Summer vacation is upon us – which means it’s time to keep the kids busy all day long! We have one kiddo who isn’t old enough for camp yet (Sofia) and another kiddo (Gabe) who has a week and half before camp starts. We have been baking, crafting, running through sprinklers, swimming, and more! This particular activity is a lot of fun and very versatile.
The recipe below is for something that I lovingly call Clay-Dough and it is my favorite alternative to salt dough. We have dogs, and salt dough is dangerous for animals and kids who may eat the dough. It sounds silly, but little kids and animals are really good at putting things in their mouths and eating things that they shouldn’t. I’m a better safe than sorry kind of mama. 🙂 Not to mention, it is fun to make, easy to play with, you can make so many things, bake it, paint it, and more! Scroll down for the recipe and how to!
If you have a child or children who happen to like dinosaurs, grab any plastic figurines and use them to press feet, spikes, tails, etc. into the Clay-Dough and make your own fossils! It is so much fun and really easy! Please share this post with others and comment with questions or how it goes if you give it try! I would love to hear from you! Have fun, happy Summer and enjoy! xo
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Baking Soda
- 1/2 Cup Corn Starch
- 3/4 Cup Water
- Sauce Pan
- Baking pans
- Parchment or silicone sheets
- Plastic dinosaurs
- Cookie cutters (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 175 -200 degrees F (depending on how low your oven goes).
- In a sauce pan combine the cornstarch, baking soda, and water. Stir over medium heat. After about 4 minutes or so, the mixture will begin to thicken. When it looks like instant mashed potatoes, turn off the heat and use a big spoon to put the Clay-Dough into a bowl. Cover it with a damp cloth to keep it moist until it is cool enough to handle.
- When it’s cool, place it on a piece of parchment or silicone mat. You can add a little more cornstarch if it feels too sticky (similar to how you would add flour to sugar cookie dough if too sticky to work with).
- Use a rolling pin to flatten it to about 1/4″ thick and use cookie cutters to make shapes. You can also roll into small balls and flatten with your hands (my kiddos did both).
- Push the plastic dinosaurs into the Clay-Dough to make fossils. We pushed their feet, spikes, tails, ribs, spines, etc. into the Clay-Dough and it looks so cool!
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper or use silicone baking sheets. Transfer your shapes/fossils to the baking sheet(s). Bake them for about an hour, turning them over halfway through cooking. Some of ours were a little thick in the middle and not completely hard after an hour of baking, so we let those air dry overnight.
- Enjoy your super cool creations! You can make this Clay-Dough for homemade ornaments, little figurines, sculptures, etc. Let your kids have fun using their imaginations! 🙂 xo
I love beauty products! So many fun new things to try, new looks to create or recreate, and beauty finds that can make you feel amazing! There are two things I don’t like though – spending a lot of $$ on products that don’t work – and spending $$ on products that make me breakout!
Now, let me explain why I no longer use MAC. Do I use any MAC products? Not really. I used a couple of their foundations, but I’ve sort of moved on! I tried MAC and found two that I liked enough to purchase.
Their Face and Body Foundation is a nice weight and has ok coverage. I liked that it wasn’t caky and left a sort of dewy look. That being said, I didn’t like applying it with a sponge because it was so light that a lot was wasted and soaked into the sponge (even though I wet the sponge fully and squeezed the water out before applying my makeup). Using a brush helped a little bit, but in the end, I didn’t like spending that amount of $ on a product that was a challenge to apply. It also required a couple of layers if I wanted more coverage, which ended up feeling heavier than I wanted.
The Studio Fix Foundation was the next one I tried, but it was a lot heavier than I wanted for a day time look. It was great for taking family photos because it gave me full coverage. It applied better with a sponge, and the photo finish was great! That being said, it didn’t get used much, and I spent all that $ on foundation that I would never use for my day to day makeup. It is way too heavy for me to wear for running errands, getting work done, etc. It was also heavier and caused me to break out after using it a couple of times in a row. I was not a fan of that!
