Easter Egg Science Project

In preparation for Easter this weekend we did an Easter Egg science project! We used bright c

olored fruits and vegetables to dye hardboiled eggs. We tried onion skins, turmeric, blueberries, red cabbage and beets. Ava and Anders dipped and turned the eggs to make sure they were covered with liquid. They also decided when to take the eggs out or keep them in the dye if we thought they needed some more time! It was an awesome DIY kid project.. just make lots of hard boiled eggs because there were definitely some smashed eggs! 🙂

Ava showed up to the party in her usual preferred attire.. swimsuit. This girl is ready for summer.

Ingredients

Hardboiled eggs
Onion skins
Turmeric, you can use the fresh root or dried ground powder
Beets
Blueberries
Red cabbage
White vinegar

Directions

I’m sure there’s more of a science behind this and there are a ton of resources online for naturally dyed Easter eggs, but for us this was more of an art than science.. here’s what we did.
I boiled some beets and saved the liquid – pretty pink!
Microwaved frozen blueberries with some water and mashed them with a fork – gorgeous robin egg blue
Boiled onion skins (just peel off the outer dry golden layer of skin) – golden yellow color
Boiled some grated fresh turmeric root – this yielded a beautiful orange
Boiled some red cabbage and saved the liquid – this was the faintest color – didn’t do much for our dyeing project.
We put each of the dyes on bowls and stirred in a tablespoon of vinegar
Then we submerged boiled eggs in the liquid and let it soak for between 2-10 minutes
We watched the eggs turning color and made observations on what the colors were.
Voila! Beautiful Easter eggs

When you find the perfect item at the thrift store…

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I’ll admit. I buy more than I should when I’m thrifting. I mean, when things are only a few dollars it’s hard NOT TO!! However, when you find something you LOVE or something you’ve been looking for…total WIN! I’m a total sucker for white boho tops, and I found this one the other week for $3.50! I love the seams and the fluttery bottom!I have to tell you. Twirling shots with a self timer are less than graceful. I got plenty of strange looks haha. But I really wanted to show how cool this top was. 🙂 She kept getting sand in her sandals and wanting to take them off. By summer end, she’ll not even notice, or will be forever barefoot. I just worry about all the sharp shells and glass, so I make her keep something on :{ And THEN…I found these Salt Water Sandals for Maya for $1.20!!!! That’s UNHEARD OF! I couldn’t believe my luck! I’ve been wanting to get her a pair forever!! Now…I just need to score a pair in my size! 🙂And this adorable romper was 40% off clearance. I rarely ever by things retail, but this was too good to pass up. And…I may have gotten it in two colors 🙂 Love, love, LOVE this next one! That belly!!!! And…THAT SMILE!!! On me…

Top- Ana Nonza (thrifted, loving this one)

Jeans- Joe’s Jeans (Nordstrom Rack, similar here and here)

Shoes- Superga (eBay, similar here)

On Maya…

Romper- GapKids “Starry Romper”

Shoes- SaltWater “Surfer” (thrifted for $1.25!!!))

Keeping it Real…

And…she’s done 🙂

Sometimes the timer goes off after I think it’s already gone off hahaha.

(all pictures taken with a self timer and tripod, except ones of Maya :))

Raw “Tapioca” Pudding

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Ingredients

1 cup (raw) cashews
3 cups water
2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
pinch celtic sea salt
¼ cup chia seeds

Place the cashews and water in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth
Blend in the agave, vanilla, almond extract and salt
Place the chia seeds in a large mason jar (½ gallon size), pour the cashew mixture into the jar and shake well (very well!) – or just whisk well in a bowl.
Place in the refrigerator overnight
Serve

Serves 4

Thanks Elana’s Pantry!

Panama hats for the win!

