Happy Summer Solstice! Though here in the Mojave Desert it has felt like Summer for the past few weeks with highs in the 100's. The sun rose at 5:24 AM and will set at 8:00 PM creating the longest day of the year. I celebrated with the kids by making a paper mosaic sun and one of our favorite special desserts, a Vegan Cheesecake. Keep scrolling for the recipe! We also spent some time dancing this morning. You can check out the Spotify playlist here. I created ankle bells for them by stitching smalls bells from our local craft store onto some extra scrunchies I had made. They wore them all morning (even out running our errands!) and called them "fairy bells". Lemon-y Vegan CheesecakeThis recipe has been adapted from one of my personal favorites by Dana over at Minimalist Baker! It can be found HERE. It is amazing as is, but I have made a few tweaks that I wanted to share with you. The first change I have made is that I swap out the walnuts in the crust, for almonds. No reason other than I normally have almonds on-hand. So, when I get a hankering for a sweet treat I can toss it together quickly without having to run out to the store! I also don't make the cheesecakes in a muffin tin as suggested, but instead use a regular spring form pan (what you'd use for a baked cheesecake). Because my spring form pan is large, I double the filling recipe. It still creates a pretty short cheesecake, but I love the look of the whole cake opposed to the individual mini ones. To flavor this cistrus one I tripled the amount of lemon juice called for in the recipe, and zested two of the lemons for a bit more flavor and some lovely color on the top. It takes about 4 hours for this to set up in the freezer, so if you make it around noon it will be set and ready for your after dinner dessert. The perfect finish to a summer meal. I highly suggest taking your vegan cheesecake out of the freezer at least 20 minutes before serving and letting it thaw a bit at room temperature. I think it gives a better texture of a true cheesecake, and has less "icy" texture. I enjoy celebrating these holidays with my kids, it creates anticipation for them, with something to look forward to. It also gives me an excuse to be craft-y outside of my business and enjoy time with them. Sometimes life "gets in the way" and I forget to do all the fun things that can come with being a mom. And hey, Vegan Cheesecake isn't too bad either. I hope you were able to get out and enjoy the extra sunshine on this Summer day!
1 Comment
Planning is my number one tip for Traveling with Kids. Having the right tools is, in my opinion, essential to a smooth traveling experience. Below are 5 of my favorite products that we use in our travels. I want to start off this list with an item that has proven in my home to stand the test of time. Even after a few years of minimalism and countless purges, one item I still have in my diaper bag is my JJ Cole diaper changing mat. This isn’t an item I only use for travel, although that was the original reason that I purchased it. I keep this diaper mat in tow every day and have used it with both of my kids for far. I love that it folds up compact and has a velcro tab to keep it closed. It also has a wrist strap for easy carrying. It has an interior pocket to hold a few diapers and a small travel size wipe container. At the time, this Charcoal Gray version was the only one I could find that wasn’t neon bright colors or a vivid pattern. While I’m sure that there are other brands available now in a more neutral color scheme, mine is still holding strong after 3 years! I highly recommend it. With traveling often comes extra waste. It is hard to ensure that you have everything you need for a low-waste lifestyle while confined to a carry-on, or one personal item on a flight. You can, however, reduce your use of single-use plastics by remembering to bring along your own water bottles. Empty them out before you get in line for security, and then you can refill them before you get to your gate. Staying hydrated is important every day, but especially while traveling. Airplanes have very low humidity, that along with altitude changes and travelers are more likely to become dehydrated. I have been loving my Sip by Swell from Target. It keeps my water cold for a long time and I like this 23oz because it is large enough that I’m not constantly refilling it, but that it isn’t so big that it’s too heavy to carry around. Atwood has been loving his KleanKanteen that we picked up from Whole Foods. He chose red “like a fire truck” of course. Another way to reduce your use of plastic is to use reusable snack baggies instead of plastic ones. There are a lot of choices on Etsy. You can even DIY your own using cotton fabric and some velcro, but if sewing isn’t your thing Bumkins has some cute prints available as well. I have not personally used this company, as I've always made my own using this tutorial I found on Pinterest. I actually left out the nylon lining and only used 100% Cotton Canvas from Joann Fabrics. I normally only pack dry snacks such as pretzels, homemade crackers, dry cereal and granola in them. So the waterproof fabric was an unnecessary step for me. You’ll need something to carry all of your travel and everyday essentials in, and right now these diaper backpacks are very trendy! It’s a great way to get a functional item that is still stylish. I recently purchased the Roll Top Backpack pictured above from Lee Coren on Etsy. The quality is outstanding and it arrived so fast! I am very excited to use it on our upcoming trip later this month. Fawn Design bags are also a beautiful option, with a few different styles and colors available. I've been loving seeing all of the lovely photos of other Mom's and their travels on Instagram.