Giving up on MAC was a bummer until I found my new favorite foundation – Radiant Defense Perfecting Liquid. I use the Redefine Regimen by Rodan and Fields, and it’s been a total game changer for my skin. My skin is better now than it was 10 years ago, and it is definitely because of this skin regimen. Totally life changing for those looking for a way to get smoother, younger looking skin, without needles. That being said, I was super skeptical about their foundation. I should have known it would be good considering they specialize in skin products! 😉
I decided to order the Radiant Defense Perfecting Liquid for a couple of reasons. 1 – it has SPF 30 in the foundation, so my skin is protected from the elements of the day by my makeup! 2 – it’s lightweight and oil free, with AMAZING coverage! It is buildable if you want extra coverage, though I haven’t had to build layers at all because the coverage is so good, natural looking, and has a beautiful finish. 3 – You have 60 days to try it risk free! Scroll down to see my foundation and makeup from Father’s Day – the photo is completely unedited. It is a selfie, so it’s not perfect, but I’m in love with the coverage and want it to be an honest shot!
I am personally between 2 colors – Sand and Golden. Sand is perfect for my normal skin tone when I’m not tan. Golden is perfect for Summer when I’ve gotten a lot of sun. I love that I can mix a little of each throughout the Summer, as I am more or less tan. I makes it more custom and actually matches my skin as the seasons change. Huge win! I also use a foundation brush which works beautifully. I’ve linked my favorite one below, or you can click HERE to check it out. It brushed the foundation on easily, doesn’t soak it up (so you aren’t wasting anything), and cleans beautifully!
If you’re interested in giving this foundation a try – or just seeing the different shades available – click HERE. If you want to learn more about how to get 10% off and free shipping – DM me via my Instagram or email me at themommylexi@gmail.com. I can answer any questions you may have about the foundation, what shade may work best for you, or other products you might be interested in trying (my other obsession is Lash Boost)! Keep scrolling for a couple other photos. I did not edit any of the photos in this post so you can see the actual coverage. At the bottom of the post I’ve linked the foundation, brush and a couple other favorites to make it easy. Enjoy and I hope you give this a try! Looking forward to connecting with you about this foundation and any other products that you have questions about! xo
A complete meal that the whole family will love? Yes please! My kids and husband devoured this dish – and it was so easy to make! It has chicken, brown rice, lots of veggies, and comes together into a wonderful dish that has the consistency of risotto. It’s creamy without the cream – so it’s healthy too! Did I mention it makes great leftovers? You can see Gabe taking it down in the photo above and another at the bottom of this post. Both kids asked for seconds – I may need to make a double batch next time! 😉 In any case, scroll down and give this one a try! I hope you enjoy it as much as my family did! xo
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small chopped yellow onion
- 4 medium carrots – diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ cups uncooked long grain brown rice (be sure to rinse and drain)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp dried Italian herbs/seasoning
- 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 10 ounces steamed broccoli
- Salt/Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Hit the sauté button on your Instant Pot. Add the olive oil, onion and carrots to your pot. Stir until the veggies start to soften, 3-5 minutes.
- Add garlic, garlic powder, brown rice, mustard, and Italian seasoning. Stir and cook for about more 1 minute. Turn off Instant Pot so nothing burns.
- Stir in the chicken broth and make sure it is combined well. Use your big spoon to scrape any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pot or it may not pressurize.
- Scrape the bits off the sides and make sure that all of the rice and veggies are covered by the broth.
- Place the chicken thighs on top of the rice mixture and do not stir the pot. They should remain on top.
- Close the lid and make sure the pressure valve is set to sealing. Cook on high for 20 minutes.
- After the timer goes off, turn the pot off and allow the Instant Pot to naturally release for 10-15 min (or you can let it fully release on it’s own if you have time).
- If only waiting 10-15 min, you can quick pressure release the remaining pressure but make sure to use a towel or something to protect your hand/arm from the hot steam when you turn the valve to venting.
- Open the Instant Pot and use 2 forks to shred your chicken. You do not need to take the chicken out to do this step. It will be falling apart easily and should shred with no effort using two forks.
- Once the chicken is shredded, add your frozen peas. You do not need to cook them before adding them. The heat from the rice and chicken will cook them after you stir them in.
