BIRTHDAY LETTER to my youngest son on his 8th birthday

Today, my "baby" turns eight. I seriously can't believe how fast time flies. It seems like yesterday I was getting up with him in the middle of the night to feed him and rock him back to sleep. In keeping with family tradition, last night I wrote him a birthday letter as a way of remembering all the little details that make him special. Here is my birthday letter to my youngest son on his 8th birthday.

To my darling, cuddly, sweet "baby" boy:

I am so proud to watch you find your way in the world as you work hard to build your confidence and conquer your anxiety in new social situations. You are a cautious boy, but this past year, you made new friends and tried new things.

On your 8th birthday, I want you to know that I love you more each day, and I feel totally blessed to be your mother. Here are some of things that make you the unique boy that you are:

• Crackers are your favourite food. In particular, you love multi-grain wheat thins. 
• You have a sweet smile, and you have adorable freckles on your nose and cheeks.
• Your nickname is "Bellzie" (like your brothers), and you answer to it proudly.
• You love to read with me, and I love to read with you too! (We recently read "Charlotte's Web" together, and we both had tears in our eyes when Charlotte died... even though you hid your face and denied it.) :-)
• You love to play anything with a ball or a puck, but hockey is still your favourite.
• Riding your bike is one of your favourite things to do. It's really cute to watch you hop on your bike and "call for" your neighbourhood friends.
• Playing with your brothers is still your favourite thing to do. You are always playing games or going on adventures together.
• Your favourite colour is green, you love your "big blanket", and your hockey number this year was #5.
• You are shy around new people, but with your friends and family you are a clown. You are always acting silly, and making us laugh with your funny dance moves.

I love you to the moon and back, and you will always be my "baby".

Lots of Love,

Mom
xoxo

Hosting a simple Backyard Olympics

Hosting a simple "backyard Olympics" is a fun way to spend a warm summer afternoon. It would also be a fun (and simple) theme for a DIY party. My boys set up and competed in their own backyard Olympics, and today I am sharing the games and activities that we used as part of our celebration.

First event (balloon/spoon race) – Run from the starting line to the finish line with a balloon on a spoon. You can’t touch the balloon. If you touch the balloon, or the balloon drops, you must go back to the beginning and get another balloon.

Second event (Nerf gun target shooting) – You must knock two cups of water from their perch (on top of a pylon or cup) with a Nerf gun bullet.

Third event (pass the water) – Break into teams, and each team stands in a line. The first person in line dumps water over their head(without looking back), and the second person in line catches the water and uses it to fill another container. The first team to fill their container wins.

Fourth event (squirt gun/plastic cup race) – You must squirt water into a cup (that has a string passing through it). The water will move the cup, and the first person to get his/her cup to the end of the string wins. (Hint: Use a piece of a straw inside the cup to make the string pass through the cup more easily.)

Fifth event (water balloon toss) – Break into teams, toss the balloon, and follow instructions (like take a step back, catch with one hand, etc…) The team that has their balloon longest (without breaking it) wins.

Sixth event (obstacle course) – Use many of the events above a second time to put together one huge event where every task must be completed. This can be done in teams or individually. You can also add mind games like riddles and puzzles.

We used mini chocolate bars for prizes, but a prize punch would be fun too.

Some other events/activities that would be fun: 

• Eat donuts from a string and see who can eat their donut first.
• Try to keep a balloon in the air the longest (without having it touch the ground).
• Race to see who can move Skittles from one plate to another first (by sucking them up with a straw).
• Compete in an Olympic themed scavenger hunt.
• Divide into teams and each team gets a roll of toilet paper. Try to be the first team to use up all the paper wrapping one member of the team.
• Put three clothespins on each child's clothing. Then, all the kids run around trying to get the most clothespins off other people's clothing (while keeping their own).

You could also add to the festivities with an Olympic themed cake and crafts. (Click on the link for details.)

My boys and I had a fun afternoon holding our backyard Olympics, and I'm sure they'll want to do it again soon!

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

NERF Party Loot Bag... with free printable tags

Every party needs an adorable party favour, and I am loving the fun loot bags I put together for my boys' epic NERF themed birthday party. I created two simple party "take aways", and today I am sharing the details of both of our NERF party goodie bags.

The first treat that goes with our "NERF battle" theme is a bunch of water balloons that you hook up to the hose (for simple and quick filling). I attached a little tag that says, "Thanks for coming to our party! Let the battle continue". Cute, right?

I love how colourful these balloons are, and I know the party guests will have fun with them this summer.

To download a copy of the tag I designed: right-click on the photo below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo. There are two tags on each page. You can add the birthday boy/girl's name before printing, or you can add it later using a Sharpie.

The second treat that we are gifting to our guests is a selection of goodies from a prize punch I created. I have been making these prize punches for many years (using dollar store supplies), and they are always popular with our party guests.

