fill ‘er up

EASTER for our family is a sweet day to be together and to recognize and celebrate nature’s waking from hibernation. It’s the beginning of a new season and a lovely chance to spend a minute taking in everything that’s emerging and growing and blooming after a long winter with all the hope of what’s to come. Plus, it’s just really fun. The brightly colored eggs and baskets and bunnies and candy just feel happy after a good stretch of seeing lots of brown and white and grey. So, though we don’t ‘celebrate’ in a spiritual way, it’s still a special day and a much-anticipated signal that we’ve ‘made it’ through the winter (though if we’re real, it could def be snowing).

AND WHEN there’s an opportunity to blow out the fun for my guys, you know I’m in. So I’ve already started thinking about Easter eggs and baskets and treats. Today, I’m going to share a few of my PRO TIPS for filling Easter eggs. It can be super daunting and I really hate to just jam a bunch of junk in them. I’d always rather find fewer things that I know my boys will actually like and won’t end up in the landfill by dinner. Then I fill in with candy or money to make a big pile.

IF YOU have little littles, you’re SO set. There are TONS of little bits for little kiddos that make epic Easter egg filling. Standard party favors like bouncy balls or finger monsters [my little still loves these silly things] can for sure be fun, but also look for bulk packs of toys in themes that they love, like these Thomas Minis and TAKE THEM OUT of the packaging. There. That’s my super secret weapon. It seems so simple, but a friendly reminder can’t hurt. Take treasures out of the box or the mass of shrunken plastic that requires a chainsaw to penetrate and suddenly you have lots of tiny toy bits that would fit perfectly inside an Easter egg. These cutie Peppa Pig figures, Polly Pockets and Barbie clothes are all excellent examples (def check the size to make sure they’re as tiny as they look and will fit in your eggs). You can also unbox a small Lego set and put a few pieces in each egg so they have the whole collection at the end.

MY ANIMAL-loving son was OBSESSED for several years with Safari Good Luck Minis (aka ‘teeny tiny animals’ in our house), which are perfect egg filler. The Safari Toobs are also gold and there is a huge range of themes from literally every kind of animal to Friendly Fairies to Tools to Human Organs. My little has amassed bunches of these over the years because he loves them and they have a set for just about anything he’s into at the moment (they’re AWESOME restaurant and travel toys, too). Some of the contents are bigger than others, so again, just be mindful if you’re intending to stuff them into an egg, otherwise you can always put them into the basket. If your little likes to craft, you can put loose pom poms, googly eyes and fun beads in the eggs so they end up with a nice little collection of supplies to work with.

ALSO CHECK out the popular toy-style advent calendars. If you can find a theme that your kiddo would love (and isn’t chock full of Christmas trees and Santa), you can pull everything out of the cardboard and use the figures for eggs. You’ll be an Easter hero. Just don’t try to pass off old snowman chocolates or yo'u’ll be fired from Bunny duty. I did the Star Wars Micro Force calendar last year and it was fantastic (there were a few Christmas ones in there, but you can just save them for stockings later). There is an advent calendar out there for just about every character and theme they love, so it can be a great resource.

AND THEN there are the older kids. T(w)eens [especially boys], can be much trickier to wow with little bits. I’m totally there myself, but have a few ideas... Candy and money are obvs always a great option, but there are a couple other things that lots of biggies would find amusing. Small fidgets, like Hedgehog Rings, Monkey Noodles, Magnetic Rings or Teeny NeeDohs are fun and would all fit in an egg. If your big kid is into gaming, you could put some gold coins in a few eggs that can be traded for currency in the world they love (Robux or Minecoins or whatever). Critter, food or cube puzzle erasers are good distractions (Japanese Iwako makes lots of cute themed packs). Or these poop ones, because…t(w)eens. Vinyl stickers for water bottles, skateboards and devices can be jammed into eggs and come in designs that appeal to literally EVERY interest under the sun from hot cars to basketball to cute ‘stuff.' A quick search will almost surely find something that your kid is into. Mochi Squishies are super cute. You can also stuff in little jewelry, a fun hair tie or lip balm if it’ll fit.

ONCE YOU’VE filled your eggs like a rock star Easter Bunny, there can be other logistics to grapple with, too. If you’re having an egg hunt with a group of kids that are super varied in age or have vastly different interests, you can try color coding the eggs. One color is candy or coins that’s open game for anyone, then choose a different color for each kiddo or age/interest that’s filled with the special stuff. You’ll up their challenge by having them search just for specific eggs and everyone will end up with treasures that they love.

