July is a fun-filled month. It means the start of summer vacation for myself and the kids, and it starts off with a bang - Canada Day! This July also marked the PanAm Games here in Toronto as well as National Chocolate Day on July 7. But for our family, it's also the month where we celebrate several birthdays and anniversaries. Of particular note was my daughter's 10th birthday. To celebrate this milestone year, we threw her a special Minion-themed party. She originally wanted an Inside Out theme but she changed her mind when she saw Minion party goggles and matching plates at Walmart. We also picked up some customizable drinking cups in yellow with a peel and scratch so guests could write their name or draw their own Minion eyes. My daughter also thought of purchasing yellow balloons so she could draw a number of Minion faces and decorate our main floor. And we can't forget the cake! We ordered a double chocolate Minion cake from Longo's, which was absolutely delicious.

For the party, we decided to try something different and went with a painting party. My daughter wanted to paint something a little more 'artsy' than a Minion cartoon so she went with something that had equally large eyes - an owl. First of all, let me tell you how much I value quiet. But given that it was a party with 16 kids and 10 adults, I prepared for three hours of high volume fun. Instead, it was the complete opposite. I mean, they still had fun. But for the first 45 minutes, the kids were concentrating so hard on their paintings, they barely said a word. You could hear a pin drop! In total, it took about an hour and a half to complete the painting which meant the kids could have some fun outside while their paintings dried. They also played "Pin the Pocket on the Minion" before enjoying some cake. Since they each got to take home a beautifully painted pièce de résistance, I didn't see the need for your typical loot bag. Instead, each guest left with a Kinder Surprise Egg. Minion-themed, of course!

What better way to ring in the spring season than with a party to celebrate the earth! With Earth Day coming up on April 22, EnviroKidz invites you to throw a Celebrate-the-Earth party to make learning about animals and the planet fun and delicious for kids. Why not try making some tasty Chocolate Garden Cups featured above? Or try these easy no-bake Koala Crisp™ Mini Cupcakes using the recipe below.

I am so incredibly excited to participate in this year's Ultimate Blog Party hosted by the wonderful ladies at 5MinutesforMom.com. Last year's party was too gosh-darn fun, how could I pass up another chance to meet new bloggers and tweeps? I'm so excited, in fact, that I have decided to add a prize to their listing. So check back on April 1 to find out what's in store and to join in the awesome fun that is #UBP11! And that ain't no joke.