Akimiro Collaboration

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There’s nothing I love more than when I hear my rascals excitedly say, “Mom! I drew you a picture!” Whenever they give me a new piece of their artwork, I hang it up in my office for a few days, but then I can never seem to find a permanent place for these masterpieces. As a result, I was so grateful to find Akimiro, a small business that creates apparel and other items out of kids’ artwork. I was able to connect with Doris, the face behind the brand, and ask her a bit about how she got started with Akimiro.

Due to the pandemic, Doris found herself leaving her job as a fashion designer to focus on her family and help her toddlers navigate the virtual world as their “homeschool teacher.” Even though she decided to stay home to help her children, they ended up helping her just as much and inspired her to start a business. After smiling over countless works of art from her kids, she realized that she must not be the only one fascinated by children’s art and decided to start Akimiro, a brand that celebrates children’s creativity and expression.

One really unique thing about Akimiro is their Little Artists Collection. This collection allows children to submit their artwork to Akimiro and displays their name, age, and where they’re from alongside the artwork they created. Their artwork is featured on a ton of different products, from shirts and hoodies to fanny packs and mugs! The inspiration behind this collection is Doris’ idea that children are all born artists, so she challenges herself to work with the art children create and turn it into a unique graphic that any adult (or kid!) would wear and use, contrary to the popular idea that only parents or grandparents enjoy children’s art.

Another unique feature Akimiro offers is their ‘Create Your Own’ option, where anyone can design a custom piece with their rascals’ artwork. Not only does this give a permanent home to the art that kids love to create, but it also encourages kids to continue to explore their creativity. My rascals love their new hoodies with their special artwork. I love my mug, it was a reminder for me to take each day slowly and have a bit of art fun with my kids.

Be sure to check out the Little Artists Collection and support the little artists Akimiro has worked with so far, and stay tuned for new ones! Akimiro introduces new artists and artwork monthly.

Written by Head Rascal (Ngoc Nguyen Lay), mother of two rascals, ages 6 and 9. Sponsored Post by Doris of Akimoro. Photos by Simply Adri Photography.

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3 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day with your Kids

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For Valentine’s Day, I always try to get a small gift for my boys to share in the celebration of love and take a little extra time to show them how much I love them. This year, I purchased custom wooden tic-tac-toe boards for Ben and AJ, and, while this is what I chose to do with my family, I wanted to take time to share three ways you can share Valentine’s Day with your rascals.

Tell them you love them. Start simple by telling them that you love them and explaining what Valentine’s Day is. Try explaining different kinds of love, such as romantic love, family love, friendship love, the love between siblings, or any other types of love that you want your kid(s) to know about. Right now, my boys are at a point where the people they love most in the world are me and my husband. Since they don’t fully understand the different kinds of love, when I try explaining marriage to them as picking the person you love enough to spend the rest of your life with them, they’ll say, “I’m gonna marry you, Mom!” It warms my heart to see what their understanding of love is, and I try to take these small moments to teach them.

Make a meal together. Teach your kids that there are a ton of different ways to express your love for one another. Sharing experiences together is just one of many. Consider cooking a Valentine’s Day dinner or dessert together. Doing this is a great way to teach your children that you can show love not only through shared experiences, but also through acts of service and doing things for each other. Make sure to cater your meal or treat to something that matches their skillset so they can feel involved and included. If your rascals aren’t old enough to be super hands-on in the kitchen yet, a simple, easy, and safe dessert to make together is heart-shaped cookies. You handle the oven, and then take on decorating together!

Teach them the importance of sharing love. Teach your children the importance of being inclusive with their love. This can be done in a number of ways; find the one that works for you and your family. One way to teach your children to be inclusive with their love is to explain why it’s important to get a valentine card for everyone in their class if you opt to have them bring valentines. As a kid, I didn’t understand why our teachers would require us to bring valentines for the entire class or not at all, but as an adult, I understand how damaging it can be to feel left out. Make sure you explain to your rascals that, if they want to bring valentines, they’ll need to bring enough for everyone so no one goes home empty-handed or feeling unloved. Another more subtle way to teach them the importance of being inclusive with love is to not make their love fit into traditional gender roles. This is something I like to emphasize with my boys because, growing up, I didn’t see the boys around me feel comfortable expressing their love for each other, even just as friends. As a girl, I always felt the freedom to tell my girl friends that I loved them or to show them, but I didn’t see this with the boys. Boys grow up with an expectation to be tough with their love, which can impact them negatively in the long-run. I want my boys to grow up knowing that showing love is not a weakness, and the ability to share love is a strength like no other.

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Written by Head Rascal (Ngoc Nguyen Lay), mother of two rascals, ages 6 and 9. Photos by Simply Adri Photography. Wooden Board Games from PB Corner. Lava Card by Lovepop.

