Looking for fun ways to keep those kids busy during the Thanksgiving holiday?Here are some great craft ideas for fun projects or to keep the kiddos busy while you cook! Happy Thanksgiving!  Make sure to follow me on Pinterest for more fun ideas and crafts for kids :) 

I have a hard time getting excited about celebrating the 4th of July in the traditional manner these days.  Being vegan and having very young children don’t usually add up to a big day.  As many of you know, the checklist to even get out the door can be unending:  bottles, diapers, wipes, change of clothes, sunblock.  And don’t forget the kids!    You add in being vegan, and I end up more exhausted just planning, let alone doing.

I have given up on forcing my children to stay up past their bedtimes, and to fight traffic only to have three exhausted and whining kids on my hands.  Gosh, do I sound rather cynical with a smidge of party pooper?  So, I decided to reevaluate how I celebrate this wonderful occasion.  Heck, I went from being in charge of keg purchasing for parties to being in charge of burping my child.  This should be a piece of cake, right?  Without eggs, that is…:)

And guess what?  It is!  Not only is it different, but it’s more fun!  As a Pinterest fanatic, I have done my homework and compiled two guides for you.  The first are my top picks for 4th of July decorations. The other is a list of fun kids’ activities and crafts for Independence Day.  I am always a fan of decorating, in fact, it might be up there with cooking.  So, get some fun decoration inspirations, plan a couple kiddie activities, and then you can focus on making delicious food and celebrating the holiday.  And please drink responsibly - Don’t drink and drive.  Enjoy the holiday and remember to thank a Veteran for your freedom!

Click on pictures for more ideas!  Don't forget to Follow me on Pinterest for more fun boards! 

Really the kids’ birthday parties are for me as much as they are the kids.  It is an excuse for me to channel my inner child and bust out all the crafts that I really don’t have time for.  But, I put aside my floor cleaning, car cleaning, and meal planning for one week of glorious indulgence into the Pinterest world.  I love making homemade crafts, but really most of all, I love making vegan party food!  It’s such an amazing way to show friends and family that vegan food doesn’t have to be all alfalfa sprouts and kale!  Every party, the plates are empty and I have several people asking me for the recipes.  My favorite is when people don’t know it’s vegan and when they find out “it’s not real cream cheese” or “those meatballs are made from lentils, not cows”, the look on people’s faces is absolutely priceless.  To me, it means I’ve done my job.  I don’t need to change the world, but changing people’s perception of a plant-based diet, even for one day,  is so satisfying!
My twin boys’ turned 4 and we invited 21 children.  Every single one RSVP’d yes!  Whoa.  Last year we had 12 kids total and now we have 24 total.  I had my work cut out.  Actually the kids are the easy ones to feed.  It’s the parents that I always seem to find more challenging.
Our menu this year was the following:
“Build your own rocket!”:   Slider buns or butter lettuce cups, BBQ pulled jackfruit and soy, and homemade coleslaw
“Freeze Dried Astronaut Food”:  homemade cinnamon applesauce in squeeze pouches
“Orbits”  :  Hummus and avocado rollups
“Jupiter Red Eye” :  Watermelon balls
“Meteorites”  :  Potato salad bites
“Space Junk”  :  Pretzels
“Planets and Rockets” :  Cucumber with dill cream cheese on crackers or bread
 
Well, of course, it wouldn’t be a great birthday party without a glitch.  About an hour before the birthday party, I opened the fridge and wouldn’t you know.  Food comes crashing off the shelves into a huge pile on the floor.  Next thing I know, I’m running out the door in a frenzy picking up prepared food as quickly as I could!  So, added to the buffet were a large fruit bowl, a veggie tray with a bowl of raspberry vinaigrette dipping sauce.  Lastly, I added an assortment of beautiful sushi – all made with avocado, mango, carrots, cucumber.  It was truly beautiful!  So, even in a pinch, you can make it work!
For a birthday cake, I did a “rocket cake”.  I made homemade rocket popsicles from pureed strawberries, oranges, and a little spinach (I couldn’t help myself).  Even the parents were helping themselves – which made me so happy!  I bought two sets of molds on Amazon and borrowed the remaining sets from neighbors and friends.  I used the rind of the watermelon (leftover from the watermelon balls).  I cut the rind in half and placed on a round pizza tray.  I cut a couple holes in the rind and stuck a couple stars candles, a # 4 candle, a few silver star spray confettis, and then last, but not least, the rocket popsicle.  My boys’ LOVED it!

Happy healthy eating!!

Enjoy an Easter that is kid friendly, low-sugar, and vegan? Yes, it’s possible!  We do an egg hunt with plastic eggs and we fill them with non-candy items.  Some of their favorites in the past have been tattoos, stickers, glow in the dark bracelets, money, fun erasers, finger puppets, etc.  The easiest way to find inexpensive items are to check out your local dollar store or Target $1 bins!  We love to celebrate Easter with fun crafts also – anything spring related!  My favorite with the kids is to paint their feet and stamp them into cute bunny ears.  However, this is not as easy as it sounds.  For easy, I’d stick with making fun bunny ear hats with construction paper.   We love to cook a large brunch with pancakes always topping the kids list of favs.  An easy way to cut down on sugar?  Puree berries as a dipping sauce for the waffles instead of butter and syrup.  It’s always a hit!  Happy Easter everyone! Don't forget to follow me on Pinterest for more fun boards!
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