SO WITH just a wee bit of forethought, creativity + thinking outside the packaging, you can crush this Easter egg filling job and find treasures that will last beyond the big day. Hop Hop. xo

Easter Egg Filler

^^ LOVE these clever handmade Easter Egg Tokens that promise sweet surprises for your little bunnies ^^

^^ Dabble & Dollop Bath Bombs are squeaky clean and yummy and each one is the perfect size for those little eggies ^^

^^ Bright LED Golf Balls are so much fun all summer [or year] long ^^

^^ Put a pretty Seed Bead Bracelet in each egg to build up a whole stack ^^

^^ Chocolove Peanut Butter Filled Eggs are one perfect bite of super duper deliciousness ^^

^^ Ooly has a zillion adorable Erasers, like these Ninja Erasers that are useful and just super fun to play with ^^

^^ Spread joy with these handmade Wildflower Seed Bombs in pretty pastel colors ^^

^^ My son loves these wee little TeenyMates and they’re perfect egg size ^^

^^ Meri Meri has THE cutest Hair Clips and Slides to pop individually into your eggs ^^

^^ These wee little Koosh Minis will provide lots of good fun for everyone ^^

^^ Cute Animal Cable Protectors keep chargers from fraying and are just super adorable ^^

^^ There are 7 flavors of super yummy solid fair-trade chocolate in this colorful bag of Tony’s Chocolonely Egg-stra Special Chocolate Eggs^^

^^ My boys love playing with these old school Punch Balloons ^^

^^ A super cute pair of Gummy Bear Earrings would be an extra sweet surprise ^^

^^ Change up the look of your rad sneaks with bright new Laces ^^

^^ Whisper your dreams and worries to these tiny little Guatemalan Worry Dolls ^^

^^ Artist Oliver Jeffers designed these adorable Space Explorer Tattoos for Tattley and there are a ton of other cute themes, too ^^

^^ Little paleontologists lovers will love to find a different type of Mini Dinosaur in each egg they find ^^

MORE IN… little kids + big kids

road trippin' // the best travel toys

road trippin’

I AM kind of a professional road-tripper. I’ve been on probably a million+ miles of interstate, highway, dirt road and city street all across this beautiful country since the day I was born. Growing up, my family would hit the road for epic weeks-long trips through deserts, corn fields, mountains and cities, sometimes to visit family on the East Coast or sometimes just for the adventure of it. My parents both are blessed with fierce wanderlust and a grand sense of adventure and they dragged my older sister and I along, sometimes against our will, to whatever far-flung North American destination had captured their imaginations.

WE’D PUT in 14-hour days, arriving at some cheap motel in the wee hours, weary from the day’s journey. My dad always had just one SUPER sunburned arm from resting it on the open window while he drove. My mom, always the passenger, had piles and piles of maps and AAA books that were our bibles for finding a place to eat or sleep or discovering some obscure out-of-the-way attraction that my sister and I would grumble about. We were rarely allowed to stop to use the bathroom (my dad would “forget” to pull off the exit). We ate fast food for breakfast (sometimes lunch + dinner, too). My big sis would kick me if even a pinky fingernail crossed “the line” to her side. She and I once snuck ALL of my dad’s 8-track tapes out of the car just minutes before we shoved off, leaving Barry Manilow, Lionel Richie and the whole rad gang behind (probs still the most naughty + mean-spirited thing I’ve ever done). And in all of that, somehow, The Road became a part of me.

I AM now the one in the passenger seat, though my navigational skills leave a bit to be desired and I have an app on my phone to find the nearest gas station. But my little family does road trip a lot because we love to ski and camp and raft and many of the places we want to go are tiny specs on a map or vast wilderness areas that can only be reached by winding, unpaved roads. Our littlest rocked his first camping adventure when he was 8 weeks old. My boys are def enduring the same fate that my sister and I did, though with decidedly more grace most of the time.

