mom2mom {linky party} highlights

I have to admit that I am just loving this mom2mom {linky party} that we have going on here on the blog every Monday!!

I am learning so many new ideas from MJ and you fabulous moms out there!

It is truly helping me be a better mom and I hope it is helping you too!

I am all about cute and SIMPLE activities that keep my boys busy and out of trouble!!

However, I am SO not the super-mom type.

You probably think I have it all together right?

Ha!

If only you could meet me in person!

My scatter-brained, day-dreaming, stressed-out self struggles with setting up a routine and coming up with engaging activities for my 2 crazy (totally different personality) boys---which means I must resort to stealing ideas from the best!

And now that we are stir crazy living here in the frozen tundra we call home, I can use all the ideas I can get!

BTW: The projects cannot be too overwhelming or too involved or I will never start!

With that said, MJ and those who know me best, will be impressed to see that I have actually successfully completed several of the activties with my boys that I either learned from the mom2mom {linky party} since we started it 3 weeks ago or from other moms in the past!

Here are 3 of the activities that we have recently done that I actually took pictures of---

This little activity is something that my sisters and I did when we were kids and I have used it alot at camps, in my PE classes, in team-building sessions, etc.

You simply blow up enough balloons for each child to have at least 1 and let them see who can keep it off the ground the longest!

I do this a ton with my boys---they would play this for hours if I let them!

You can also do it as a group, trying to work together to keep all of the balloons off the ground---if you have older kids, you can add more balloons so that the balloons out-number the people which makes it more challenging!

The great thing is you can do it inside because the balloons will not hurt anything and you don't even have to blow them up very big!

My boys actually tell me, "that's enough mom!" They are afraid I will blow them up too big and they will pop and they do not like that loud noise!

Just find a place to store them (notice what a great balloon-holder my beautiful fire-place cover makes) so you can use them over and over again!

This is a little trick that I learned from a few moms (MJ being one of them) in the past!

Just fill a little bowl with water, grab a few paint brushes and let the kiddos "paint" something using the water as paint---we chose cars and trucks but I have heard of other moms letting their child paint the sidewalk or the fence or other toys.

My boys started out "painting" (which was really "washing" because my too-smart-for-his-own-good-child said that water is not paint) their cars and trucks and then they decided to get their tools out to "repair" them---they had a little body shop of imaginative play going for a good 30 minutes doing this one afternoon!

And finally, look what we made today!!!

The super-cute, so easy to make handprint valentine hearts that MJ taught us how to make at last week's mom2mom {linky party}!

LOVE.

I know this is kind of spoiling it for those who will be receiving them but I wanted to show you how cute they turned out!

And if me and my boys can make 14 of them---anyone can do it with their kiddos!

And besides, I did not totally ruin the surprise because there will be something else extra special inside these valentines that I am not going to tell you about on here because I know who reads this blog!! :)

Can't wait to see what I will learn from you lovely moms next week!

Until then, have a great week!