To make a prize punch:

1) Fill plastic cups with treats and trinkets.

2) Use hot glue to cover the tops of the glasses with squares of tissue paper.

3) Use hot glue to attach the cups to pieces of foam core from the dollar store.

You can allow the guests to poke through the tissue to claim their prizes, or you can have them use a NERF gun to shoot through the tissue. Both ways are super fun!

Don't you love a party favour that fits with the theme of the party? My boys are pretty excited about these NERF party loot bags.

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Don't miss out on any of the fun... follow me on social media here.

     

Find more NERF party ideas here.

For a closer look, check out the video I made here:

Last Day of School 2017

Today was my boys' last day of school, so I thought I would pop by and let you know how we celebrated the milestone. We have a couple of fun traditions, and you can read about them below.

Our traditions are simple, but they mean a lot to my boys and I.

The first thing we do is head out for ice cream. We have been doing it for years, and we always take a picture. Check out some of our past pictures below.

And here is our picture from this year! I can't believe we have been doing this for SEVEN years. Where does the time go... and how have they gotten so big???

After our ice cream, we head home so that my boys can run through their finish line. It's my favourite part of the day.

Finally, we celebrate with small gifts. We don't do elaborate "grading gifts", but my boys always get new books to encourage them to read during their summer vacation.

We had a wonderful day, and we are now ready to start our summer adventure. Happy last day of school to you and your little ones!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Top Netflix Movies for Kids of All Ages

Summer is the perfect time for kids to get outside and get active, but every once in a while, kids need a little "down time" to cuddle up with a good movie. Of course, Netflix has some fantastic options for children of all ages. Recently, I had my boys choose their favourite Netflix movies, and today, I am sharing their "Top 30 Netflix Movies".

I divided my boys' lists into two parts... their favourite movies that are suitable for younger kids and their favourite movies that can be enjoyed by older children. 

It was hard for my boys to narrow down their choices, but here are their top 15 selections for younger kids.

My boys also chose their personal favourites for younger children:

My 11 year old chose "Shrek".
My 9 year old chose "Kung Fu Panda".
My 7 year old chose "Big Hero 6".

And here are their top 15 selections for older kids.

My boys also chose their personal favourites for older children:

My 11 year old chose "Back to the Future".

My 9 year old chose "Star Wars: The Force Awakens".

My 7 year old chose "Cool Runnings".

Family movie night is my favourite night of the week, and we have watched all these movies with our boys. I'm looking forward to re-watching some of these wonderful films this summer. What would be the top movie on your list?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

*Disclosure: I receive special gifts and perks as part of my affiliation with Netflix.... however (as always) the opinions on this blog are 100% my own.

Last Day of School Teacher Gift... with clever printable gift tags

I know that teachers have enough mugs and candles, so I love giving gift cards. I enjoy knowing that my gift will be used, but gift cards can be boring, and not very fun for kids to give. But don't fret, I have a solution! This little treat and clever tag provide the perfect packaging for gift cards on the last day of school.

The key to the cuteness is this clever "Enjoy your summer BREAK!" tag. To download the tag: right-click on the picture below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo.

Then, just use a little bit of ribbon to add the tag to a bag containing a KitKat bar and a gift card.

You can also use a cute container, and attach the tag to a lovely gift basket.

I love think this is a wonderful way to transform a gift card into a gift, don't you? My boys will be proud to give these packages to their teacher on the last day of school.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Tips for Encouraging Kids to be Active... and turn off their electronics

As a mom of three boys between the ages of 7 and 11, I understand the importance of keeping kids active. I truly believe that getting kids to play sports is critical to their physical, mental and emotional well-being. I also understand that in this age of technology, it is getting increasingly difficult to get kids to turn off their electronics and get moving. So, today I am sharing some simple and helpful tips for encouraging kids to be active.

Find what they love. -- My boys all love hockey, but they also enjoy anything that involves running around or playing with a ball or puck. I encourage them to participate in organized sports, but I also urge them to take part in unstructured physical endeavors too. I love to watch them play neighborhood games of ball, tag, Frisbee, or hide and seek… and I enjoy watching them go on bike rides/runs/hikes too. If they are moving and smiling, I’m happy!

Support them. Encourage them. Watch them. Cheer for them. -- I really try and teach my kids that the point of playing sports is not winning… it’s about working hard and doing their best. I want my boys to know that I love to watch them play and that I am always proud of them.

Set them up for success. -- I feel that my role as a parent is to help make sure my boys have the things they need to succeed. I get them the gear they require, help them fuel their bodies with healthy foods., and teach them to be disciplined and respectful.

Make it fun. -- Childhood sports are about being active, dreaming big, working hard, and having fun… period.

Are your kids into being active and having fun? How do you encourage their efforts?

♥

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)