- Take your broccoli and lightly steam it before adding it to the pot. I use a microwave steamer, but you can use your preferred method. Add the steamed broccoli to your rice mixture and stir.
- Serve with grated Parmesan and add salt/pepper to taste.
- Enjoy!
Father’s Day Weekend was so much fun! We had brunch, went to the park, had a BBQ, and watched movies. We even got some family photos where everyone is looking (sort of). 🙂 In honor of Father’s Day and family time, I wanted to throw 5 easy ways to show you care, all year round. Don’t just wait for a holiday – it’s those random acts that make such a huge difference. Keep scrolling for my quick list and give all 5 a try! xoxo
- Make a handmade card or note. If it’s for a significant other, put it someplace like a in a briefcase so they can have a sweet surprise while at work. If for a child, put the note in a lunchbox as a special reminder that you love them. If for a friend, pop the note in the mail and know that it’ll make their day!
- Cook a favorite meal/dish on a random day to show you care. I cook and do a lot of meal prep each week, but making a favorite meal just for my hubby is always appreciated. One example is a family recipe. I know Dan loves his grandmothers black beans. That is something extra special that I can make on a random day of the week to say “I love you.”
- Send a quick text to say “I’m thinking of you” – or – “Thought of you today and it made me smile.” This can be for anyone you care about – a close friend, loved one, etc. Such a simple way to send out a little love.
- Record their favorite show, put electronics away (no texting or email allowed), and watch together. Giving your undivided attention is such a small act, but means so much.
- Do a chore that isn’t usually yours as a way to show a little extra care. Dan usually takes out the garbage and recycling throughout the week. When I know he’s having an extra busy day, I like to take it out for him, as a way to show I care and know how hard he is working. It’s a small act and I know it means a lot to him.
This is a fun post for me because I am in love with these dresses! The sun is out, it’s heating up, and wrap dresses are my current obsession! I found these wrap dresses on Amazon and could not be more surprised or happy about it! They are super flattering, and if you read the other Amazon reviews, you’ll be able to see that it looks good on pretty much everyone (lots of review photos were shared)! Wrap dresses tend to work well for a variety of body types/shapes, which is part of what makes them so wonderful. This particular one has a pretty modest neckline, comes in a short and long style, and there are a TON of patterns to choose from!
I linked the 3 I have below (with accessories) and added a 4th that I have my eye on. 😉 Take a look and know that these dresses range from about $24 to $30 – which is a deal for these gorgeous prints! Light, flowing, and perfect for Summer! For reference, I’m in a size small and am a 0-2 in most other dresses. I’m also 5’2″ and you can see the length of the long versus the short on me. I had wedges on for the longer ones, and the shorter one is a good length on me (not too mini). If you want to show less leg, a long tank or short slip works perfectly. Comment or DM me on Instagram and I’ll send you my exact slip that worked perfectly! I found that I didn’t show a lot of leg unless the wind blew just right. I hope this helps! Snag your size while they last and happy shopping! xoxo
I often get asked about our family photos. You may have read posts in the past where I’ve shared tips on taking family photos, and who our photographer is. Because we’ve known our photographer for so long, she has become a very close friend of our family. She is our kids auntie Beth! She’s a family friend who has stayed with us at my parents, cooked with us, and shared many fun memories. It’s not everyday you meet someone like Beth – and we feel pretty darn lucky to have her in our life.
Family photo’s are so special and really are something to be treasured. If you are looking for someone talented at capturing special moments – Dekker Photography is who you should call. When you reach out to Dekker Photography, you’ll reach Beth, who is an expert when it comes to capturing your vision on her camera.