DIY Jammie Quilt

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My favorite piece of baby clothing is hands down pajamas. Warm jammies and summer jammies. Themed jammies and holiday jammies. I just can’t get enough! But, what do you do when your rascal has outgrown their jammies? Well, you could save it for the next baby, or put them in a box in the basement, or you can relive each precious night by creating a Jammie Quilt! Supplies are minimal and make for a great keepsake for any rascal, big or small!

What you’ll need:

  • 25 Jammies/Onesies/etc.

  • 1.5 yards of soft backing fabric, like Minky!

  • Batting (crib size)

  • Double-stick sewing tape (the kind that washes away is amazing!)

  • Thread

  • Yarn

  • Sewing Machine

  • Scissors

Step 1.

Wash, dry, and iron all fabric.

Step 2.

Cut the jammies/onesies into 10”h x 7.5” wide rectangles. The more precise and accurate your cuts, the easier time you’ll have when stitching everything together!

Step 3.

Lay out the 25 rectangles in a pattern that you like! They should be in a 5x5 pattern (5 rows of 5).

Step 4.

Starting with the first row, stitch pieces together using a 1/4” seam allowance to create strips that run horizontally. Do this with all 5 rows.

Step 5.

Pin the top row to the second row, making sure all seams are aligned. Stitch rows 1 and 2 together using a 1/4” seam allowance. Continue by pinning and stitching together rows 3, 4, & 5 until all the rows are stitched together, making one big sheet of jammies! Turn the sheet over and iron flat all seams.

Step 6.

On a flat surface, lay down your cotton batting, making sure to smooth out any wrinkles/bunching. On top of the batting, you will need to lay your backing fabric (i.e. Minky) FACE UP. On top of the backing fabric. you will lay the jammie fabric FACE DOWN.

By this point you should have a fabric sandwich: batting, backing, and jammies.

Use the double-sided tape to tape the batting to the back piece, and the back piece to the Jammie piece. Running the tape around the edges works best. You can also pin the pieces together, but with little ones running (or crawling!) around, I wouldn’t want to risk a stray pin falling out!

Step 7.

Once your fabric is taped (or pinned!) together, stitch all the way around the blanket using a 1/4” seam allowance. Be sure to leave a 6-7 inch gap, so that you can turn the blanket inside out.

Step 8.

After all edges have been sewn down, leaving the gap, go around the edges and trim off any excess. This will make a tight edge.

Step 9.

Turn the blanket inside out. Use an iron to iron down all the edges so they are as flat and neat as possible.

Step 10.

Run the blanket edges through the sewing machine one more time, using a 1/4” top stitch. This will give the blanket a finished edge.

Step 11.

Use knitting yarn and thick needle to insert “ties” in a few spaces in the blanket. This will insure that the batting doesn’t shift when being cuddled!

Step 12.

Throw into the wash to get rid of the double-sided tape.

Step 13.

Ta-da! You’re done! You have a jammie quilt that you and your rascal can cuddle under for many years to come!

Shared by Crystal Zeyen, mother of 1 rascal, age 3.

Benefits of the Arts for Children

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All children can benefit from the inclusion of the arts in their education. Kids with learning difficulties can use the arts to help hone focus, use their brains in new ways, build confidence, and express themselves through creative means. Kids who struggle with learning in a traditional classroom environment enjoy the less pressurized environment typically found in an art class. It gives them the opportunity to see themselves as successful learners, and that confidence can carry over into other aspects of life.

Kids with self-confidence tend to do better both academically and socially in school, and they are more likely to be honest and reach out for help when they’re having problems. Furthermore, confidence is contagious. Your child will be a better peer and friend to their classmates, even inspiring them to feel more self-assured in their own pursuits. Ready to learn more? Hello Rascal Kids invites you to read on for some ways to incorporate art into your kids’ lives!

Sewing

While many people today barely know how to use a needle and thread, sewing used to be a cornerstone in education. It’s the perfect extracurricular activity for the child who likes to use their hands to make functional items, be it clothing, pillows, or stuffed toys, and there are numerous resources available online to get your child started.

●     Benefits of sewing for kids

●     Basic sewing projects for young kids

Dance

Dance and movement classes are perfect for children who are dual diagnosed with a learning disability and a hyperactive disability, as it burns energy while enabling a child’s creative process. Furthermore, discipline of both the body and mind is the foundation of a dance education. Children learn how to follow instructions, remember sequences, and work with others when studying dance.

