Lollipops and Lemons

The sweet and sour of life with littles

Easter Basket Ideas for Older Kids

~ Uncategorized

It seems that as my boys get older, it gets harder to think of ideas for things like Easter baskets, birthdays, Christmas, etc. When they were little, there was just so much cute stuff to choose from! Finding things that aren’t overly expensive but are still exciting to them is getting much more difficult. If you’re in the same boat, I’ve rounded up a few ideas for Easter baskets for older kids to help! These are the items I have purchased on my own (not sponsored) for my boys this year.

For Easter this year, we are just staying home, having an Easter egg hunt in our backyard, and keeping things pretty low key. What are your favorite things to put in an Easter basket?

DIY Plastic Toys

~ Uncategorized

Did you know you can make plastic out of milk and vinegar? How cool is that?! These DIY plastic toys are so fun to make and are such a cool science experiment for kids!

For this activity, you will need vinegar, milk, food coloring, a cookie cutter, a bowl, a strainer, a plate, and paper towels.

To create plastic out of milk, pour 1 cup of milk into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for about 90 seconds. You want the milk hot, but not boiling.

Next, stir in 4 Tablespoons of vinegar. As you stir, you will notice the milk starting to form clumps. Stir for about 1 minute.

Strain the milk through a strainer, pushing on the clumps to squeeze the liquid out. Dump the solids onto a paper towel and use the towel to squeeze more liquid out. At this point, you can add a few drops of food coloring if you want to, kneading it into the solids.

Place a cookie cutter onto a plate and line with a paper towel. Place the solids into a cookie cutter, pressing into the edges and creating a smooth surface. Let the solids dry for 48-72 hours, switching out the paper towel as it gets soaked through.

The shapes will turn into a hard plastic! The boys loved this experiment and have all sorts of ideas for making their own toys!

Now, for the scientific explanation behind why this happened. Milk contains a protein called casein. When you add an acid (vinegar) to the milk, it changes the pH of the milk. The casein molecules react to the acid and unfold to form a long chain, which is seen as the milk curdling. When these molecules are separated from the liquid and dried, they become what is knows as casein plastic. The plastic can then be molded into shapes. Pretty cool!

Easter Activities for Kids

~ Kids

Today I’m sharing some of my favorite Easter activities for kids!

Easter Story Eggs

I just love this idea for creating a simplified version of the Easter Story!  Its such a creative way for helping little ones understand the meaning behind why we celebrate Easter.  Noah has wanted to do his Easter Story Eggs all week – probably because of the sweet surprise at the end!  Here’s how to create your own Easter Story Egg set:

  1. Cut an egg carton in half so that are left with space for 6 eggs.
  2. On a note card, write out the story:
    1. Jesus ate dinner with his friends.
    2. The next day, Jesus died on the cross.
    3. He was wrapped in cloth and placed in a tomb.
    4. A stone was placed in front of the tomb.
    5. Jesus’ friends came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been moved.  The tomb was empty!
    6. Jesus is alive!  This is the sweet surprise of Easter!
  3. In 6 plastic Easter eggs, place the following items to correspond with the story written on the note card:
    1. Cracker
    2. Cross
    3. Piece of cloth
    4. Stone
    5. Leave this egg empty
    6. Something sweet (we used mini M&Ms)

To tell the story with your child, open an egg for each part of the story and use the item inside to help them remember and retell the story of Easter!

Egg Painting

Really, this couldn’t be more simple, but gives toddlers a fun new way to create art!  Let them use Easter egg halves dipped in paint to create a fun circle art design!

Resurrection Rolls

To make Resurrection Rolls, simply roll out a sheet of Crescent roll dough.  Cut the dough sheet into six pieces.  Dip jumbo marshmallows into melted butter and then cinnamon sugar and place a marshmallow on each dough square.  Then fold up and seal the dough around the marshmallow and bake according to crescent roll package directions.  When they come out of the oven, top each one of with a brush of melted butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar!

