LimByLim

Baby Shower Pretzel Rods

June 14, 2018 No Comments

It has been a while since I have been to a baby shower. However, I was happy to attend one last month for n’s teacher that he had in first grade (one of his favorites!) When I asked if there was anything I could bring, the suggestion was decorated pretzel rods. n was eager to help!

First, I bought the supplies. The pretzels were from Target. I checked all of the bags to find the one with the least broken rods! I bought the candy melts and sprinkles at Michaels. I ended up needing about 1.75 bags of candy melts to cover one bag of pretzel rods.

I followed the directions on the candy melts bag and microwaved them in a tall coffee mug. The most difficult part was probably figuring out how to do 50% power on my microwave! (This is an important step, as another teacher told me that her white candy melts did not melt properly when she tried to use full power).

Next, we dipped the pretzel rods into the melted candy melts and let the excess drip back into the mug. Using a tall mug made it easier to cover most of the pretzel rod.

We then put the rods on a cookie sheet covered with foil and put the sprinkles on before the candy melts hardened.

Yep, it’s a girl!

Don’t they look nice on the dessert buffet table?

Reviews, Sponsored

A Fun Way to Develop Fine Motor Skills: Giggle Wiggle Review #GoliathGames

June 12, 2018 No Comments

Disclosure: Product provided in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I work as a special needs paraeducator at my children’s school, and I have witnessed firsthand how games can be used to develop certain skills. Giggle Wiggle is an example of a game my school uses that makes working on fine motor skills fun!

The concept is really simple:

Players race to place their colored marbles on the caterpillar’s hands while it sways to the music and spins.
The first player to get all their marbles on in a row wins!

It is nice that it comes with 7 marbles for each color, even though only 6 are needed. The marbles really roll around, so it might be best to play on a carpeted area. Also, the marbles look like candy, so make sure toddlers who still put things in their mouths are not in the vicinity. The game requires 3 AA batteries, not included.

The music and giggling is cute, but I do wish there was a volume control–ha! This game is designed for 2-4 players, ages 4+. However, as you can see, my son enjoyed the challenge of placing the marbles on the caterpillar’s hands all by himself, too!

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Celebrations, k

k’s Fifth Grade Promotion

June 11, 2018 No Comments

Last week k had her fifth grade promotion ceremony on the morning of the last day of school. D and I attended, along with my parents. n was in class, but he participated in the “clap-out” at the end.

The ceremony was held in the lunch table area. I did not think there would be enough room, but it was ok. I think a few people had to stand in the back. It was an overcast morning, and we were under the shade, so it was nice.

The principal handed out certificates and awards and some of the students gave speeches of their elementary school “memoirs”. I did not expect to be teary, but when k’s teacher sang an emotional version of Elton John’s “Your Song” as a tribute to his students and his parents, it was on.

That night we had a little dinner party at our house to celebrate.

I had fun making a playlist on Spotify for our gathering. It is amazing how much music provides an emotional connection to my past. Maybe k feel will feel the same way about these songs (at least some of them, anyway!)

Reviews, Sponsored

Fast-Paced Fun: Color Smash Review #GoliathGames

June 9, 2018 No Comments

Disclosure: Product provided in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Summer vacation is here, and that means the kids will be looking for things to do at home.

Color Smash is a fast-paced, simple game. You flip the cards, and if the color word on the card matches the color of the card, you slap it and you collect the stack. If there is no color word, you leave the pile alone, and if the color name does not match the color of the card, you do not slap it. If you accidentally slap a card, you place five of your cards back into the pile.

This is an easy game to teach to young kids, and it is small and portable. Screen-free entertainment is always a good thing!

Color Smash is recommended for ages 5 and up, and 2-6 players.

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Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, k, n

Scouting Recognitions

June 8, 2018 No Comments

This past weekend we celebrated both k and n in their scouting endeavors. k received the Bronze Award with her troop. They sewed pillowcases and donated them to a hospital for their project.

We did not realize people would arrive so early, and we ended up in the very back row. k did a nice job reading a short blurb about their project. It was a large crowd!

k’s troop has nine girls, but only four could make it to the ceremony. She will be moving on to Cadettes next year.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjlCCZmFNfN/?taken-by=derek.cal

n bridged from Wolves to Webelos for Cub Scouts. The dads build this bridge every year for the boys to cross. For the past couple of years the ceremony has been at Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center in Irvine Regional Park.

After the boys cross the bridge, they put on their new neckerchief, slide, and hat.

So proud of both of our scouts and so appreciative for their leaders! Looking forward to many more adventures.

Book Review, Sponsored

Summer Reading Series: How To Survive As A Shark Review

June 6, 2018 1 Comment

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

My son really likes to learn about animals. It all started with watching a few episodes of Wild Kratts–ha! I am always on the lookout for books about animals for him to read. How to Survive as a Shark is a fun book for the young animal lover in your life.

First of all, it is a beautiful book. The illustrations are so bright and colorful and really draw the reader in.