●     7 Ways Kids Benefit from Dance Lessons

●     Best types of dance for young kids

Visual Arts

If you hear “visual art” and conjure up images of oil paints and canvases, you aren’t wrong -- but that is a seriously limited view of all the visual arts have to offer. Ceramics, sculpture, printmaking, and graphic design all fall under the visual arts umbrella. Letting kids experiment with all of them is both fun and educational.

●     Sculpting and pottery ideas for kids

●     Creative craft ideas for teenagers

Playing an Instrument

Learning to play an instrument will help your child develop study and memorization skills while building their ability to focus. It’s also a good activity for kids regardless of how social they are, since it can be learned in a group setting or with one-on-one lessons.

●     Which instrument is best for my child?

●     How to set up a music room at home

●     Start a California business if lessons become a side hustle

Adding the arts into education is a way to enable kids with learning difficulties to express themselves in new ways and see themselves as successful learners. From dance to sewing to playing the flute, there are benefits from every different kind of art class.

Sponsored Post by Courtney Rosenfeld of Gig Spark.

Our Original Rascal

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Let’s celebrate our original rascal. My AJ is 9 years old today. Before Hello Rascal Kids was created, this little man was my first rascal. Here’s a throwback to AJ’s first birthday party.

For full highlights of his party visit Skybox for AJ’s First Birthday!

Then and Now

Written by Head Rascal (Ngoc Nguyen Lay), mother of two rascals, ages 6 and 9 (just turned 9).

Boss Baby 1st Birthday

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Our rascals attended their little friend Ryder’s birthday a few months ago and loved the Boss Baby theme so much! We interviewed the Boss’s assistant, aka Mom, about the party; continue reading below to hear what she shared with us.

Please share your design ideas and theme concept.

I was aiming for a masculine, corporate, clean, and professional design using blues, black, and white colors. Here are a sampling of the decor items we put together for his party:

  • “Ryder Corp” logo- a big cut out for the entry way along with a balloon garland (resembling entering into a company building)

  • Black briefcases with the Ryder Corp sticker logo - these were party favors for the kids and contained mini composition notebooks, a box of crayons, mini milk bottles filled with m&ms, kids’ black sunglasses, and a snack bag

  • “Employee of the Month” poster- showcasing his photos from 1 month to 12 months old

  • Milestone poster with all his developmental milestones

  • Dessert table - including sugar cookies designed as briefcases, number 1s, milk bottles, and black tie suit onesies. We also had a 2-tiered cake with his logo on the bottom layer and suspenders and a tie on the top, along with a smash cake with a Ryder banner. Other treats included candy apples decorated like a suit, cupcakes with toppers of ties and Ryder Corp, chocolate caramel pretzels sticks, and chocolate covered Oreos with the Ryder Corp logo printed on them. The back drop read “Boss Ryder is One,” made with the cricut (“Ryder” was made with wooden letters, the rest were construction paper),

  • Guest tables were designed with white table covers and small photo frames painted blue and black with an image of Ryder in his tie, suspenders, white dress shirt, and black undies staged with a computer and holding a briefcase

  • Balloon accents - both latex & foil balloons in black, blue, & white

What's the story/inspiration behind the party theme?

To be honest, we picked the theme because Ryder, the birthday boy, looks like the character Boss Baby. Ryder didn’t know anything about Boss Baby and we had never seen it before. We started playing Boss Baby episodes every day to inspire décor ideas. I think it was only after his birthday that he actually started showing an interest in the cartoon!

How long did you plan the event before it was held? What was involved in planning it? Did you have to craft décor items, scour the thrift store looking for certain items, etc.?

I prefer to plan in advance, but with Covid I didn’t know what could happen. I did little bit of planning here and there in terms of writing down options and ideas, but did not purchase anything until about a month before the party. I used the cricut to make cupcake toppers and the signage for the back drop. Amazon was my best friend for purchasing the stuff for the party favors and balloon garland. With a baby around, it is hard to do in-person shopping. Almost all items were acquired through Amazon, Target, and Dollar Tree.

Do you have any time-saving or money-saving tips on planning events?

Call multiple vendors and shop around for prices. I was able to compare prices; if I had booked the first vendors I called, I would have spent a lot more. As for time saving…get help! We couldn’t have done it without the help of friends and family. Most of the creative ideas came from my sister!

Explain the profession game.

The profession game is a tradition amongst many Asian cultures. My family did the profession game when I turned one, along with the first birthday of every one of my family members. You begin by laying out different items that relate to a profession. The birthday boy/girl is then placed in front of the items and you allow them to walk or crawl toward the display and whatever item they choose first is predicted to be their future profession. For Ryder, I had a measuring tape for a lawyer (was supposed to be a ruler but we forgot it), a ball for athlete, a laptop for tech, a stethoscope for doctor, a book for scholar, a dollar for investor, and a microphone for entertainer.