We talked about the marshmallow representing Jesus being placed in the tomb and then the tomb being empty on Easter morning.  These are so much fun to make and a perfect, simple activity for a toddler!

St. Patrick’s Day Activities

~ Kids

Every year when I was growing up, Lucky the Leprechaun would come wreak havoc on our house on St. Patrick’s Day.  I can remember waking up to a mess of green and gold.  Green string that had been strung back and forth across the hallway, green paper shreds all over the floor, gold chocolate coins strewn about.  One year, Lucky even (temporarily) tattooed four leaf clovers onto our faces!  We would run out to our trap to see if that was the year we had finally caught Lucky.  Every year we schemed and planned for days, coming up with the perfect trap that we were just sure would catch Lucky this time.  Though we never caught Lucky, he always wished us better luck next year and left a little treat for us – usually Lucky Charms (we never ate sugared cereals).

This year, I found an adorable book about building a trap to catch a leprechaun.  Noah and I read the book and went to work on creating our own trap.

He was so cute coming up with ideas all on his own.  He was very certain that leprechauns must like chocolate chips and insisted that we fill the bottom of his trap with chocolate chips to catch Lucky!  I loved doing this activity with him because he has quite the imagination!  We used supplies that I had around the house – yarn, a box, contact paper (to make Lucky’s feet stick to the bottom of our box of course!), popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners, stickers, and chocolate chips.



He is so excited to set his trap for Lucky this week!  And I must admit, I’m pretty excited to see his face when he wakes up on St. Patrick’s Day.  I’ve got a crazy mess planned that will be crazy fun.  :). It includes green streamers, balloons, confetti, gold coins, and leprechaun footprints!

To go along with our St. Patrick’s Day theme this week, we also made green slime and filled it with gold pom poms and green and gold coins.  Noah had a great time adding the ingredients, stirring our slime, and pressing our treasures into it.  We used a slime recipe that admittedly turned out a little gooier than I had planned, but was still a lot of fun!  The recipe I used combined glue, laundry soap, and food coloring.  Next time we make slime, I think I’ll try this recipe.



How do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?

Trucks and Beans Sensory Bin

~ Kids

I absolutely love creating sensory bins for Noah.  They are the one thing that he will play with independently and they keep him occupied for quite some time.  Sensory bins are also a great way to encourage creative play!  The very first one that I created for Noah was a Trucks and Beans Sensory Bin.  I put this bin together years ago and it has remained a favorite through both boys.  As I’ve rotated toys in and out of our playroom over the past several years, this is one thing that has always remained.  There’s no way they would let me take it down!

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Valentine’s Day Themed Sensory Bin for Toddlers and Preschoolers

~ Kids

I cannot believe it’s already almost February!  Where does the time go?  I guess that’s what having little ones will do for you.  Today I’m sharing an adorable Valentine’s Day themed sensory bin for toddlers and preschoolers.  This bin has so many great textures and bright colors.  The best part is, the flowers, hearts, and cute little owls that I used in it are actually foam stickers, so when you are done with the bin you can use them to make Valentine’s Day cards!


Here’s what I included in this bin:READ MORE

Truck Activities That Kids Will Love

~ Kids

Noah absolutely loves trucks.  He spends most of the day either playing with trucks or reading books about trucks!  I definitely take advantage of his love for trucks in order to keep him busy.  Here are ten fun truck activities that kids will love!

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Read books about trucks!  We love the books by Usborne because they present facts about different types of trucks, have colorful pictures, and are fun!  I’m always surprised how much Noah understands and remembers from these books, even though they are very detailed!  Here are our favorite books about trucks!

Big Book of Big Machines

Big Book of Big Trucks

Construction Sites  (Don’t tell Noah he’s getting this one for Christmas!) 🙂

Shine-a-Light on the Construction Site

(If you’ve never seen the Shine-a-Light series from Usborne, you’ve really got to check them out!  Flashlights + Books = Major Fun)!

