We celebrated the last day of school with a tres leches cake. (I forgot to post these pictures last week, so here they are).
6.2.20 (Tuesday): We all hopped in the car and drove to n’s elementary school so he could return his ipad and pick up his diploma and other school papers drive-thru style.
That night we watched a graduation ceremony video that n’s principal put together, which was nice. With the youngest child, the “lasts” always seem more bittersweet. Can’t believe we no longer have kids in elementary school. It was also kind of sad because all three of the fifth grade teachers are retiring this year (they had decided to retire before COVID-19 hit, and now they are probably thinking that was good timing on their part).
6.3.20 (Wednesday): I took n for his 11-year old check-up with his pediatrician. It was really stuffy wearing a mask in the examination room while we were waiting to see the doctor. He had to have three shots, which he was dreading.
6.4.20 (Thursday): k is still doing her basketball workouts on Thursday afternoons. I’ve been enjoying my walks 2x a day.
6.5.20 (Friday): So nice to have a cool, overcast day!
6.6.20 (Saturday): More restaurants are opening for in-person dining, but we have not tried it yet. D picked up The Habit for dinner.
6.7.20 (Sunday): I saw that some people are starting to attend church again. It will be interesting to see how our church ends up handling the situation, but we are still watching from home for now.
6.8.20 (Monday):
I drove k to school to pick up her yearbook. Again, it was organized as a drive-thru. Too bad she cannot have her friends sign it. However, some of her friends organized a video call so they could go through it together and talk about it.
n and his friend have been keeping up with their book club.
Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.
If you have been to a Japanese restaurant, you have probably enjoyed a nice steaming bowl of miso soup to start your meal. MiSOgood makes it super easy to enjoy miso (and all of its health benefits) at home.
MiSOgood products are USDA Certified Organic, Non-GMO, gluten-free, and vegan. As for health benefits, miso contains essential minerals, various B vitamins, vitamins E and K, and folic acid. Because miso is a fermented food, it provides the gut with beneficial bacteria that keeps the gut healthy. (Information taken from the MiSOgood website).
MiSOgood is available in 6 different flavors that can be used for soups and sauces:
First, I tried the Sweet & Savory White Miso as a soup base to make a bowl of miso soup.
Just add 3/4 c. boiling water to 1 T. MiSOgood miso, and you’re set! I added some tofu and green onions.
The miso soup had a nice rich flavor. My family loved it! It will be a nice addition to a quick lunch or dinner at home.
I also wanted to try the Sweet Miso Salad Dressing recipe I found on the MiSOgood website. We eat a lot of salads in the summer, so this is a good dressing to have on hand. It has a nice tang and adds umami at the same time.
Finally, I made a quick stir-fry with the MiSOgood Sesame Miso. Just saute some tofu and add 2 T. of the MiSOgood sauce. Add some vegetables and rice and you have a complete meal in minutes. The Sesame Miso has a nutty flavor with a hint of spice from red pepper and ginger. I can’t wait to try it with chicken or salmon as well.
Where To Purchase
MiSOgood products can be purchased on their website here and they offer free shipping!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Both of my kids are avid readers, so we are always on the lookout for quality kid lit. The Edge of Everywhen, by A.S. Mackey, is a recently published book that combines fantasy with real and valuable life lessons. This novel tells of how the main characters, Piper and Phoenix mourn the loss of their mother, how they learn to overcome their tough circumstances, and how they don’t lose hope in reuniting with their long, lost dad. Even though the book was a little scary when describing the state that their imprisoned dad is in, the story was intriguing, held my interest, and made me keep wanting to read more. I liked how the book provided many unexpected twists and turns, the plot was well thought-out, and how the whole story came together at the end. I think this book would be suitable for kids around the age of 11 or 12.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Good Man, by Nathan Clarkson, immediately caught my attention because I am a big fan of his mother, Sally Clarkson. I have read her most of her books and even attended a few of her conferences. Sally Clarkson’s books are about motherhood, and I was always impressed with the accomplishments of her four children, (who are all now young adults). It would be easy to have an impression that the Clarksons are the “perfect” Christian family, but we all know that everyone has struggles. Nathan Clarkson’s book offers a glimpse into some of his personal struggles, and it is quite eye-opening. Just because someone was raised in a strong Christian household that cares deeply about education does not mean that they will automatically become a “good man”.
Clarkson writes about his journey to becoming the man that God wants him to be by weaving personal stories and passages from the Bible. The chapters of the book each address a different attribute of what he believes a good man should be (e.g., heroic, honest, emotional, authentic, wise, etc.) Clarkson also comments on the current culture of manhood and explains how it differs from God’s desire for him as a man. He explains why it is important for young men to recognize this dichotomy and not to succumb to sin or settle for mediocrity. I will be saving my copy of Good Man for my son to read when he is a little older, perhaps in high school.
Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Judging by the popularity of some of my recent posts, my readers enjoy snacking as much as we do! Poptime Snacks is another company that I missed seeing at Expo West this year. They currently offer four different lines of snacks, and today I am excited to have the opportunity to share about ALL of them with you!