The story is about a grown up pirate shark teaching baby sharks about themselves. This pirate shark has a sense of humor! There are also a ton of facts about sharks interwoven in the story, as well as in separate “fact bubbles” that pop up throughout.

I work in a kindergarten class, and I thought this book would be perfect for the teacher’s sea animal book collection. Doesn’t it fit right in?

D recently bought us a hammock for our backyard. I envision many reading sessions occurring here this summer! Do you have any animal book recommendations?

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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.

Giveaways, Reviews, Sponsored

Cleaner Cleaning: Quinn’s Pure Castile Organic Soap Review + Giveaway

June 4, 2018 50 Comments

Disclosure: I received product samples to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

I have been on a quest to reduce the toxic chemicals in my home by evaluating my stash of personal care and cleaning supplies. Quinn’s makes an organic castile soap made with certified organic argan, jojoba and hemp oils. It is made with 100% biodegradable ingredients, so it is better for you and for the environment.

This 32 oz. bottle of Quinn’s Unscented Pure Castile Organic Soap is pretty hefty. (I love the cute design of the packaging as well!) There are so many uses for this soap. A handy list is printed right on the box. I am seriously going to keep this picture on my phone and save it as a reference.

I started out by making Multi-Purpose Cleaning Spray by mixing 1/8 cup castile soap with 2 cups of warm water. I poured it into a spray bottle and made a label with my trusty label-maker.

I personally like that this version is unscented. If you prefer scent, you can customize it with your favorite essential oil. I think a citrus essential oil would also be nice for this multi-purpose cleaning spray.

Quinn’s products are sold exclusively on Amazon, and as you can see, I am not the only one giving this soap rave reviews.

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.

Quinn’s has generously agreed to give away a bottle of their castile soap to one of my readers!

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Family Field Trips

Hiking Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve

June 2, 2018 No Comments

This morning we went on a hike in Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve. It was not until after our hike that I found out that it is National Trails Day! Limestone Canyon is part of the 20,000 acres of Irvine Ranch Open Space that the Irvine Company donated to Orange County in 2010.

Public access to Limestone Canyon is limited in that it is only open select days, and online reservations are required. Reservations can be made at Let’s Go Outside!

We parked at the Augustine Staging Area. The parking lot opens at 8 a.m., and it was almost full by 8:10 a.m.! There were hikers, bicyclists, and horse riders. We checked in at a booth and they gave us tags to wear on our hike.

There was a nice patch of wildflowers not too far from the parking lot.

We took some pictures for a Neutrogena campaign along the way.

The kids let out a scream when they saw this guy.

The sun was pretty warm. Where was the morning cloud cover that we have been having the past couple of weeks?

We ended up hiking about 3.8 miles round trip. We did not make it to The Sinks, Orange County’s “miniature Grand Canyon”. Perhaps when the kids are a little older and the weather is cooler!

Food, Giveaways, Sponsored

A Paleo, Keto, Whole30 Approved Snack: Nick’s Sticks Review + Giveaway

May 31, 2018 59 Comments

Disclosure: I received samples in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

For those of you who are Gluten Free or follow Paleo, Keto, or Whole30, I have found another snack for you: Nick’s Sticks! These snack sticks come in four varieties: Free-Range Turkey, Free-Range Turkey Spicy, Grass-fed Beef, and Grass-Fed Beef Spicy. Their tag-line is “All of the Goodness, None of the Garbage”. This means their products do not contain any MSG, nitrates, sugar, soy, antibiotics, hormones, or red dye.

D likes to go to the gym before work and is usually snacking throughout the day at his desk. These are the perfect snack for him to pack for his long days. He liked the Grass-Fed Beef Snack Sticks the best.

They would also be good for school lunches, road trips, hikes, and camping.

How about a giving someone a bouquet of Nick’s Sticks? Think Father’s Day, care package for a college student, or really anyone who appreciates healthy snacks!

Nick’s Sticks has generously allowed me to host a giveaway for a 12 pack!

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Crafts

Washi Wednesday: Upcycle a Coffee Can

May 30, 2018 2 Comments

My collection of washi tape has been slowly growing. There are so many cute designs, so when there is a good sale, it is hard to pass up. Here is an easy project where I put my washi stash to use.

Start with a clean coffee can (or any other cylindrical container). Whenever I buy food, I try to think of alternative uses for the packaging. I recently found this tube of school-themed washi tape at Michael’s for $5!

Peel off the label. Since washi tape is usually not totally opaque, it is a good idea to have a solid background. As you can see here, I did not bother scraping every last piece off and it worked out fine.

Apply the washi tape around the can, starting from the bottom. I overlapped the tape just a little bit so that it completely covers the can. The ridges of the can were a little tricky, but washi tape is very forgiving. If it goes on a little crooked, it is easy to readjust.

This container is the perfect size for pencils. I plan to use it at our homework station. This would also make a nice gift for a teacher!

How do you use washi tape? What containers do you upcycle? I think Pringles cans would be fun, too!

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