Paint your own truck!  I found this wooden truck at Michael’s for a couple dollars.  We used Crayola Washable Paint.  Noah spent about 15 minutes painting his truck a variety of colors!  He was so excited for it to dry so that he could play with it!
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Make truck pancakes!  You can use a mold or even just a regular cookie cutter to make pancakes in a variety of shapes!  I have a train cookie cutter and a truck mold that we use every time we make pancakes.  Noah always eats a great breakfast when trucks or trains are involved.  You could also do this with sandwiches.

Make a homemade construction site!  This construction site was so much fun to create together, was free, and its been one of his favorite toys ever.  I dug around my storage room for boxes and we got to work creating!  We cut doors and windows in the boxes to make garages for the trucks.  We used crumpled up paper bags for piles of dirt.  We used an old bottle drying rack and a magnet attached with yarn to make a crane!  Get creative and use what you have!

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Make a truck sensory bin.  Check out this post for ideas on how to make your own truck themed sensory bin.

Cotton ball painting with truck stencils.  I picked up a truck stencil from Hobby Lobby (Noah’s favorite store…”Momma, are we going to Hobby Wobby?”).  I clipped cotton balls onto the ends of clothespins, poured out some paint onto a plate, and let him paint!

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Truck Wash.  This is such an easy and fun sensory activity!  Here’s the recipe I used to make the foam for our truck wash.  He even had a great time making tracks on the table with his trucks.

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Sticky Trucks.  I found small foam truck shapes and signs at Hobby Lobby.  I just put them in a bowl and taped a piece of contact paper to the table.  Noah spent forever creating designs and moving his trucks around!

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Truck Stamps.  I also found trucks and cars stamps at Hobby Lobby.  Noah had a great time stamping them with different colors of ink and then he decided to draw a road with his crayon.  He was very proud of his creation.  🙂

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Cookie cutter activities.  Cookie cutters are one of the best tools to have on hand.  There really is so much that you can do with them!  Here’s a few things that we’ve done with our truck cookie cutters:  make cookies, play doh, tracing with crayons, sand prints, and food shapes (pancakes, sandwiches).

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Pumpkin Spice Latte

~ Food

Hello Fall! Its starting to get cooler here at night and I am just so ready for Fall. Its my favorite season! I saw the other day that the beloved PSL is back, so in an effort to stick with my healthy eating plan, I’ve recreated my favorite fall drink to fit with my “rules.” This is my favorite drink to curl up under a blanket with on the deck in the chilly morning air! Enjoy!


Pumpkin Spice Latte
 
Save Print
Author:
Recipe type: Beverage
Ingredients
  • 4 dates, pitted
  • 4 cups coconut milk
  • 8 Tbsp pumpkin puree
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • ¾ tsp cinnamon
  • 1½ Tbsp vanilla
Instructions
  1. Use a stick blender to blend the pitted dates into the pumpkin puree. (Do this is a tall, skinny container to avoid pumpkin going everywhere!). Transfer the puree to a medium saucepan. Add the cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Stir until bubbly and fragrant. Add the vanilla and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the coconut milk and whisk until the mixture has come to a soft boil. Let it simmer, whisking occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
  2. Line a sieve with a single layer of cheesecloth and place over a pitcher. Slowly pour the hot mixture over the sieve to strain.
  3. Prepare 1-2 shots of espresso (I prefer 2 shots from my Nespresso machine). Fill the remainder of the cup with the pumpkin spice latte mixture.

*Recipe adapted from Iowa Girl Eats (one of my favorite food blogs!)

Favorite Things – Summer 2017

~ Lifestyle

Hi!  Can I first just say, I’ve missed this blog so much!  My life has been insanely crazy and busy for the last couple months!  I’ve gained 7 pounds, eaten way too many donuts, had zero time for blogging, bought a house, sold a house, and am getting ready for our big move in two weeks!  It’s been a really exciting time, but stressful in a lot of ways too.  I cannot tell you how excited I am to finally get settled into our new home (and share it with you)!