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If there is one thing I could tell my teen/20/30 year old self (and actually listen to!!) it would be to not tan! Ugh, I did it all (baby oil, no sun screen at all, tanning beds!)! As pale as I am now, I really do have olive skin that gets niiiiice and tan, BUT it’s not worth it! The skin cancer scares (heaven forbid they become a reality!), the wrinkles, the age spots!!! SO glad that hats are all the rage now! She could throw rocks for hours…No, she did not make these cairns. How cool are they though!! I had to tell her numerous times how special they were and not to take them and throw the rocks in the ocean ;}She loves collecting “eggs”On me…

Hat- H&M (last year, similar here)

Top- Free People “Sue’s Swinging Peplum” (Nordstrom Rack, sold out, similar here)

Jeans- Joe’s Jeans “The Chelsea” (thrifted, similar here)

Shoes- Dr. Martens (thrifted, but these are fun for summer)

On Maya…

Sweatshirt- Crewcuts (thrifted, but similar here)

Dress- Crewcuts (thrifted, but similar here and here )

Leggings- (thrifted)

Shoes- Umi “Tamela” (thrifted)

Keeping it Real…

Always keeping me on my toes haha 🙂

(all pictures taken with a self timer and tripod, except ones of Maya :))

Rhubarb Ginger Fizz Spritzer

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OK, we’ve had the best winter ever this year in Seattle and spring is in full bloom. This means that my rhubarb is also well under way. The young stalks are crisp and tender and perfect for rhubarb recipes. You could make this as a refreshing drink or add a shot of gin or vodka and make it a spritzer. Either way, this would be amazing on a hot summer day.. or any day really!

Ingredients

4 stalks of rhubarb, roughly chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 cups water
3 Tbsp honey or agave (or the original recipe called for 3/4 sugar)
Limes
Sparkling or still water, to serve

Directions

Combine the rhubarb, ginger, water and sweetener in a medium pot. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, partially cover with a lid and simmer for 12-15 minutes, until the rhubarb is soft. Remove from heat and cool.
Strain the mixture through a fine sieve set over a bowl, using a spoon to press down and extract as much liquid as possible.
You should end up with just under 2 cups of syrup. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Slice limes into thin rounds and set aside. Pour a little syrup into each glass, add a splash of lime juice and top up with sparkling or still water, adding ice if desired. Garnish with a slice of lime and serve.

Thanks for the inspiration MyDarlingLemonThyme!

Kimonos + Clogs…Spring has officially sprung!

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It’s officially weird how amazing our weather has been here in Seattle. I’m not complaining though! Funny thing about this kimono. I love it, and yet I rarely wear it! I think this is the 2nd time I’ve worn it and I’ve had it for…2-3 years?? I was prompted by the Coast2Coast Central weekly challenge “Bloom like Yellow”. I love when I get inspired to wear things I haven’t worn in forever/never wear. These dance moves… 🙂On me…

Kimono- Winter Kate (Nordstrom Rack, similar here)

Top- Zara (last year, similar here)

Jeans- DL1961 “Emma” in Cellar (thrifted, similar here)

Boots- SixtySeven “Blake” Bootie (Nordstom Rack, sold out, loving these)

On Maya…

Top- GapKids (thrifted, but similar here)

Jeans- DL1961 “Chloe” in Whiteley (C/O)

Clogs- Sven Clogs “Mary Jane Ankle Strap” c/o

Keeping it Real…

Hahahaha. I had to! 😉

In other news. She’s started referring to herself as “Maya the Kid”, and frequently uses it in the 3rd person. “Maya the Kid is still a little hungry…” ha! AND…about 50% of the time, she calls me Lauren vs Mom. So weird. Especially since rarely am I called that in front of her! The Huz calls me Wife, my dad calls me Beez (wonder when she’ll notice that!) The boys…rarely say my name?? Anywho, funny.

