Birthday Letter to my Sweet Six Year Old

Every year I write birthday letters to each of my boys on their birthdays.  It is my way of capturing the little details that I don't want to forget when they are older.  Today, my "middle" son turns six.

Here is why he is so special to me...

To my sweet boy,

I can hardly believe that you are turning six already.  It seems like only yesterday I was taking you home from the hospital and introducing you to your proud big brother for the first time.  You are so full of energy and joy, and I treasure each day I get to be your mom.  Here are a few of the things that make you the wonderful little boy that you are:

• You started school this year, and you did awesome.  You excelled socially and academically, and I couldn't be more proud.
• You are a charmer with a killer smile.
• You love to play with your brothers... especially "pirates", "Star Wars", "cars", and "hockey".
• You are really ticklish, and you have a great giggle.
• You love to sleep with your "soft blanket" and "blankee", and you like to wear socks to bed.
• You are very strong willed, and you sometimes drive Daddy and I crazy, but we know it is a trait that will serve you well in life.  I predict you will be a leader rather than a follower.  :-)
• Your favorite colors are red and blue, and your favorite show is "Star Wars".
• When you grow up, you want to be a hockey player and a race car driver.
• You love to listen to The Beatles, and you always pretend you are "Paul".
• You have a kind heart, and you love to cuddle.

I love you to the moon and back... plus a little more each day.

Love, 

Mommy

xoxo

ECM Kids' Craft Club - #17 {Snake Puppet and Bookmark}

Welcome to the 17th edition of the ECM Kids' Craft Club {an easy & inexpensive way for kids to have fun crafting and experience the excitement of getting their very own mail}.  This month we are making two fun crafts -- an accordion snake puppet and a flower bookmark!

To make the snake puppet:

1)  Cut out the head and tail, and fold the body like an accordion.
2)  Glue a googly eye onto the head, and draw the rest of the snake's face.
3)  Glue the head and tail onto the body, and allow to dry completely.
4)  Attach stir sticks to the head and tail of the snake (using glue), and allow to dry completely.

To make the flower bookmark:

1)  Color the flower any color you like.
2)  Cut out the flower.
3)  Glue a button onto the centre of the flower, and allow to dry completely.
4)  Use tape to secure the craft stick onto the back of the flower.

That's it!  Fun, right?  I hope you had fun making this month's cute paper crafts.

♥
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".)

10 {Easy} DIY Backyard Water Park Ideas

"Create a simple backyard waterpark" is on our Summer Checklist this year.  So, last week when the temperature rose, I put together some fun water-based activities for my boys.

Want to set up your own backyard water park?  Here are 10 simple ideas that are sure to please:

1)  Turn on the Sprinkler - It's simple, fun, and easy.  What's not to like?

2)  Get some Spray Bottles - Pick up some spray bottles at the dollar store, and fill them with water.  They are the perfect weapon for a water fight and a great way to cool off.

3)  Set up a Little Pool - Small pools are pretty cheap and lots of fun.  They also make a great "refilling station" for the other water activities.

4)  Fill a bucket with Sponges - The dollar stores sells big bags of sponges .  Put them in a bucket full of water, and you have an instant "car wash" station.  They are also great for water fights.

5)  Play with Ice - Freeze some small toys in ice, and let the kids try to get them out.  Experiment with tools, cold water, and warm water.

6)  Paint with Water - Grab some paint brushes and a bucket of water, and let your little artists get to work.  Painting without the mess!

7)  Water gun Target Practice - Use some duct tape to make an "X" on a pizza pan.  Hang it up to create a perfect water gun target.

8)  Have some fun with Water Balloons - Fill a bowl with water balloons for some "cool" games of "catch".

9)  Set up a Bubble Station - Who doesn't love blowing bubbles?  You can find a simple recipe for homemade bubbles here.

10) Make a Special Snack - Something cold on a warm day is always a special treat.  We made some homemade ginger cookies and added a scoop of chocolate ice cream to create a delicious ice cream sandwich.  Yum!

I love it when you can put a lot of simple elements together to make something really special, don't you?  

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

*I'd love to have you follow me on facebook at www.facebook.com/EastCoastMommy. 

Quick Tip Tuesday #8 - Simple Summer Wreath

Until last week, I had a Spring Wreath hanging on my front door.  I knew I needed something more suitable for Summer, and I wanted something fun, easy, and inexpensive.  Here's what I came up with:

I love how bright and cheerful it turned out, don't you?  

