet treats, and these little containers of candy make perfect prizes. I purchased big bags of candy, and then I packaged them in little condiment containers. Cute, right? With these little containers, a few bags of candy can be turned into a large number of treats.

I can't wait for all our little party guests to win some of these carnival prizes. I wonder which prizes will be the biggest hits. Do you have a favorite?

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)


PS (Here is the link to all the other DIY carnival party details.)

Simple Summer Crafts {with free printable templates}

It would be wonderful if every summer day was sunny... but the reality is that there will always be at least a few rainy days. Today I am sharing some of my favorite simple summer crafts that are guaranteed to keep the kids happy and entertained when the weather keeps them inside.

Paper fan - This adorable paper fan is easy to make, and it is guaranteed to keep you cool when the temperatures start to rise.  To make a paper fan:

1) Download the template I designed here.
2) Color the fan, and cut it out.
3) Tape a craft stick to the back of the fan.

Paper popsicle - I love this simple little paper popsicle craft. Tape a popsicle stick onto the back of a piece of paper, and decorate with markers and sticks. It doesn't get much easier than this cool treat!

Tissue paper flower - This cheerful paper flower is colourful, and it makes a great keepsake when you add a picture of the little crafter to the centre.  To make a tissue paper flower:

1) Download the template I designed here.
2)  Color the flower.
3)  Fill the petals with 1-inch square pieces of tissue paper.  Just crumple up the tissue paper squares, dip them in glue, and attach them to paper. 

Painted rocks - Children love collecting rocks, and a rock makes a fun and inexpensive canvas.  You can find everything you need to know about painting rocks here.

These rainy day craft projects are all easy, inexpensive, and lots of fun for children. What crafts will you make with your little ones this summer?

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

DIY Artwork Ideas {including a "Canvas N Decor" review and discount offer}

When it comes to decorating my house, I like to keep things easy and inexpensive... and I like to surround myself with things that I love. Today I am sharing my favorite DIY artwork ideas, the latest addition to my home, and a fabulous discount offer.

Children's Artwork - Children love to see their artwork hanging in a place where everyone can see it. I have three clipboards in my boys' playroom where we hang their most recent creations.

Inexpensive Prints - Anything with an interesting pattern can be matted and put in an inexpensive frame. Scrapbook paper, wallpaper, or fabric are all good choices.

Keepsakes - Meaningful keepsakes don't need to be stuck in a drawer. I framed the shirts my boys wore to meet their baby brother for the first time, and I hung them in their room. They make me smile each time I see them.

I have also framed hockey cards, pages from our favorite books, and ticket stubs.

Photos - Don't we all have tons of photos sitting on SD cards, phones, and computers? Framing and hanging cherished photos can make a home feel cozy and comforting. Personally, I get a lot of joy from decorating with pictures.

Recently, I had one of my favorite photos of my boys printed onto a high quality canvas from CanvasN' Decor (with a gorgeous turquoise trim), and I absolutely LOVE it! I have it hanging in my room, and it is the first picture I see when I open my eyes each morning.

Check out how much my boys have grown in just a few short years!

If you love my canvas, and you want to get one of your own, you can currently save 50% on the CanvasN' Decor website (and you can save an extra 10% if you order 2 or more pieces). There is also FREE ground shipping in Canada (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut express only). 

What kind of artwork do you use to decorate your home? I still have a few bare walls in my house, so I'd love some new ideas.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

*Disclosure: I was compensated by CanvasN'Decor for reviewing their product and including it in this post, but (as always) the opinions expressed in this blog are 100% my own.

Birthday Letter... my baby boys turns 6

Today, my "baby boy" turns six, and in keeping with family tradition, I wrote him a birthday letter as a way of remembering a few of the little details that make him so special.  Here is my birthday letter to my youngest son on his 6th birthday.

To my sweet "baby" boy:

This was a big year for you, as you started "big school".  It was a tough transition (for both us), but I am so proud of how far you came this year.  You battled through your anxiety, you made lots of friends, and you excelled academically.  I know you will continue to thrive as you enter Grade One (after we have a fantastic, fun-filled summer together).

On your 6th birthday, I want you to know that I am very proud to be your mom, and here are some of the reasons you are such a special little boy:

• You have a sweet smile, a gentle spirit, and adorable dimples.
• You love to crawl in bed with me for a "morning cuddle"... and I love it too!
• You have a fantastic time playing sports with your brothers, and you want to be a hockey player when you grow up.
• You love to eat crackers... especially while sitting on the couch watching "Jake and the Neverland Pirates".
• You are getting very grown up... but you still say "bees" instead of "because".  I am guessing this cute habit won't last much longer, so I will enjoy it while I can.
• Your favorite color is green, and your favorite food is white cake with white icing.
• You stick your tongue out when you are concentrating.
• You can be shy and anxious in new situations and around people you don't know, but you are really starting to come out of your shell.  I think starting school has helped you gain confidence.
• You still love to snuggle up and read stories... and now you are able to read to me. You love to read, and you are getting very good at it.
• You have a wonderful sense of humour, and you enjoy making Daddy, your brothers and I laugh.

I love you to the moon and back my darling angel, and I hope you have a fun time at your "Carnival" birthday party.

Lots of love,

Mommy

xoxoxo

Nature Scavenger Hunt {with free printable}

A few years ago, I designed a simple scavenger hunt for my boys, and it was a lot of fun.  It continues to be a very popular post, so I thought it would be fun to design an updated version.  You can download and print the NEW nature scavenger hunt for free below.

This printable list is perfect for little ones that can't read, but it is fun for older kids too.

To download and print the scavenger hunt: right-click on the picture below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8X10 photo.

I hope you enjoy this new nature scavenger hunt.  It's a wonderful excuse to get outside, have some fun, and spend time together.

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Please note: East Coast Mommy printables are for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are pinning or sharing this post, please share from this page and don't include this picture/download on your own website. Thank you!