Poptime Popcorn
First up is Poptime Popcorn. Our family has been having a lot of movie nights recently, so popcorn is always a good snack to have around. Poptime Popcorn comes in six delicious varieties:
Honey BBQ
White Cheddar
Butter
Spicy Jalapeno
Sea Salt
Sweet & Salty
You can munch on this popcorn without the guilt because it is non-GMO, cholesterol-free, contains zero trans fat, is gluten, dairy and nut-free, and contains no preservatives or artificial flavors.
Our family especially liked the white cheddar flavor. To me, it had just the right amount of cheesiness/saltiness. I was also impressed that there were hardly any unpopped kernels or popcorn “crumbs” that you often find with bagged popcorn.
Poptime Creations
For those who like exciting flavor combinations, check out the different varieties of Poptime Creations popcorn:
Sriracha & Lime
Marshmallow & Cinnamon
Truffle Herb & Parmesan Cheese
Chocolate & Vanilla
Don’t these flavors sound amazing?
This is the popcorn to choose when you want an “elevated” popcorn experience. The fun flavors would be perfect for a picnic or a party! Pop Creations popcorn is non-GMO, dairy-free and kosher. This line of popcorn also contains no artificial ingredients, trans fat, or preservatives.
Poptime Popped Chips
Poptime Popped Chips are “popped” potato chips, and they come in the following flavors:
BBQ & Honey
Sea Salt
Jalapeno
Truffle
These snacks are non-GMO, cholesterol free, gluten free, dairy free and nut free. They contain zero trans fat, no added sugar and no preservatives or artificial flavors.
These Poptime Popped Chips are so good! They are light and crispy and full of flavor. They are exactly the type of snack that my kids like to pack in their school lunches. I like that they are a lower-fat alternative to regular potato chips.
Big & Bold
Sometimes you just want a big bag of popcorn. That is when you need Poptime Big and Bold Popcorn. These large bags come in the following flavors:
Salt & Pepper
Butter
Sea Salt
Sweet & Salty
Poptime Big and Bold Popcorn is vegan, dairy-free, kosher, non-gmo, has 0g trans fat, and contains no artificial ingredients or preservatives.
This popcorn definitely lives up to its name! Each bag contains several generous servings, and the flavors are definitely bold. Sometimes air-popped popcorn can taste like nothing, but that is not the case with Poptime Big and Bold Popcorn.
Where To Purchase
Poptime Snacks can be purchased through their website and Amazon.
Giveaway Time
Poptime Snacks is generously offering a giveaway prize of one bag of each of their snacks–18 bags total! You will be all set for summertime snacking!
D grilled hamburgers in the backyard. We all agreed that we should try to use our BBQ more often.
5.26.20 (Tuesday):
n had his first orthodontist appointment since the pandemic. They were quite strict with their protocols. When you arrive, stay in your car and text the office that you have arrived. They will text you when they want you to come to the front door of the office. There is an online questionnaire you need to take 24 hours before arrival. They take your temperature before you enter. Only patient may enter office. Patient must wash hands upon entry, and wear a mask. Office texts patient’s parent when they are done. Patient waits outside for parent. Follow-up appointments made via phone after the appointment. Phew!
We dropped off my nephew’s present for his 10th birthday.
5.27.20 (Wednesday):
n’s principal showed up at our doorstep in the evening to present n with a special national award. What a nice way to end his elementary school “career”.
5.28.20 (Thursday): Last day of school! What kind of mom schedules dentist appointments for the last day of school? That would be me. n ended up having to do a Google Meet while at the dentist’s office, but it all worked out. The hygienist only did cleaning, and not polishing to limit unnecessary exposure.
k received an academic excellence award in Spanish. Somehow, it is not the same receiving an award via video presentation, but nice to be recognized nonetheless.
5.29.20 (Friday): Our first day of freedom, at least for three of us. D has not heard anything definitive, but he thinks he will not be returning to the office until August. That means we will all be at home for the summer!
n finished working on his astronomy merit badge. He has also started talking/texting one of his classmates more often. They have decided to read books together and discuss them during the summer, which I think is a great idea!
Meanwhile, one of k’s high-achiever friends is setting up online activities/challenges for them to complete together during the summer. We also have plenty of workbooks for both k and n. The Lim family summer school will be in full effect!
5.30.20 (Saturday): We had a mini excursion today. First we went to Pickle Banh Mi in Fountain Valley. Our favorites were the chicken and pork. The beef banh mi and boba were “eh”. We need a drive-thru banh mi place closer to us!
I had scheduled D for a Chipotle taste test in Huntington Beach. Instead of taste-testing inside, they had a to-go station set up outside of the restaurant. He completed the test in the car with his phone.
Since we were already in HB, we decided to check out the beach scene. If you have seen HB on the news recently, it is known for their stance to open California now. Well, from what we saw, I would say that is true. Hardly anyone was wearing a mask, and there was very little social distancing going on. Good thing we did not go the next day, so we did not find ourselves caught in the protester stand-offs.
At home we watched the Pacific Symphony Orchestra John Williams Concert here.
For family movie night we watched Sister Act. Reminded me of my days in the Tenderloin.