That being said, I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite things that make me happy in the midst of all the crazy.  None of these products are sponsoring this post, I simply want to share my current faves!  And let’s be honest, I needed a light hearted, happy post to pull me out of the pre-moving funk.  🙂

So, here goes….my favorite things:

  1. Tarte Tartlette Amazonian Clay Matte Eyeshadow Palette :  I love this eyeshadow palette so much!  It’s easy to pack for trips, and so easy to make pretty color combinations!  I often get overwhelmed by eyeshadow palettes because I feel like I don’t know where to start with color combos, but with this one, you just follow the row straight across.  So easy.  If you feel adventurous and have time, you can create your own color combos, but I rarely do!
  2. Loreal Gel Eye Liner in Espresso (Target):  Let me just put this out there.  I’m horrible with eye liner.  But this one, I can actually do!
  3. Ella + Mila Nail Polish (pictured: Pink Me Up and Sweet Tooth):  This is a no-bad-for-you-chemicals polish.  Plus Ella + Mila has the prettiest colors ever!
  4. Dabney Lee Cosmetic Bags (Target)
  5. Michael Kors Jet Set Large Saffiano cross-body:  This is my go-to summer bag.  Small, easy to carry, and such a fun summer color!
  6. Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment in Nude (SPF 15): This is my go-to chapstick!  I’m obsessed!  It’s got SPF, adds some color, and goes on smooth.
  7. The Balanced Life Online:  I’ve mentioned this on Facebook before, but I absolutely love my Sisterhood membership at The Balanced Life.  Robin totally gets it – life is busy, and sometimes fitting in a workout just feels like another to-do!  I love the easy to follow calendar that provides 10 minute workouts on M, W, F and 30 minute workouts on T, Th.  I can totally handle that!
  8. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Moonstone:  When I’m tired, this adds a pretty glow to my face.  Just brush along your cheekbones to add a pretty shimmer!
  9. Kendra Scott Necklaces (similar): This is my jewelry must have right now!  It looks gorgeous with everything, casual or dressy!
  10. Marc Jacobs Enamored Hi-Shine Lip Lacquer in Pretty Thing: I love the color of this gloss!  It’s pretty and subtle, which is perfect for me.
  11. Gap Sleepwear:I mean, who doesn’t love a cute pair of pajamas?!  I work from home, so I usually start my work day in my PJs.  It helps me feel at least a little bit put together when they are this cute!
  12. Kut from the Kloth Mia Skinny jeans: These are my absolute favorite jeans.  And I’ve tried a LOT of jeans!  They are slightly distressed, super soft, and don’t get stretched out in the knees!  I love them…so much so that I own several pairs.  Of the same jean.  🙂
  13. New Balance 410 70s in Pink Sandstone:  So those jeans I just mentioned?  I pair them with these shoes and a comfy Gap tee.  Again, as you’ve probably figured out by now, when I find something I love, I buy it in every color!  I have these shoes in this gorgeous light pink, gray, and black.  They are so, so comfy and perfect for chasing my boys!
  14. Pacifica Kale Juice Cleanse (Target):  I just recently started using this face product and I’m hooked!  I have super sensitive skin, so I only use it a couple times a week, but it makes my skin soft and gives it a healthy looking glow.
  15. Gekks for Ballet Flats: I love, love, love my Gekks!  This is my number one must-have if you’re a ballet-flat-wearing-girl!  I hate going without socks, but all other shoe liners that I’ve tried still show (especially when I wear my Tieks)!  These do not – they don’t slip under your heel and they never, ever show!  Plus, they prevent smelly shoes!  I also own several pairs of these – for my flats as well as my low cut booties!  If you go for one thing off this list, its gotta be these.
  16. Sam Edelman Katya Gladiator Sandal: These are the perfect summer time sandals!

 

What are your Summer time favorite must-haves?

Family Traditions – Pizza Night!