(all pictures taken with a self timer and tripod, except ones of Maya :))

Railroad Stripes and Pops of Red

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I grew up wearing railroad striped Osh Kosh overalls. They were the one thing I always said I’d put my kid in (pre-kids). I’ve gotten them for Maya in every size since she was big enough to wear them! So, whenever I find things for me that have the same print, I’m drawn to them! I recently scored this denim jacket, and I LOVE it!The pop of red in the cuff?!! LOVE! And, we know I love these clogs! On me…

Jacket- Boden (thrifted, similar here and here)

Top- Mossimo (old, similar here)

Jeans- Hudson (thrifted, similar here)

Clogs- Sven Clogs “Lacy” Bendable Base (c/o)

On Maya…

Sweater- Old Navy (thrifted, similar here)

Dress- Next (thrifted, this is cute!)

Tights- Gapkids (thrifted, similar here)

Shoes- Converse (thrifted)

Keeping it Real…

Hahaha. Not really sure what was going on here 🙂

(all pictures taken with a self timer and tripod, except ones of Maya :))

Apricot Coconut Chocolate Bonbons

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These bonbons or ‘candy’ balls are very simple to make. Apricot, coconut, orange zest yumminess – AND – you can dip them in chocolate for even more flavorful goodness. Every evening I ask the kids to choose an activity that we do together after dinner. Playtime, go for a walk, do arts and crafts, or do a cooking project.. Last night they chose cooking project! I let them measure, sample, and then we mix everything up, and they helped make these balls. Ingredients

1 1/2 cups unsulfured dried apricots
1 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil, melted if solid

Raw chocolate

2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil, melted if solid
2 tablespoons raw cacao powder (or regular cocoa)
1 tablespoons pure maple or coconut syrup
pinch fine sea salt

Directions

Place apricots, coconut, zest and coconut oil into a food processor and pulse until a rough paste forms.
Shape mixture into balls and place ‘bites’ onto a plate and pop in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to firm up
Combine raw chocolate ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Remove bites from the freezer and one at a time, quickly dip half into the raw chocolate mixture. It will set instantly. Eat straight away or store in the fridge or freezer in a airtight container.

Source: Thanks MyDarlingLemonThyme for the inspiration!

Protein Berry Smoothie

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When the Huz travels, and we don’t have the boys, Maya and I keep it pretty simple for dinners. One of our favorite things to make is smoothies-DUH! 🙂 We’ve posted various smoothie recipes, and really it’s hard to go wrong. Just dump a bunch of ingredients in a blender and it comes out tasting delicious (usually!) Since it was going to be our dinner I added some protein powder and other “healthy” powder that made me feel a little better about it as a meal 😉Ingredients

3 cups Almond Milk
2 Frozen Bananas
1 Scoop Natural Pro Complex Protein Powder (could just use cocao or cocoa powder)
1 Scoop Green Vibrance Powder (you could just toss in a handful of spinach instead!)
1/4 Cup Almonds
1 Cup Frozen Blueberries

She’s pretty excited to help hahaha. Even more excited to lick the spoon 🙂 Cheers! 🙂 I can’t even handle it… SO CUTE! Enjoy!

Strawberry Coconut Bonbons (nut free)

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I recently posted the Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bonbons and the Raspberry Coconut Bonbons. Both were big hits, but I wanted to make a nut-free variation of those super yummy bonbons. Because these don’t have the cashew nut as a base, and more water, they freeze harder. Simply remove from freezer a while before serving and let them soften a bit.

You can use strawberries, raspberries or another berry or fruit as desired. Adding a small chunk of cooked beet adds a great deeper pink color but does not taint the taste! I promise.. tried and tested and kid approved!

Ingredients

1 cup coconut cream (full fat, unsweetened, comes in cans)
1 cup raspberries or other berry
1-2 Tbsp agave syrup
1 tsp vanilla

Directions

Blend everything on high for about a minute, or until really smooth.
Pour into silicone muffin trays (oiled with a little coconut oil), or regular metal trays lined with paper cases. Freeze to set for at least 30 minutes.
Remove patties from the molds and place into container and return to freezer.
They will keep in a covered container in the freezer for 2-3 weeks.

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