I shared about the different ways we’re learning about how to save the planet here and one of you suggested this Emeraldalicious book (Thanks Margot!), so we got it. The girls loved the story so much and we have read it over and over again. It’s a good way to teach them how to be creative with things they already have. The story is quite whimsical and shows children how they can repurpose things into something else.
So what did we do? The girls gathered some things from outside and made their own wand inspired by the story. Sticks, petals, and washi tape did the job and they had their own magical wand! Now, my girlies can turn their own little world a little more greenalicious.
When we first started going through the save the planet book, and some of you introduced me to Zero Waste Life, I was feeling so bad that I wasn’t doing everything I can do to reduce waste. Seriously, I was feeling guilty and bad for being so wasteful because maybe we had too much boxed foods or something. Ben had to help me realize that we do what we can and what’s reasonable for us, but we can’t do it all. I’m not a perfect eco-warrior by any means, but I will keep doing what I can for our family to make us more conscious about being mindful of the planet, but I will not beat myself up if I decide to serve up frozen dinners from time to time.
I set out to make the girls some blueberry cookies, but as I was making it, I discovered that I didn’t have all the ingredients. I continued on my own merry way making it with what I had and guess substituting things I didn’t have. After all was said and done, the cookies came out like scones. Oh well!
I used this recipe, but I didn’t have sugar, so I left it out, and didn’t have sour cream, so I used greek yogurt. I didn’t have enough egg, so I went with what I had and well, don’t do what I did. Make sure you have all the ingredients before you set off to make something.
They just came out not really sweet and scone-like. It didn’t taste bad, but it wasn’t what I had in mind. Apparently, my girls didn’t mind one bit. They liked it, so I guess that’s all the matters.
The Zombie Run was awhile back, but I never got around to sharing it. I loved this run! It was insane and crazy, and I was screaming through most of it, but it was so exhilarating. Seriously. I know it’s not serious stuff like a half or full marathon, but when you survive zombies chasing you, I think that’s definitely an accomplishment.
The runners all wear flags, kind of like flag football, and the zombies try to take your flags as you pass them. It was so hard and you had to endure this for 3 miles. You had to have a strategy and try to run pass them with a group of people, so that they were distracted with so many running at one time.
There was this dark house/structure you went in and there were zombies inside and wires hanging from the ceiling, if one of the wires touched you, you’d get a small electrical shock. Sounds insane, I know, but it was real. I didn’t get shocked (I’m smooth like that… ha!), but my little sister did and she said it hurt. There was even one runner inside crying because she was so scared and a zombie was talking to her saying, “Don’t worry, I’ll help you out.” That one was a friendly zombie.
There was another maze and you had to find your way out… I was just about out when a zombie popped out right in front of me, and I yelled so loud and simultaneously pulled off my flag to hand it to him before he could grab it from me. I realized how hilarious the whole situation was and started laughing, and the zombie started laughing with me that he let me keep my flag. I screamed so loud that the others zombies noticed and when I made it out of the maze they were laughing at me too. Those zombies had a sense of humor.
Of course, there were walls to climb, a giant water slide into mud, barb wire to go under, another electrical shock fence to go under too, along with lots or mud and water to run through, and a whole lot of zombies in between trying to steal my flags. I think I finished with 2 remaining (out of 3), so I came out a survivor. Our group was so fun and survived it together!
We were muddy, tired, and cleaned ourselves off in the lake. Ben’s cute because even though he doesn’t run, he comes for support, and tries to find us throughout the course to take some pictures. I haven’t done a run since October that I need to sign up for more again soon. And I’m definitely signing up to do another zombie run… it’s just way too much fun not to! Though it isn’t real, it’s still really scary (some people are dressed really freaky!) and makes me scream like crazy!
Would you ever run the zombie run?!! My friend Lance, who I’ve done all my runs with, made this cool video of our run and it makes me excited for the next one…
Here’s when I did the Color Run and the Foam Fest run. Seriously, these runs are just plain silly and fun! You definitely have to give one a try if it comes to your area!
This is from a few weeks back when the girls and I decided to spend the morning at the beach. Glow was terrified of the sand for the first hour, so Glow and I just chilled on the blanket and watched while my other little beach babes were playing. It’s so funny because Glow was doing all sorts of cute poses for me and my camera. That rest the face of the fist thing… ah, so cute!
She started getting braver and was slowly becoming friends with the sand. It started with touching it from the blanket, then slowly venturing out to plop herself on top of it and start playing with it. Finally, she was full on best friends with it and when it was time to go, she didn’t want to. It always happens that way, doesn’t it?! We must head back there soon so that she can rekindle and grow that friendship.
Kiwi Crate sent over these little boxes over awhile back and I have been saving it for the summer time. I knew their crates filled with projects would be the perfect thing fill a summer afternoon. Kiwi Crate hit it on the spot with how engaging their projects are. They are hands-on, educational, and fun! We made collages, spinning tops (that also taught them about color mixing), decorated our own fabric bags, and we haven’t even completed the whole box yet!