~ Food, Kids

Hey guys! My name is Diana — I’m lucky and grateful to be Sarah’s friend and neighbor 🙂 — and I am so excited to write this guest post for you! I have been making pizza every Friday since I was in middle school. During a Lenten Friday when I was a teenager I remember asking my parents if we could order pizza for dinner (we’re Catholic so we couldn’t have meat), but like all good parents they told me “No, but you can make some.” I ended up making a simple crust and topping it with marinara sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese. I figured it would be tasty (and it was!), but if you had told me I would still be making that same pizza recipe every Friday 25 years later, I’m sure I wouldn’t have believed you. You could say that making this pizza every Friday is less of a tradition and more of an addiction (and you wouldn’t be wrong!), but can you blame me?! Who wouldn’t want to eat pizza every week?! My whole family looks forward to pizza Friday because:
1. There’s no meal planning required
And of course:
2. Pizza!

If you’re ok still being friends even now that you know about my pizza obsession, read on! And if you’d like to try out this recipe for yourself, here it is:

Preliminary note: Making this pizza dough is faster and easier if you have a stand mixer but don’t sweat it too much if you don’t — you’ll just need a little bit more muscle! If you aren’t using a stand mixer I recommend a mixing bowl and fork. It’s nothing fancy but it turns out just as tasty! (For the record, I’ve only had a stand mixer for the last 5 years of Pizza Fridays ;-))

Here’s what you’ll need:
1 ¼ c. very-warm-but-not-hot water (ideally between 105 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit)
1 package active dry yeast
Pinch of sugar
4 c. flour
Pinch of salt
Olive oil

Dissolve the sugar in the warm water and add the yeast. Allow it to “proof” (proof = fancy chef word for grow and look all crazy) for 5 – 15 minutes.

Place 3 of the 4 cups of flour in the bowl and add a pinch of salt, the yeast/water mixture, and 1 – 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Stir that until it’s combined, and then knead in the 4th cup of flour (you may need a little more or less than that…you don’t want to use too much and make the dough too dense, you just want to make sure that it isn’t sticky).

Continue kneading the dough until it’s smooth and elastic, then place it in a lightly greased bowl and cover it loosely with a kitchen towel.

Allow it to rise for a couple hours (ideally) or for barely 30 minutes if somehow you’re rushing around trying to pull dinner together at the last second (not that that’s ever happened to me ;-)).

Next you need to figure out your pizza-cooking method. When I first started making pizzas, I used a lightly oiled cookie sheet and I pressed the dough onto that. Now I roll out my dough on a lightly floured countertop, then move it to a pizza peel dusted with cornmeal before adding toppings. Either way works great!

Speaking of toppings, here’s where it really gets fun! On a typical Pizza Friday, we tend to keep things simple with just sauce and cheese (lately I’ve been using slices of the fresh mozzarella they have at Costco…it’s so yummy!). But sometimes we like to make more of an adventure out of our pizza dinner (especially if we’re having pizza on a night other than Friday) and we make crazy pizzas like hot wing pizza (shredded chicken, hot wing sauce, and cheddar cheese…dipped in ranch dressing of course), Philly steak pizza (with cooked steak, sauteed mushrooms and onions, and provolone cheese), or Mexican pizza (with beef or chicken taco meat and all of our favorite taco toppings). Making crazy pizza is a great way to use up random leftovers that you need to get rid of!

Feel free to really get your kids involved in this part — rolling out the dough and adding toppings — little kids are always more excited to eat something they’ve had a hand in preparing, and older kids love being guaranteed to get what they want!!!

After your pizza is prepped, it’s go time! For a cookie sheet pizza, bake it in a 400 degree oven for about 12 – 14 minutes. If you’re using a pizza stone, put the stone into a cold oven and then preheat the oven to 450 (if you put the cold pizza stone into a hot oven the fast temperature change might crack it). Once the oven and stone are hot, you’ll need to slide your pizza carefully off the peel and onto the stone where it will need to cook for about 10 minutes.

And that’s it! Trust me, it sounds way more complicated than it is. And I can demonstrate it much more easily than I can describe it…I wish I could have you all over for a “demo and dinner” pizza night!!!

Thanks for letting me crash your blog, Sarah!

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