You guys have probably figured out by now that I love the holidays…even the little ones.  They give me a chance to break up the everyday routine and inject a little fun into our family life.  This Valentine’s Day I decided to try a new family tradition…we’re calling it our Lotsa-Love Fest.

I found the orginal idea on Family Fun’s website in their Valentine’s Traditions section.  In the post, Teresa J talks about setting up a “Secret Post Office” in their house so her family can send each other anonymous messages throughout the month of February.   I thought it was a cute idea and a great way to encourage my family to spread the love in the two weeks before the big day. 

In our version, I had the kids color and decorate their own Lotsa-Love envelopes.  I made one for Mom & Dad as well and then we posted them on the wall in the kitchen.  I also printed some simple fill-in-the-blank valentine messages to make creating a lotsa-love message a little easier.  You can find the free file download below.  I keep the notes and a stash of crayons in a heart-shaped basket on the kitchen table for easy envelope access.  Over the course of the next two weeks, we’ll spreading the love by leaving messages, pictures and treats in each other’s envelopes.  Each morning at breakfast we’ll check our envelopes and show off our new mail.  To kick off our festivities tonight, I wrote a special message for each of my kids and added a small stuffed animal (from the dollar spot at Target) to their envelopes.

It’s not much…just a simple and inexpensive way to jazz up these chilly winter days and help my family show a little extra love this Valentine season.  If you’d like to check out lots of other great Valentines traditions I recommend you check out Family Fun’s website.  I found several clever ideas that I plan to try this year.  Just thought I’d pass it on. 

If you’ve got a Valentine tradition that your family loves I hope you’ll post it for the rest of us in the comments area for the rest of us to enjoy.  Thanks.

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Okay, I know, I know…I haven’t posted in weeks.  I’m so sorry for the long delay.  I promise I have a very long list of perfectly viable excuses.  I won’t bore you with the details.  Just know that as of tonight, I should be back on track. 

Remember, if you ever get sick of checking the site…only to find the same halloween countdown post again and again…you are more than welcome to subscribe to my Feedblitz feed.  Once you sign up, you’ll get every new MeckMom post sent directly to your inbox.  I generally post once or twice a week, so you can expect 4-8 bright idea emails each month.  If you’re interested, just follow the Feedblitz link on the right.

Today was my son’s 6th birthday so I thought I’d post two of my favorite family birthday traditions.  They’re not fancy or expensive, but they’re a great way to add a little sparkle to your child’s big day.

Breakfast Doughnut Tower

This simple little idea stemmed from my Mom’s breakfast-in-bed birthday tradition.  When I was growing up, my birthdays always began with a hot plate of french toast in bed and a birthday serenade from my family.  In order to create that same warm and cozy feel for my kids without exerting tons of effort, I created our breakfast doughnut tower tradition.  As you can see from the picture, the idea is pretty simple.  When my kids wake up on their birthday, they find a balloon & crepe paper covered kitchen and a big tower of doughnuts waiting for them on the table.  We add one doughnut for each year and then top the tower with a number candle.  The family sings, we take some pictures and then we all dig in.  We rarely have sweets for breakfast so my kids are thrilled about this tradition even if it’s not their birthday.

Birthday Present Scavenger Hunt

I love drawing out the present-opening process.  For some reason, it seems like my kids appreciate each present more when they get to hunt for it.  Here’s how our little tradition works.  When the kids wake up in the morning all their presents are wrapped and on display.  This way they get a chance to count up their stash and make their predictions about what’s inside.  While they’re away at school or during their nap, I hide their presents in various tricky locations around the house and yard (the locations get a little tougher as they get older).  After their birthday dinner the scavenger hunt begins. 

My clue method changes with each birthday.  One year I hid the clues inside balloons and had the kids stomp them to find the present locations.  Another year I snapped zoomed-in pictures of the present locations and sealed them in individual envelopes.  One of my favorites was the year we hid the paper clues in the birthday cake before frosting it.  It was messy, but the kids loved digging through the goopy cake to find the clues.

This year, I came up with a simple target shooting game to kick off my son’s hunt.  First, I printed and laminated seven numbered targets (these targets could have tons of uses, so I included the free file for you below).  Next, I used a dry-erase marker to jot down the present locations on each (ie ‘in the Capn Crunch box’ or ‘in the washing machine’).  Next, I used masking tape to stick them to the wall.  When it was time to hunt, I gave my son an inexpensive Nerf dart gun ($7 at WalMart) and had him shoot at the targets.  When he managed to nail a target with his suction cup dart, he pulled the target off the wall and read the clue aloud.  Once he and his sisters located the present, they brought it back to the living room and tore it open.  The game continued until he’d located and opened all seven presents. 

Regardless of the method, the end result of the scavenger hunt is always the same.  My kids come away from their birthday appreciating each gift a little more, their siblings have fun helping in the hunt, and my digital camera is full of fabulous family memories.  Just thought I’d pass it on.

If your family has fun birthday traditions that you’d like to share, please do so in the comments area.  I’m always looking for new ways to spice up our family fun!  Thanks.

