Birthday Letter for My Youngest Son (on his 9th birthday)

Every year, I write "birthday letters" to my boys on their special days. My hope is to compile the letters together and give them a book on their 18th birthdays. Today, my "baby" boy turns 9. Time is going by much too quickly, but I am holding on tight and enjoying the adventure. Here is my birthday letter to my sweet third born son on his 9th birthday.

My dearest "baby" boy,

Both of your brothers came into the world two weeks early, and you came two weeks late. I think that from the start you were taking your time and making sure you were comfortable before you made your entrance into the world. Now, as you turn 9, you are still taking your time getting comfortable with new social situations, but with each passing year, I can see your confidence growing, and I am very proud of you. You are special in sooooo many ways, but here are a few examples:

• You ask the best questions. You have a unique way of looking at the world, you have a wonderful sense of curiosity, and you are constantly quietly observing everything around you.
• You are funny. You are always making us laugh with your silly ways and crazy dance moves.
• You love playing ice hockey with your team and playing street hockey with your brothers. Your street hockey goalie gear is one of your prized possessions.
• You love being outside with your brothers playing softball, tag, golf, man-tracker, and soccer. You also love riding your bike.
• Your favourite colour is green, you love to watch the Disney channel, and you would eat nothing but crackers if I let you. (Multi-grain wheat thins are your favourite!)
• You love your big blanket, soft songs and being read to in a soft voice.
• You get cranky when you are over-tired or anxious... but you have a kind heart and give great cuddles.

I love you to the moon and back my sweet boy, and I hope your 9th year is the best one yet!

Love,

Mom

xoxo

Embrace the Mess

The best childhood activities involve physical activity, exploring and creating, and... making a mess. As parents, we like to have things neat and organized, but somethings we need to let go. So, my advice for today is let the kids...

Build the fort.

Play hockey in the kitchen (with "boards" they make with all their toy bins).

Build a road from a roll of paper, and let the kids take out all their cars and trucks.

Or have a huge water fight in the yard.

Today, embrace the laughter, joy and mess.

Tomorrow, you can clean the house. Childhood passes much too quickly.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Summer Hockey Fun... our review of the GONGSHOW Sauceoff Party Set

Recently, my boys were given the opportunity to try out (and review) some fantastic games from GONGSHOW*. All three of my boys are passionate about hockey, so during our summer break from the rink, they were excited to try out a couple of fun outdoor hockey games. You can read our review of the SAUCEOFF Party Set below.

The Sauceoff Party Set comes with two games (which you can also buy separately). They both fit in a canvas bag that can easily be taken to the beach, backyard, tailgate party, campground, or cottage.

The first game we tried was the inflatable Saucer King Kit. This game includes a blow up net and floating pucks. (Two shooting pads are included with the party set, but if you are only purchasing the inflatable Saucer King Kit, you'll need to purchase a shooting pad if you don't already have one.) My boys had a lot fun with this game in the pool, and they are looking forward to taking it to the beach soon.

My boys also tried the SAUCEOFF game set. At first glance, it looks like a bean bag toss, but it is so much more than that. The game comes with two game boards, two mini shooting pads, 8 GONGSHOW floater pucks (4 per team), 4 bean bag pucks, 1 canvas carrying case, 1 replacement mesh and rope, and a booklet explaining how to play the game.

My boys have been playing this game every day since they got it. You can play it alone, with two players, or with two teams of two. When you play with two teams of two, the players can help their teammates by "tipping" the pucks into the nets. (There is also an option to play with bean bags instead of the plastic pucks.)

My boys (and my husband) have been playing this game in the backyard, but it is highly portable, so I know we will be taking it to the beach, the cottage, and camping. It's perfect for all ages.

If you have a hockey-lover in your house, I highly recommend these fun games. The SAUCEOFF party set comes with everything you need to play both games, and if you have never purchased from GONGSHOW before, you can save 10% with this link: SAVE 10%.

Have you tried either of these games? What did you think? My boys are definitely fans!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)


*Disclosure - I was given the GONGSHOW Sauceoff Party Set for free in exchange for my honest review of the product. As always, the views expressed on this blog are 100% my own... and my boys genuinely love these games.

Ice Cream Stand Challenge

Sometimes the most meaningful family memories come from the simplest ideas. Last summer, the boys and I decided to challenge ourselves to visit 5 different ice cream stands. It was so much fun that we ended up visiting 9, and today I am sharing some of our ice cream stand challenge with you.