Beth is the owner of Dekker Photography and used to be based out of the Bay Area. That happens to be how we met – when I took boudoir photos. I’m not including any of those in this post, but she is super talented and you should look into booking a session! We’ve had Beth taking our family photos from when I was pregnant with Gabe, through my pregnancy with Sofia, all the way through this past Christmas. She’s done such a beautiful job documenting our special moments, and we love her so much! She’s not in California full time anymore, but she does still take Bay Area photos, and is now located a portion of the year in beautiful Sayulita, Mexico. I have been wanting to visit her in Mexico for the last couple of years – and it will happen SOON! 🙂
I’ve included a bunch of my favorite photos that Beth has taken for our family over the last few years. To see more of her gorgeous work, click HERE for USA – and HERE for Mexico. The thought of beach photos in Sayulita is at the top of my list right now. She knows the most amazing places to take photos! Think colorful doors, gorgeous beaches, festivals, beautiful lights, and more! I’m so mad that we haven’t had a family session there yet – not to mention she knows everyone in town and can definitely give you some tips on where to eat/visit/hang out!
Even if you aren’t sure where you want to take your next vacation, you need to take a look at her photos in Sayulita! What a stunning place! The colors and images are so striking and beautiful – and everyone truly looks so happy!
One last thing to note – Beth does the full range of photos. She does boudoirs, weddings, pregnancy, newborn, family photos, holiday photos and more. We’ve pretty much worked with Beth to take all of these types of photos, and all of them are so special to us. Some stay on our walls all year round. Others get switched out depending on the holiday.
She makes these amazing memory boxes that you fill with your matted images – making it easy to put them on display throughout the year. Recently, Beth took photos of our family and I had mentioned wanting a couple of our dog Bailey. Bailey is 14 years old and has a heart condition. Beth took some beautiful photos of Bailey in the backyard that make her look so puppy like and happy. They are photos that I will treasure forever. I hope you are able to work with a photographer that connects with your family the way Beth does – or better yet – give her a call! 😉
Remember, even though taking photos with kiddos can be a lot of work, it ends up being so special for years to come. In fact, Dan used to complain about taking family photos, and now is so happy we do them every year! We look back at our kids and how much they have grown, and it’s so wonderful that we took that little bit of time to document. #truestory
I’ve included a variety of photos that Beth has taken of our family, but if you want to see more of her work, find her contact info, get some inspiration, or book a session – click HERE for USA – and HERE for Mexico! It’s that time of the year when people are planning family vacations, trips with loved ones, reunions, weddings, and more. It’s worth knowing working with someone you know and trust. I hope you find this helpful and I can’t wait to see your memories on Instagram soon! xo
10 years ago today, I had my first date with this stud muffin. He walked me to my car after dinner and we had our first kiss. I drove away and immediately called one my best friends to tell her all about the butterflies in my stomach. It was wonderful! 9 years ago today, we went to dinner and he asked for my hand in marriage. It was a year to the day of our first date, at the same place as our first date, and it was perfect. My heart skipped a beat and I said YES! 8 years ago today, I married my best friend and love of my life.
The last decade has gone by so fast and contains the biggest and most special moments in my life. Meeting Dan, getting engaged, married, having our two beautiful babies, and growing more in love by the day with a man that still makes me laugh and feel special. I feel so lucky, loved and blessed.
Because it’s our 8 year wedding anniversary, I thought it would be fun to share my top 5 tips for wedding planning. There are A LOT more things to share – but this is my short list. I hope you find them helpful, and that your own special day is magical! xo
- Make a spreadsheet with all your expenses (even the small ones) so you don’t lose track and end up way off budget. Use tabs to organize your expenses (reception, ceremony, etc), and add a tab with all of your vender information so it’s in one place (flowers, photographer, DJ/band, videographer, etc.). I got a lot of small things off of Etsy and it was really helpful to keep track of what I purchased, how much those little items were, if they arrived, etc. It also helped me to know if I was missing something that we needed – it was like a checklist as well.
- Find a florist that will help you pick local/in season flowers that will also give you the look that you want. You’ll save a lot of money that way. Also, ask to have the bridal bouquets used as part of the centerpieces. My bouquet was used at our sweetheart table as a centerpiece. My bridesmaids bouquets were also used as part of the centerpieces at the dinner tables. The water kept them fresh, they added to the overall decor, and saved us some $ in the end. The girls still got to keep their bouquets, but it was nice that they didn’t have to find a place to keep them all night long. Big win!