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Perhaps it’s my own fault. Maybe decorating for Halloween five weeks early naturally creates holiday over-anticipation/impatience in my kids. Whatever the reason, my kids are constantly dragging their costumes out of their closets to ask me if it’s time to trick or treat. Yesterday, after answering that quetion for the 493rd time, I decided I needed a way for the kids to keep track of the countdown themselves. So, I created this simple little countdown poster to do just that.

Much like the Christmas Advent Poster I posted last year, this simple little chart hangs out on our fridge for easy access to my three kids. Rather than use stickers to mark the days, I opted to go for something a little more Halloweenish…googly eyes. Each morning at breakfast during the last two weeks of October, my kids get to add one googly eye to the poster. They start at the fourteen and work their way down to the one so they can know at a glance how many days are left until the big day.

To make your own handy chart, simply print out the file below on heavy white cardstock. If you’d like to give it a little more strength (like the one pictured), trim the edges and glue it to a sheet of black cardstock. I designed the file to use 12mm wiggle eyes, but you could use whatever size you have on hand. Ideally, you’ll want to look for the wiggle eyes that have adhesive backs. If you can’t find those, just use glue dots or keep a bottle of Elmer’s in your kitchen drawer. You’ll want to start marking your chart tomorrow (Oct 17th). 

If your kids have other Halloween activities to look forward to (class parties, family traditions, etc.) you can track those on your chart as well.  Simply use a marker to add a little color to the party date.  For example, our church Trunk or Treat Party happens on the 26th so I used an orange marker to highlight the number 5 circle (I did this after I took the pictures for the blog).  If my kids want to figure out how many days are left until the party they just count the open circles between today and the orange circle.

Cheap, easy and totally kid-friendly. I think this chart will be a party of our Halloween festivities for years to come.  Just thought I’d pass it on.

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If you’ve got a daughter between the ages of 6 and 16 you probably know all too well what tomorrow is.  In fact, if your girls are anything like mine, chances are they’ve been counting down for months.  My daughter is such a huge High School Musical fan that we’re hosting a HSM2 premiere birthday party at our house tomorrow night.  9 eight-year-olds singing and dancing the night away with Troy and Gabriella.  Wish me luck.

Since there are so many of you with little High School Musical groupies in your house, I thought I’d post the file for the VIP lanyards I created for my daughter’s invitations.  Whether you’re hosting your own movie watching party or simply want have something fun for your girls to wear tomorrow night, these simple lanyards should add the perfect VIP touch.

To create them, simply print out the PDF file on heavy white cardstock.  Cut out the designs and then use a glue stick to hold the two sides of the tag together.  I deleted the birthday party text on the file so your girls could unleash their creativity and add their own designs within the yellow polka-dot border.  Once the glue has set, either laminate the tag or simply punch a hole right through the card stock with any standard hold punch.  To create the lanyard, simply add your favorite ribbon.  I found this darling, polka-dot ribbon at Wal Mart for under $2.  While you’re in in the craft aisle you may also want to pick up a small bag of adhesive-backed rhinestones (the kind girls use to decorate their cell phones and mp3 players).  My girls loved using them to embellish their tags.  Simple, cheap, and sure to please any High School Musical fan.  Just thought I’d pass it on.

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Nothing can push your mothering creativity like the long days of summer.  When I hear my son start quoting air freshener commercials I know it’s time to shut off the TV and force a little good-ol-fashioned fort making. 

I wasn’t up for destroying the living room, so we used a corner of a bedroom instead.   First, we rearranged the furniture to create a nook.  We used bookcases, but kitchen chairs or dressers would work too.  Next, I grabbed a spare twin sheet from under my son’s mattress (thanks for the comment on that, by the way). 

The big problem with your average blanket fort is all the slippage.  To keep the blankets in place, I grabbed a few adhesive hooks from the junk drawer.  I used 3M Command Adhesive because they’re easy to remove and reposition.  I placed the hooks on the wall above the nook and on the bookcases.  Then, I used simple binder clips to grab the sheet and hook it to the walls and furniture. 

Over the last four days the fort has been well-used.  It’s been a circus tent, a makeover salon, and a transformer hideout.  The hooks are still holding strong and I haven’t heard about the wonders of ‘Air Wick Freshmatic Minis’ in days.  That’s a win-win for me.  Just thought I’d pass it on. 

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Easter is just around the corner so I thought I’d share a few of my favorite family fun ideas.

Puzzling Easter Egg Hunt
Purchase and hide a small, shareable prize (like a package of Peeps or a new game) somewhere in your house. Write down the prize location on a sheet of heavy cardstock and cut it into a 15-30 piece puzzle. You could also purchase an inexpensive Easter puzzle and write your secret message on the back. Add one piece of the puzzle to each plastic egg before your annual family Easter Egg Hunt. The puzzle adds a little excitement to the hunt and saves your family from the annual candy overload.