I already had the monogram {which I made last fall}, so I just needed to make the wreath.  {I think the wreath would be great without the monogram too.}

To make the simple summer wreath... I bought a cheap grapevine wreath and two bunches of flowers from the dollar store.  Then, I cut the tops off the flowers, and used a hot glue gun to attach them to the wreath.  That's it!

What's on your front door for summer?  If you need something new, this is a great "quick" option, don't you think?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Birthday Letter to my Four Year Old "Baby"

Every year I write birthday letters to each of my boys on their birthdays.  It is my way of capturing the little details that I don't want to forget when they are older.  Today, my "baby" boy turns four, and here is why he is so special to me...

To my sweet baby boy,

I can hardly believe you are turning four and this is our last year at home together before you start school.  The years are passing so quickly, but I am enjoying every minute of being your mommy.  Here are a few of the little things that make you the special little boy that you are:

• You love to cuddle, and you always ask Daddy or I to sing you a "soft song" at bedtime.
• When you grow up you want to be a race car driver and an "X-men" hockey player.
• You are really funny, and you are always making Daddy and I (and your "brudders") laugh.
• Your favorite color is green, and your favorite show is "Jack and the Neverland Pirates".
• You love music, and always request "The Beatles" when we are driving in the van.  (You like to pretend that you are George.)
• You finished your first year of Preschool this year... and although you were scared in the beginning, you learned to love it and made lots of friends.
• Your brothers are your best friends, and you love to play hockey, have dinky car races, pretend to be Star Wars characters, have pirate adventures, and run around the yard together.
• You started swimming lessons this year, and you love the water.
• This is your first summer playing soccer, and you are super-proud to have a real jersey... like your brothers.
• You love having stories read to you, and you think Wacky Wednesday (by Dr. Seuss) is hilarious.
• You are hungry all the time, but you are usually just looking for crackers (although you are getting much better at trying new foods).
• You love to play with my hair (especially when you are sleepy).
• Every night you cuddle up with "big blanket" and your monkeys before you go to sleep.

I love you all the way to the moon and back... plus a little more with every year that passes.

Love, 

Mommy

xoxo

No-Sew Jake Costume

My boys love pirates, and yesterday my son asked if I could help him put together a "Jake" {from Jake and the Neverland Pirates} costume.  Given that I don't know how to work my sewing machine, here is what we came up with:

Pretty cute, right?

Here's how we did it:

To make the headband - I cut a strip of felt 36 inches long and 2 inches wide.  I fit it to my son's head and secured it with a clear elastic.

To make the sword - I drew a sword (like Jake's) on a piece of cardboard and cut it out.  I used the top of a pizza box, but any thick cardboard would work.  You can download a free printable template of the sword I designed here.

To make the shirt - I took an old white shirt, cut a couple of slits in the sleeves, and had my son draw an "X" on the collar.

To make the vest - I bought a plain blue t-shirt for $4.  I cut off the sleeves, and I cut a straight line all the way up the middle of the shirt.  Then, I sewed on four gold buttons.  (I figured I could manage a couple of buttons, but if you really don't want to do any sewing, you can skip this step.)

I hope you enjoy making this simple Jake costume with your little pirates.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Disclosure: I'm part of the Disney Junior Mom program, and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group.  The opinions on this blog are my own.

Personal-sized Pizzas on the Grill

In my house, we don't all agree on what toppings make the best pizza, so a couple of weeks ago I thought it would be fun to make some personal-sized pizzas.... on the BBQ.  This recipe is easy, tasty, and makes the perfect {easy} summer supper.

Here is how I made each of my boys their very own {delicious} grilled pizza:

1)  I started out with a simple crust, which had the perfect consistency for grilling.  You can find the recipe here.  When the dough was ready, I divided it up into small balls (about the size of a baseball), and rolled each one out to slightly less than 1/4" thick.  (Note: If you are stacking the rolled out dough, make sure to put parchment paper in between each layer to prevent sticking.)

2)  While I was rolling out the dough and getting the toppings ready, my husband oiled the grill and heated it to medium.  Then, I placed the crusts on the grill and cooked them for about two minutes (until they started to bubble).  My husband used tongs to flip them over, and cooked them for another two minutes.

3)  We quickly added our toppings, closed the lid, and let the pizzas cook for another 3 minutes.  (Note:  It is very important to have the toppings "ready to go" beside the grill because they need to be placed on the pizzas quickly after the crusts are cooked.)

What is your favorite pizza topping?  Would these "mini" pizzas be a hit in your house?  

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)