5.31.20 (Sunday):
We found out that our church will not be holding in-person service at least to the end of June. It was nice to be able to watch one of our pastors return to preaching after being absent due to medical reasons. Our country definitely needs prayer right now as there is so much pain and anger that has erupted due to recent events (and that has been simmering for years).
https://flic.kr/p/2j7L34W
I have not been able to go to our donation place (not sure if it is even open), so I set up a “free” table in our front yard for our neighbors. We were able to give away quite a few items. The quest to declutter continues!
Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.
Lebby Snacks is another company I missed seeing at Expo West this year. When I first heard about their sweet chickpea snacks, I was intrigued. I think most people associate chickpeas with savory foods, such as hummus. However, after trying these dry-roasted chickpea snacks, I can say that Lebby Chickpea Snacks are a satisfying sweet and crunchy combination.
Lebby Snacks come in four flavors:
Sesame Honey
Mocha
Dark Chocolate
Milk Chocolate
For me, my favorite is a two-way tie between Mocha and Dark Chocolate. I found them addictive! The Sesame Honey reminds me of honey roasted peanuts. The Milk Chocolate would be sure to please any chocolate fan.
Lebby Chickpea Snacks start with a dry-roasting process that gives the chickpeas a delicious light and crunchy taste and texture without any oil, salt or additives. They are gluten-free, non-gmo and kosher. So far, I have only tried eating Lebby Chickpea Snacks out of hand, but I can also see trying them on top of ice cream, yogurt or as part of a trail mix or cheeseboard.
5.18.20 (Monday): The weather is cool and drizzly!
5.19.20 (Tuesday):
This 1,000 piece puzzle of Solvang did not last us too long. Must find a more challenging puzzle! It was a fun one to do, though.
n started another virtual merit badge class: astronomy. This time a couple of his friends are taking it with him, so I think it is more fun for him.
5.20.20 (Wednesday):
D started taking his office outside. Next week the weather is supposed to warm up again, so I do not see this happening.
5.21.20 (Thursday):
It’s nice to have a resident watermelon-cutter in the house.
5.22.20 (Friday):
I spotted a cool kindness stone during one of my walks. It was gone the next day.
5.23.20 (Saturday):
Apparently Orange County received approval to move to Stage 2 (which I think is really part two of stage 2?) Everyone must wear masks in public and restaurants can open for dining if they follow certain protocols.
Our church supported one of our members who owns a small business (Kingpin Pizza) by having a restaurant night. We ordered pizza and chicken wings-yum!
5.24.20 (Sunday):
We watched our church service in the morning. I guess Trump says he wants places of worship opened up immediately, but we are taking a more cautious approach.
I tried out a bubble braid on k and it turned out really cute! Her hair has grown pretty long, so I see more experimentation in the future.
Disclosure: I received sample product in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
One of my favorite parts about blogging is connecting with small business owners. I enjoy being able to support them, as I have always admired the entrepreneurial spirit. Today I want to introduce you to Almond Blossom Roasted Nuts, a small business based in Leavensworth, Washington.
This company specializes in premium fresh nuts that they roast in small batches. Almond Blossom offers a wide variety of flavor combinations, from sweet to savory to spicy. D and I had the opportunity to try six of the flavors, shown below:
First of all, I was really impressed with the freshness and quality of all of the nuts we tried. The small-batch roasting process really brings out the nutty flavor.
New York Style Bar Mix: Consists of cashews, pecans and almonds with a rosemary sweet/salty glaze. The variety of nuts in this mix is really nice and the fresh rosemary adds a wonderful flavor. This was D’s favorite.
Cinnamon Vanilla Almonds: Almonds are probably my favorite type of nut, if I had to choose one. This flavor combination reminds me of Christmas, and was my favorite.
Curry Coconut Cashews: I am a fan of both curry and coconut, so this interesting flavor appealed to me. Their recipe also contains lime juice and black sesame seeds, and the combination is superb!
Cinnamon Vanilla Pecans: Eating pecans seems so decadent to me, maybe because of their larger size. Pecan lovers will really enjoy these.
Maple Chipotle Almonds: Perfect sweet-spicy combination!
Thai Chili Lime Cashews: This is another unique flavor with just the right amount of heat.
Where to Purchase + Discount!
Almond Blossom Roasted Nuts can be purchased on their website here. They also offer a variety of gift options where you can mix and match different flavors in an assortment of containers and have them shipped. (Supporting a small business AND no-contact shopping, yes!) Almond Blossom Roasted Nuts would make a thoughtful gift for Father’s Day, birthdays, teacher appreciation, etc.
Use code DAD20 through 6/21 at check out for 20% off your entire order AND they ship to any U.S. address for only $4.95!
Giveaway Time
Almond Blossom Roasted Nuts has generously offered to give away one 4-compartment gift wheel of nuts to THREE different winners! Be sure to enter the giveaway below:
Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
My son kept track of the books he read in fifth grade (this school year). Since I am a big fan of book lists, I thought this list might be helpful for parents who are looking for books for their kids who are around the same age to read. We are crossing our fingers that our public libraries will reopen soon! (The asterisks denote his favorites.) Comment below if you have book suggestions for a sixth grader!