Easter Basket Search
Make your kids search for their baskets this year by creating a yarn trail. First, buy a different color of yarn for each child in your family. Next, hide their Easter basket in a remote location of the house. After they’ve gone to bed, tie their color of yarn to their doorknob and wind it all through the house (under couches, around corners, over tables, etc.). Tie the other end of the yarn to the handle of their hidden basket. In the morning, they’ll have to follow their yarn to find their prize.

Easter Bunny Trail
I haven’t tried this one yet, but I thought it sounded like a fun way to add a little magic to Easter morning. When your kids are in bed, use baby powder and your finger to create small, white Easter bunny footprints near your front door or next to your child’s Easter basket.

If you have any fun & easy family traditions that you’d like to share, please feel free to add them. I’d love to try something new this year. Thanks.

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A special thanks to Mary and Amy for reminding me of this one. They were helping me pack my kitchen last week when we came across my one of my favorite breakfast tools. I must admit, a dollar store ketchup bottle doesn’t look like much, but when it comes to making pretty pancakes in a hurry, it gets the job done.

When I found this idea, I had 3 kids under 4. The kids had a hard time cutting their own pancakes and I found cutting them too time consuming. I tried making smaller pancakes the traditional way, but the end result was a bunch of lumpy blobs. Then I found this simple solution.

I bought a plastic ketchup bottle from my local dollar store and cut the tip down to create a bigger opening. I filled the bottle with pancake batter and then used it to create small, quarter-size pancakes (we call them silver dollars at our house). They cook quickly and were just the right size for my kids.

It wasn’t long before I realized I could also use it to create fun shapes with the pancakes bottle too. On Saturdays, birthdays, or just when I’m feeling like being a fun Mom, I take requests and create all kinds of crazy pancakes for my kids. Flowers, dinosaurs, letters…anything their creative little brains can come up with.

When you’re finished, just put the cap on your bottle and toss it in your fridge. You’ll be set to make next batch whenever you need it. Just pull it out of the fridge and pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to bring it back to room temperature. Easy and inexpensive…just thought I’d pass it on.

Want to try it? Here’s a few tips…

1. Make sure your batter is free of lumps (I add extra milk to mine to thin it out a little)
2. Cook your pancakes on medium-low heat to give you more time to create
3. To add a little dimension to your designs (if you’re feeling especially artistic), pour the darker portions first. For example, if you want to make a flower, pour the petals first and wait a few seconds before adding the center. The petals will have a little more time to cook so they’ll turn out a little darker than the center.
4. Raid your kid’s toys. I found that my daughter’s mini metal spatula from her kitchen set is the perfect size for flipping the silver dollars.

If you have any easy or creative food tricks that your family loves, please post them in the comments area. I’m always looking for new ways to keep my family guessing. Thanks.

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A few days ago my 4 year-old daughter ran into the kitchen of our new house begging me for a ziploc bag. When I asked her why, she enthusiastically declared that she had discovered a huge patch of clovers under our deck and needed to harvest them for Lucky Leprechaun Day.

My kids have been counting down to St. Patrick’s Day for weeks now. They look forward to leprechaun visits the way other kids look forward to Easter baskets and tooth fairy quarters. Although it started completely by accident, it’s been one of my kid’s favorite family traditions. So, naturally, I thought I’d post it here.

Just so you know, I did post this idea about a year ago. However, my blog was so new then that I doubt I had many readers. I thought I’d post it again for those of you that joined a little later in the year.

St. Patrick’s day was always a little dull at our house. We usually do the green pancakes and such, but I wanted something a little more fun for my kids to look forward to in March.

Several years ago, my oldest daughter fell asleep on an old green Mardi Gras necklace. When she woke up on St. Patrick’s Day, she had a strange green marking on her belly. She was too little to understand that the paint from the necklace had transferred to skin, so I told her that a lucky leprechaun must have snuck into her room late at night and left her his good luck mark. I told her the mark was very special because it promised an entire year of good luck. She believed me whole-heartedly. In fact, whenever she was nervous or scared during the following year I reminded her of the mark and she’d get a sudden burst of courage.

We had so much fun with it that year, that we made it a St. Patrick’s Day tradition. Each year, on St. Patrick’s eve, they put freshly picked clovers in front of their door. After they’ve gone to sleep, I sneak into their rooms and draw a tiny green clover with permanent marker somewhere on their body. When they wake up on St. Patrick’s Day, they search all over to find their mark, and then rush in to our room to tell us just how lucky they’re going to be that year. They love that the ‘lucky leprechaun ink’ lasts for several days which gives them plenty of time to show off their good luck to all their friends.

I know it seems simple and perhaps a bit silly, but the way I figure it is this: I’ve only got a few short years where my kids eyes will sparkle at the thought of fairies, fantasy, and flying reindeer . Why not add one more magical creature to the list? Considering it only costs me the price of a marker and about 5 minutes of my time, I think it’s well worth it. Just thought I’d pass it on.

If any of you have other St. Patrick’s Day traditions you’d like to add, please feel free to add it to the comments section. I’m always looking for new ways to make these smaller holidays a little more momentous.

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