The girls are always asking to make something new almost daily, so I like that Kiwi Crate did just that and I didn’t have to run around the house looking for all the supplies, unless you’re much more organized than me, then you wouldn’t have to run all over the house for project supplies. Besides the fun that is meant to be had with all the projects, I like that they are all reasonably priced, so if you don’t consider yourself crafty, but want to provide the little ones with some crafty things, Kiwi Craft would be the way to go. The boxes include everything you would possibly need to complete the project, so you just open the box and start making! You can purchase single crates or subscribe to get crates monthly. Kiwi Crate may be my new go-to birthday gift place for the other little kids in our lives too. I know my girls would be ecstatic if they got a Kiwi Crate as a present!!!
Kiwi Crate has a special Summer Discovery series of crates right now that are perfect for summer. I definitely recommend checking it out! For Cakies readers, Kiwi Crate is offering Cakies readers 25% off the first month of Kiwi Crate using the code CAKIES.
Ingredients:
1. 4 cups day old rice
2. 1 egg per person
3. 2 chopped green onions (white portion for the fried rice, green for garnishing)
4. 1/2 can chopped turkey spam (optional, but I admit I’m a fan of spam)
5. 1 packet of seasoned seaweed (optional)
6. 3 cups good kimchi with its juices Note:Look for deep red coloring in the juice, and the older the better! This can’t be made with fresh kimchi. If the kimchi you buy looks fresh (the cabbage leaves look white and not very flavorful), leave it outside on your kitchen counter overnight.
7. 2 tbsp sesame oil
Directions:
1. Heat up the sesame oil and add in the kimchi (save the juice and set aside). Sauté together, add in the spam, and continue combining it all together.
2. Add in the rice, and break it up mixing it with the kimchi.
3. Add the kimchi juice and the white parts of the green onions. The kimchi juice should turn the rice red.
4. Crumble or cut the seaweed and sprinkle it over and continue to combine it all together.
5. Taste and then season with more kimchi juice if needed.
6. Fry an over easy egg and add that on top. Garnish with the remaining green onions. Plate. Boom. Done. Enjoy!
Helpful tips: Fried rice is best cooked with day old rice. If you don’t have day old rice, cook the rice, stick it in the freezer for about 30 minutes to an hour. If it’s too hot and fresh, the fried rice will turn out sticky. Also, this recipe doesn’t need any additional salt! The kimchi has a very strong flavor, the seasoned seaweed has salt, and the spam is pretty salty too. If the rice tastes bland, try pouring more kimchi juice to season it. Add butter with the sesame oil for extra flavor, but if you’re trying to keep it not as low nutrition as possible, leave the butter out!
This recipe is shared and made by my BFF. I just took pictures as she cooked it for us the day I had my little surgery to get my cyst taken care of. She’s such a pal! It was totally a minor procedure, but she came for moral support and to make us lunch. I’m thankful for her (and all the yummy food she’s ever introduced me to).
Seafood is my favorite type of food to eat, and Korean and Japanese are neck in neck right after. Korean food is just bomb diggity bomb. No joke. If you’ve never tried it, start with their Korean BBQ, and then work your way up to the bolder flavors. The first time I tried kimchi, it was too strong, but now I absolutely love it! There is much good flavor and spice. Spice! By now you all know how much we love spicy!!! Every time Linda has come over with dinner, it’s a new instant favorite and Ben and I are always trying to recreate it. Thanks for sharing the recipe Lin!!!
I have a large growing pile of fabric scraps. I refuse to throw them away because I am sure they can be used for something. I have been seeing different types of interesting necklaces made of buttons, beads, and fabric. Then, I figured why not make one out of my scraps...
I think it made my white shirt a little less boring. This was so quick and easy to make.
How to make a recycled scraps necklace (which is very similar to the straps on my braided tablecloth bag):
1. Take your scrap fabric, I cut a .5''-1'' snip and tear the rest of the fabric down for a nice frayed edge. Used 3 different fabrics for each strand.
2. Take 3 of the torn pieces and tie the ends together with a rubber band.
3. Braid the 3 pieces together and tie ends together with rubber band when done.
4. Repeat steps 2 & 3 for more strands. Remember you can make the strands any length you want, if run out of fabric, just weave more into the braid.
5. Once all the strands you want are braided, gather one end of each strand together and straight stitch together with sewing machine. Repeat for the other ends of the strands. Snip off any excess.
6. Gather ends of the necklace and sew together (snip excess) or a ribbon can be sewn at the ends to be able to tie the necklace closed, but I just sewed both ends together.
7. Voila! A nice way to make use of all your lovely scraps.
Sorry if the directions get you a little lost, but it really is easy. I promise. Maybe I should put some in the shop. Please share any other good ideas you may have of things that can be made with scraps. I would love to hear (read) them!
I shared about the different ways we’re learning about how to save the planet here and one of you suggested this Emeraldalicious book (Thanks Margot!), so we got it. The girls loved the story so much and we have read it over and over again. It’s a good way to teach them how to be creative with things they already have. The story is quite whimsical and shows children how they can repurpose things into something else.