WE’VE learned a thing or two over the years and miles and I thought I’d share a few tips. The fact is, it’s a lot to ask of a kiddo to sit still and chill for hours on end and we’ve found some ways to alleviate some of the boredom. My mom always packed us a few fun new things for our long trips and I do the same for my boys for the real doozies. As I mentioned, my older guy gets super car sick, so devices aren’t an option, plus I have a thing about making them endure the same forced meditation that I did when I was little, staring at the changing landscape and letting the mind wander and ponder your place in it. Maybe that’s kind of mean mama or maybe it’ll help instill in them the same sense of belonging to the meandering road that it has in me. Anyhoo, this is a long post, just like the road ahead, so settle in…

ON OUR first really long drive when the boys were old enough to realize that they were super bored, I bought them each a Road Atlas and marked our route on the pages. Then I stashed 6-7 little wrapped presents in their backpacks, each with a note that said “open me when we get to ______.” They had to find each place on the map and then watch for signs that we’d arrived or were passing through there, then they’d get to open that little treasure. The packages weren’t big things, some were meant to entertain and distract, some were just fun snacks or a lollipop (if you don’t want to end up with a car full of trash, take anything you can out of the bulky package before you wrap it). But it kept their minds busy and they were so excited when we got to the funny out-of-the-way places that I’d marked. You def don’t need to wrap things or even have presents, you could just mark a map and say ‘tell me when we get to _____’ and then hand them a gummy bear or give them a high-five. I’ll for sure be employing this little game again for our upcoming trip.

BECAUSE my older son gets wicked car sick and is a super busy-bodied kid, he brings along lots of fidgets to distract both mind and body during the long stretches of road. We have tried just about every kind out there and he for sure has some favorites. As with lots of things, fidgets are personal to the kiddo (or adult) who uses them, but a few of the coolest ones would probably entertain just about any wiggly kid. I’m pretty sure we have every kind of NeeDoh that they’ve ever made and my guy LOVES them all. They’re squishy and satisfying and actually really durable as far as those things go. Shashibo cubes are also a favorite. It’s a magnetic cube that can be transformed into 70 different shapes. It has really trippy cool graphics on it and my son just loves to manipulate it. It’s only one piece, so there aren’t any little bits to lose. He also loves the Speks Geode, Star Cube, Monkey Noodles and these funny poppy things.

MY YOUNGER son can keep down his cookies, so there are more options for him to stay entertained. He loves to draw and likes to bring his Doodle Board along. It’s a fantastic analog toy and has held up really well to the abuse it endures being dragged around and lost between the seats. He also loved the Melissa & Doug Water Wow books that have a little tube for water that changes the colors and reveals the picture on each page. It’s super contained, not messy and he would do the same pictures over and over again with no complaint. And they have lots of different themes for whatever your little is in to that day. StickBot is also a hit with him. He can play with it forever, posing it and sticking it to the window to see how long it’ll hold on. It’s totally generic so can become any “guy” (or gal or creature) that my little can think up. It’s a good one for kiddos with a big imagination.

WE’VE ALSO found a few things that keep the whole family entertained together, which is quite a feat. Would You Rather has provided hours of entertainment and giggles. Likewise with Mad Libs, which are always good for a few laughs even if (or just because) it often devolves into a bunch of potty words strewn together. My little loves to play a version of 20 questions that’s all about animals and he’ll keep us going FOREVER on that one. It’s sweet and passes the miles. My boys also like to play a game where they each take one ear bud and then they take turns DJ-ing for each other. I’m never totally sure what they’re listening to, but it most often erupts into loud, silly howls. It’s kind of a don’t ask, don’t tell situation (I know they’re all kid’s songs, just REALLY stupid ones). Last summer we listened to 20 hours and 37 minutes of a Harry Potter book and then started in on the Warriors and Spy School series’, all of which are performed beautifully and we ALL really enjoyed. The miles just fly by when everyone’s engaged in the story.

AND LASTLY, the REALLY not sexy stuff that nobody else will tell you, but you might really want to know, especially if you’re new to this gig. I always keep a few empty ziplocks or small trash bags and some baby wipes in the glovebox in case there’s a vomit situation or you just need to wrangle all the garbage that piles up. I also keep a wag bag or two in the car for any #2 emergencies that might need to take place on the side of the road. We’ll do just about anything to avoid going into grody gas stations these days, plus you could be 43 miles from the nearest restroom of any kind when the urge strikes. You can, of course, just dig a hole, but this is much more tidy and better for the water supply.

WE ALWAYS have some big squishy lovies or neck pillows and a blanket for the kiddos to rest their sleepy heads. And, of course, TONS of snacks. This is when I bust out the junky chips or snacks that I wouldn’t normally buy as a special treat/major distraction. If we do need to stop for actual gas, we sometimes let the boys pick out a “gas station snack,” which is always crappy, but is super special and fun for them and keeps them entertained for a bit. Obvs don’t JUST pack a bunch of junk or you’ll be super sorry, probably around mile 253, and taking my name in vain, which I would very much not like.