- If you plan to serve alcohol at the wedding, decide what you want the party to be like. We paid for wine, beer and champagne without hesitation. We had a cash bar available for those who wanted to pay for their own hard liquor. The reason we decided not to do an open bar, was to keep the party going longer. We’ve been to a lot of weddings where it gets shut down early because people had way too much to drink. It’s easy for the party to get out of hand when it’s a cash bar. People still had plenty of wine/beer/bubbles to have a great time – but having to pay for their own shots and mixed drinks meant lots more dancing and less people getting sloppy. It was a big win and we’re both so happy we went that route.
- Look for a venue that provides tables, chairs, linens, etc. They may not provide everything (which is normal), but if they do have a couple of things that are included, it will save you a lot in the long run. If they only provide the venue, you’ll have to rent tables, chairs, place settings, linens, etc. It adds up FAST! Don’t be afraid to ask what is included in the cost and negotiate so they include some of those items. Our venue included tables, they had table settings on site for a fee (smaller than if we had to rent them), and we had to rent linens. We worked on the cost with the venue and came up with a deal we were all happy with. Asking never hurts – see what they can lump into the total cost to bring it down! 🙂
- Bigger isn’t always better. That goes for the centerpieces (flowers that are too tall make it hard to see people across from you), the guest list (think about who you want and make a spreadsheet prioritizing guests. Friends of yours are most likely higher on the list than some random friends of your parents), first dance (make it sweet and not over complicated so you aren’t stressing trying to remember all the steps), etc. In the end, it’s about sharing this big day with friends and family – not about showing how big or complicated things are. Enjoy each moment – it goes fast!
Brunch with friends, a bridal shower, baby shower, birthday party, or just a tea party with someone you love – all great reasons to make these easy little truffles at home! Sofia wanted to have a tea party, so this turned into a fun at home project on a Saturday morning. We enjoyed them after we got home from the park. They are super easy to make, so cute, and a lot easier than you think! Scroll down for the quick and easy way to make truffles at home! Enjoy! xo
Ingredients & Tools
- 1 – 12 ounce bag Chocolate chips – the type is up to you, but it must be able to melt (I used semi-sweet)
- Sprinkles, peanut butter, sun butter, freeze dried berries, nuts/seeds, crystalized ginger or anything else you may want to fill the truffles with
- You need molds for your truffles, and some like a double boiler to melt the chocolate. If you want to melt chocolate in the microwave, I added the instructions below. Bonus of the molds is that you can use them to make cute little (less junky) candies, to make little soaps, candles, crayons, or even super cute ice cubes! 🙂
Instructions
- Melt your chocolate! I melted my chocolate chips on the stove by bringing about an inch of water to a boil in a saucepan. Set a heatproof (microwave/oven safe) glass bowl on top of the mouth of the saucepan and ensure that it fits well so it doesn’t move around. Use potholders to protect your hand and to make sure the bowl is secure while you stir. See photos below for a visual. Make sure the bowl and water are not touching. You want the steam below the bowl to melt the chocolate. Stir the chocolate as it starts to melt. When there are a couple of small unmelted chocolate chips, remove the bowl from heat (still using potholders) and put onto a heatproof surface. The residual heat will melt the rest of the tiny pieces, so simply stir until smooth.
- If you are more comfortable melting chocolate in the microwave, put your chocolate chips into a medium glass microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 20-30 seconds at a time (depending on the strength of your microwave), stir with a spatula, and repeat. When the chocolate chips are mostly melted but you can still see a couple of pieces remaining, set it aside and stir well until smooth.
- Once you have your chocolate melted, use a small spoon to fill your molds. If you are making them solid, you can fill them all and simply chill them in the fridge for an hour (or until solid). To make the transfer of the molds to your fridge easier, place the molds on a plate or sheet pan before you fill them.
- If you plan to fill them, only add enough chocolate to fill about 1/3 of the mold shape. Add your filling (we used chocolate candy coated sprinkles and sunbutter). Do not overfill them – start slow and you’ll get a feel for how much to add. Top your filling with more chocolate. You can see I overfilled a couple of ours and they still worked, were still delicious, but weren’t as professional looking. 🙂
- Chill for an hour or until solid.
- Eat, share, enjoy! 🙂