While traveling with kids, comfy shoes are a must! Pack your cute wedges in your suitcase and throw on some Birkenstocks. I have the Vegan Microfiber version in “Anthracite” (or you know, black) that I wear all the time. They’re especially great for airport travel because they are easy to kick off to walk through security, and then slide on while holding a toddler on the other side. P.S. Did you know that children 12 and under are not required to go take their shoes off? Save yourself the hassle of wrestling with your toddler's adorable toes and leave those shoes on! I hope you found a few of these helpful! You don't need to over purchase for an upcoming trip. Keep it simple and choose the necessities that you and your family can use time and time again. Happy travels! ![]() Back in 2015 my husband and I decided to move our family across the country, from Michigan to Nevada. We are enjoying our stay here, but having family in another state means we get to visit as often as we can! We like to take at least one trip together as a family to see everyone, my parents, grandparents, cousins, etc! who live in my hometown. Making these yearly, sometimes twice yearly, trips means that we have some experience in traveling with kids. Harper has been on at least 10 flights, and Atwood has 6 under his 2 year old belt. Not to mention that 4 or 5 of those flights I was alone with one (or both kiddos!) You can do this! I wanted to share with you a few of the things that we have learned along our journeys to maybe make yours a little easier. Here are my 10 Tips for Traveling with (young) Kids. Planning!The key to any trip is Planning! Plan as much as possible, as early as possible. For me, a key to reducing stress is to have "everything" planned out. Obviously you can't actually plan everything, but having a good grasp on the majority helps make it easier to take curve balls in stride without it ruining your time. Break-up the TripIf at all possible, split up your trip. That could mean simply stopping in a park for a snack and a play break. I recommend timing it so that you can get some fresh air around the time right before your child will need a nap. It could also mean stopping for a night in a motel/hotel before continuing on your trip. A bubble bath or a jump in a hotel pool has a way of making a long drive fun. Leave Early!This goes along with planning, but rushing things; at the airport, loading the car, or even packing, means stress. Give yourself plenty of time to get these tasks done. Leave early for the airport, earlier than you think you need to. Having extra time at the gate to entertain a toddler isn't as bad as standing in line for security while running late. snacksThis one should almost go without saying, but pack lots of snacks. Not just "road trip snacks" like chips and treats. Your kids are going to be thrown out of their normal routine and they need healthy food choices to help keep them centered. Provide the best choices you can and they are accustomed to. Cut up veggies, fresh fruit, homemade muffins. Did you know that you can take all of those things through TSA? You should be able to get them through security without any issues. It does state on the TSA website that baked goods may require "extra screening" but I have never had an issue. Do make sure "liquids and gels" such as hummus or peanut butter are still 3.4 oz or less. Any questions? Check out What Can I Bring? and search for your item there. Audio-BooksWe try to limit screen time as much as possible in our home, but one thing we don't limit is Audio books. A fantastic resource is the app, Hoopla Digital. You can sign up using your library card from your local library and download up to 8 titles per month. They don't have everything available, but there are still a lot to choose from, and it's FREE. My children are both big fans of the Paddington Bear books. Children's Headphones![]() Of course you little ones will need something to use to listen to all of these free audio books. I highly recommend these headphones. They're inexpensive, sturdy, and have volume control so that they can't get too loud, even if your toddler turns up the volume. They come in other colors for each of your children. Oh, and they can be linked together, so multiple kids can be listening to the same thing. You can click the image to browse on Amazon. Short CyclesOne of the best pieces of advice that I found while searching way back before Harper's first flight, was to do everything in cycles. While on the plane or in a car, don't allow your child to do two actives at the same time. Snacking, screen time, coloring, etc. Allot 10-20 minutes for each activity, then put it away before moving onto the next one. The point is to stretch as much time out of each activity and make it last so that they don't blow through everything within the first hour. I also recommend waiting to give them their screen time for as long as possible. Save it as a last resort because the end of the flight, when they're over it and you're tired, is when you'll need a back-up. Tire Them OutHave extra time at the gate because you go there early? Good for you! We like to do laps around the terminal. We fill up water bottles, take bathroom breaks, and sometimes buy a special treat at the gift shop. There are endless amounts of airplanes for kids to watch through the windows, as well as all that goes on on the ground before take off. My kids like watching them load the suitcases, look for dogs in the airport, and race to the drinking fountain. Some airports even have small free libraries! Manage ExpectationsAt the end of the day, remember, they're children. Even the most well seasons travelers will have a bad day. Flights get delayed, canceled, and even missed. Life is unpredictable. Manage your expectations of your children, and do your best to keep them realistic. It will help with step number 10. Mental AttitudeFinally, remember that your kids feed off of our energy and attitude. Even if your child is upset or crying for the flight, it is only one day. At the end of your flight, you'll be able to walk off the airplane and carry on with your life whether or not the journey went smoothly! Everything will be easier if you have a positive attitude and try to laugh it off. Gain experience, gain confidence! Now, I am not an "expert" just a mom who wants to share her personal experiences with you. Your travel plans will differ from ours, and that's great. Safe travels! #havekidswilltravel
|
hello,I'm Sam. Mother of two and the sole seamstress behind Found Path. Here I'll share a more intimate look behind the brand, and a peek into our lives. Archives |