IF WE’RE going into the boonies, as we usually are, I drag my 'doctor kit' with meds, tinctures, ointments, bandages, rubber gloves and just about every other thing you *might* need if someone is sick, stung or just a little bit hurt (we have an actual first aid kit for real injuries if our final destination is camping or rafting). You might get an eye roll from your significant other on this one, but those eyes ONLY roll until they’re the one who has the runs in the middle of the desert. Yep, told you this wasn’t going to be sexy. But I’m done now, I’ll stop grossing you out. I just want to shoot you lovelies straight so nobody is left unprepared (or with an untreated rash). We look at our route along the way and see if we can find a park or a rest stop near a river or anywhere we can stop, have a snack, stretch, breath fresh air and get some wiggles out. It’s well worth the few extra minutes for the awesome reset, especially for the driver.

I KNOW that road tripping can be daunting or a straight-up nightmare for some families, and we for sure have had our moments, but they don’t usually last very long if I’m prepared to distract. I see it as an opportunity to spend some time with my little family as a captive audience. We don’t have the distractions of everyday life; there’s no laundry to do or meals to cook or shopping to get done. I can’t read in the car either, so I’m not looking at my phone or my laptop. It’s a chance to really space out and watch the landscape evolve, the weather shift, the colors change, the light transition and to make some really lasting memories. So buckle up and try to find the beauty in your journey. And bring a ton of stuff just in case you don’t. GIFT A LITTLE HAPPINESS. xo

More Awesome Travel Toys + Gear

> Your kiddos will be super cozy with their own Rumpl Original Puffy Blanket to snuggle [plus it has it’s own stuff sack + is machine washable] <

> Keep distracted with Eeboo’s Travel Bingo Car Game <

> You get endless open-ended creativity with Wikki Stix, just don’t leave them in a hot car for too long <

> A big squishy Plush doubles as travel buddy + nap pillow <

> Lap Pets provide a perfect and adorable surface for all of your fun on-the-go activities <

> Keep a compact, quick-drying Geometry Fitness Towel at the ready in case of spills or spontaneous river dunks <
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> A Hydroflask Insulated Tote will keep drinks + snacks chilly without the bulk of a cooler <

> Pushpeel allows kids to create unique designs while keeping your fidgeter smiling for miles <

> We’ve enjoyed several versions of these After Dinner Amusements cards and they’re super tiny for travel <

> Kiddos can follow your route and learn cool facts along the way with the Ultimate U.S. Road Trip Atlas <

> Dimpl Pops is pure sensory entertainment from infants on up to fidgety adults <

> This Would You Rather? Book was put together by kids, so you know it’ll be relatable and super funny <

> I don’t go anywhere without my Stasher Bags for individual snacks, whole big stashes of snacks, meds, cosmetics, first aid… Seriously, you’re going to want a big pile <

> I still love this classic old school Highway Bingo with the sliding windows <

> Super adorable Tegu Travel Pals are magnetic and perfect for little hands <

> Choose from 20 different cutie animal Neck Pillows to keep your kiddos supported and happy <

> These Magic Snakes are just as much fun as when we were little and come in a bunch of cute colors <

> Hopefully 50 Cool Things to Do in the Car will entertain you long enough to get you to your destination <

> Magnatab provides hours of mess-free open-ended creativity and this one glows in the dark <

> We don’t leave home without our biggie 64 oz Wide Mouth Hydro Flask for refilling empty water bottles on the go <

> My son loves to mindlessly roll Speks Supers around in his hands <

> Shashibo Shape Shifting Boxes are super satisfying to manipulate and figure out and the single piece won’t get lost between the seats <

> There are so many super cute versions and no mess for these Ooly Activity Cards <

> There are a bunch of awesome themes for this classic guessing game brought to life in an easy-to-carry deck <

> This Minecraft Magnetic Travel Puzzle is good analog fun for your builders <

> My imaginative son can play for hours with these highly posable Wooden Robots <

> Keep your little passenger’s water nice and cold with a Kids Hydro Flask in fun colors <

> I always carry a slender little package of The Honest Company Baby Wipes in my bag for all the messes <

> D-Fantix has a huge variety of speed cubes for every level that are super easy to turn and could take the whole trip to solve <