Here's where we went:

#1 - Koala Cone (Antigonish, NS)

#2 - Arisaig Lighthouse (Arisaig, NS)

#3 - Fiesta Cone (Antigonish, NS)

#4 - Cranberry Campground (Merigomish, NS)

#5 - Snow Queen Leisure World (Antigonish, NS)

#6 - Cows (Cavendish, PE)

#7 - Decker's Dairy Bar and Grill (Cornwall, PE)

#8 - Corina's Ice Cream Parlour (Stellarton, NS)

 

#9 - Michele's Grill (Antigonish, NS)

We had a wonderful time trying new ice cream flavours on hot summer days. This year we plan on beating our record and visiting TEN ice cream stands. Anyone have a recommendation for us???

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Last Day of School Traditions... 2018 Edition

Is there anything more exciting than the last day of school? Each year we mark the occasion with the same three activities, and this year was no different. Check out our favourite last day of school traditions.

We always start our celebration with a trip to get ice cream. We have been taking the same picture (in the same Dairy Queen) for eight years! I can't believe how grown up my boys are getting. Why does time have to go by so fast?

Then, we go home and my boys run through their "finish line". This year, my boys made it through Grade 3, Grade 5, and Grade 7.

And, of course, I like to give them a book to read over the summer. This year, they got some inexpensive pickle ball rackets too!

We're all ready for summer now. It's time to pack away the lunch bags, and pull out the flip flops. Happy Summer everyone!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also like: 50 Ways to Make Summer Memorable

50 Simple Ways to Make Summer Memorable (and a FREE printable Summer Checklist)

Since 2012, my boys and I have started our summer by putting together a summer checklist of all the fun adventures we plan on completing during their break from school. Our list is filled with easy and inexpensive ideas for summer fun, but this annual tradition has proven to be a valuable tool for building priceless childhood memories. Today, I am sharing our 2018 summer checklist (that you can download for free), including many links to additional info about the activities. We always have 50 items on our list, but feel free to just choose 20, 30, or 40 of your favourites. It's not meant to be stressful. It's meant to be a template for fun!

To download and print the summer checklist: click on the checklist below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8X10 photo. I sent mine to my local copy store and printed it for $0.51. 

And... in case you need more info about the items on list, check out the helpful links below.

1) Celebrate Canada Day or the 4th of July

2) Watch fireworks or attend a parade

3) Have a picnic or go cloud gazing.

4) Go to a splash pad or swim in a pool
5) Host a "half sleepover" or backyard carnival

6) Go to a farmer's market or visit a yard sale
7) Visit the library and read a book outside

8) Have a water fight or NERF gun battle

9) Go fishing or hiking
10) Have a family movie night outside or attend an outdoor concert

11) Eat donuts from a string (with no hands)

12) Pick out a toy or treat at the dollar store
13) Plant something and watch it grow

14) Visit a wildlife park, farm or zoo
15) Build a fort (inside or out) or a trail through the woods
16) Get ice cream in PJs (drive throughs are OK) 
17) Play baseball, soccer, golf or street hockey
18) Make ice cream or another cold treat

19) Go for a bike ride
20) Decorate a cake or bake cookies

21) Spend time at a cottage, beach or park
22) Do a science experiment

23) Play a board game

24) Go geo-caching

25) Have a "kids pick the meals" day
26) Play mini golf
27) See a play or visit a museum
28) Have a lemonade stand or yard sale

29) Try a new food
30) Have a theme day (e.g. a pirate day or superhero day)

31) Camp at a campground, in the backyard or in the living room

32) Have a PJ day
33) Build a large puzzle
34) Make a summer reading list, set a reading goal or keep a summer journal
35) Fly a kite

36) Have a dance party in the living room

37) Go on a scavenger hunt

38) Build an obstacle course
39) Play with water balloons

40) Do a good deed or raise money for charity
41) Go on a road trip to another city or town
42) Play "tag" or run in a race
43) Roast marshmallows, make s'mores or cook up a different campfire treat

44) Write and mail a letter or postcard
45) Visit at least 5 different ice cream stands

46) Make a craft

47) __________________________
48) __________________________
49) __________________________
50) HAVE ICE CREAM FOR SUPPER!

As you can see, there are blank spaces at the bottom of my checklist for you to add a few of your own activities/ideas. Or, you can create an entirely new list using the template below. Click on the template, right-click, save it to your computer, print it like a regular 8X10 photo, and add as many activities as you like!

This really is one of my favourite family traditions. It's always a lot of fun, and definitely something my boys look forward to each year.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)