> Reduce your waste and the trash piling up in your car with reusable Silicone Straws in their own handy travel case <

> My little loved these Melissa & Doug Color Blast books for totally mess-free coloring and lots of other things they make <

> My boys have had fun with these Take ‘N’ Play magnetic travel games <

> If you have queasy passengers, I’ve had some luck with Boiron Tabacum pellets for mild motion sickness [my super carsick guy needs the hard stuff] <

MORE for little kids + big kids

brookie-crownies

OH MY. These Brookie-Crownies are SO SO good. I didn’t know what to call them, so I gave them two names and they totally deserve it. They have a layer of super chocolatey brownie on bottom and the best chocolate chip cookie on top, combining two perfect desserts into one AND if you top it with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream [we LOVE this], it’ll be a solid 3-in-1. YUM.

I WAS totally inspired by Mountain Mama Cooks’ version, which uses a secret-weapon BOXED brownie mix in the recipe [shhh!] and then I added my favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie dough on top for the cookie layer. The final product is super delicious and a total crowd-pleaser. I made mine GF with King Arthur’s awesome Gluten Free Fudge Brownie Mix, which I always keep on hand for easy treat ‘emergencies.’ The mix is nut-free, too, so it’s a great option for a group of sweet-lovers with a variety of food allergies, but they’re objectively gooey and yummy even if you don’t. Though this recipe calls for a few extra steps to get the 2-in-1, it’s super easy and totally worth it. Our crew eats them 4 at a time and loves every bite. GIFT A LITTLE HAPPINESS. xo

INGREDIENTS

• 1 box of brownie mix + the ingredients it calls for [eggs, etc]

• 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1 large egg, whisked

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup all purpose flour (I use King Arthur GF Measure for Measure and it’s perfect)

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven according to your brownie package directions

• Mix the brownies according to the package directions and spread them in a greased 9x13 pan

• Bake the brownies for 20-25 minutes LESS than recipe advises and take them out of the oven to cool for a few minutes [they will still be jiggly]

• Put oven temp to 375

• Cream the butter and sugar in a standing mixer (or in a bowl using a hand mixer) for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy

• Add the egg and vanilla and mix for 1 minute

• Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and slowly incorporate into the butter and egg mixture

• Mix until combined then pour in the chocolate chips and stir

• Drop blobs of the dough gently onto the brownie layer, then spread evenly to reach across the pan [I honestly used my hands for this, but do whatever works for you]

• Bake the whole thing for 20 more minutes, or until the cookie layer is golden brown

• Cool, slice and share with your favorite treat-lovers

MORE IN… recipes

end of the rainbow cookies

YOU KNOW I’d never miss a chance to celebrate a holiday, but when it comes to St. Patrick’s Day, I’m not much of a green food gal. All of those green bagels and green beer and green pancakes kind of weird me out a bit. So I kept this one super simple and gussied up some store-bought sandwich cookies to make super festive and cute ‘End of the Rainbow’ cookies for my little leprechauns in just a few minutes. They were totally wowed and it was SO easy, so total win-win. I hope your littles [or bigs] love them, too. GIFT A LITTLE HAPPINESS. xo

End of the Rainbow Cookies

INGREDIENTS

• Vanilla sandwich cookies of your choice [I used Glutino to keep them GF]

• Frosting [I used Miss Jones for a ‘healthier’ option]

• Green food coloring

• SPRINKLES! I used a mix of rainbow jimmies, green + white sanding sugar, white non-pareils and those cute little gold ‘coin’ ones, but you can obvs use whatever you want.

DIRECTIONS

• Mix the frosting with a few drops of green food coloring until it’s a shade you like

• frost half of the top and sides of the sandwich cookies [I didn’t do the bottom side]

• SPRINKLE away. That’s it! You have adorable cookies in no time flat.

• Enjoy with your favorite little leprechaun.

MORE IN… baking

my favorite clean beauty from the detox market

THIS is a big ol’ list of some of my top clean beauty favorites from one of my favorite sites. If you want to read more about WHY I love them, take a deep dive into My Clean Beauty + Self-Care Favorites or My Day + Night Clean Skincare Routine. And if you have any questions about my experience with these products, don’t hesitate to reach out, I’m always here for you and I LOVE chatting clean beauty. GIFT A LITTLE HAPPINESS [to yourself]. xo

My favorite clean beauty from The Detox Market

On my wishlist

MORE IN… clean beauty + wellness