He chose the doctor stethoscope and book! Very studious!

Vendors

  • Photographer: Matt

  • Dessert Table: Collectable Editable Treats

  • Ice Cream: Frostbites (Cypress location)

  • Vietnamese Crepes: Banh Xeo Lovers

  • Artwork: Nathan Tran and Tanni Tran

  • Rentals: Godinez Jumpers

  • Balloon Artist: Up Up and Away

Shared by Tina Ngo, mother of 1 rascal.

Baked Brie

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I never grew up eating much cheese. In my traditional Asian household, there was no cheese on our weekly shopping list. But I did develop a fond taste for it in my adulthood and I’ve passed this love to my rascals. Their favorite cheese is brie and we recently transformed their favorite by simply baking it. Baked brie is, quite simply, the best melted cheese. When you cut through the rind and the inside comes pouring out like lava, you’ll forget there are any other cheeses out there. Just bake in the oven for 15 minutes, place it on a platter, add a mound of crispy baguette, and watch their hands dive into THIS:

How to make Baked Brie

What to bake it in? I use a baking pan with parchment paper. I add on the sliced French baguette with a bit of olive oil around the brie as well.

Ingredients

  • 8 - 16 oz round brie

  • 1 French baguette

  • 2-4 rosemary sprig

  • 2 garlic clove, sliced

  • 2 tablespoon olive oil

  • 2 tablespoon honey (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (all oven types)

  • Unwrap brie and place in baking pan with parchment paper

  • Drizzle on olive oil on top of the sliced French baguette

  • Place the garlic and sprig rosemary on the brie and bread

  • Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until melted through. To check, gently touch the center of the brie - it should feel very soft

  • Carefully transfer to serving plate / board - it's delicate!

  • Drizzle with honey, if desired

  • Serve immediately! It is better when it is hot/warm

Baked Brie Practical Tips

  • Best brie – I recommend using an economical brie for this. This recipe works just as well with budget brie as it does with top end. If I splurge on expensive brie, I serve it as-is because I think it’s a waste to alter it!

  • How long it stays gooey – in a ceramic dish, it will stay scoop-able for a good 15 minutes or so. On paper, it will be gooey for about 10 minutes, then for another 10 minutes or so you can smear it on your bread with a knife.

  • How to reheat – seconds in the microwave! A whole brie takes 2 minutes in the microwave, so use that as a baseline for any leftover brie.

  • Leftovers – AMAZING! The honey will be mixed through when the cheese hardens and it just makes it all the more delicious. You can also pile it onto toast and grill!

What goes with baked brie

Brie is rich and flavorful enough that even a plain baked brie is amazing. However, a simple (generous!) drizzle of honey certainly wouldn’t go astray. Sweet honey and the rich, savory, brie go together brilliantly. Add a a simple bunch of grapes to the serving platter (fruit + cheese is classic, plus just looks beautiful), and your impressive easy snack is complete and ready to wow your rascals.

Written by Head Rascal (Ngoc Nguyen Lay), mother of two rascals, ages 6 and 8.

Rose Float Decorating with Kids

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Besides my world here with Hello Rascal Kids and Skybox Events, I work on a college campus where I am lucky enough to meet countless talented, innovative, and inspiring students. One of the students with whom I’ve worked closely was the design chair for Cal Poly Pomona’s Rose Float in December of 2019 and they were able to give my family and friends a tour. As a kid, I used to watch the Tournament of Roses Parade every year and was always in awe of all of the beautiful floats. I wanted to be involved in it in some way, but I never had these connections before. During the tour with my student, my boys and a few of our friends had a blast seeing the ins and outs of making the rose float and helping with some of the decorations. 

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Volunteering with the Cal Poly Rose Float Lab helped my kids and I truly see that the floats aren’t just pretty to look at – they’re engineered and are actually drivable. Every aspect of these floats embody the Cal Poly Universities’ hands-on atmosphere, and the 2020 float was no different. The float is a collaboration between Cal Poly Pomona and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, with students working on it year-round. Their rose float is the only float that is entirely student-built, from the design idea and construction right up to troubleshooting and driving on the day of the event. Even though the float is student-built, they are held to the same standard as professional float builders in the annual Tournament of Roses. Despite being student-built, the Cal Poly Rose Float has won sixty awards and trophies in the seventy-two years that they have participated in the competition! They were also the first float to use hydraulics for animation, computer-controlled animation, fiber optics, animated decorations, and color-changing floral effects.

The theme for the Cal Poly’s 2020 Rose Parade float was “Aquatic Inspirations,” drawing from the idea that hope is a powerful guide, no matter what you want to achieve. Students working on the float took trips to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, CA and local pet stores to help them develop the idea to utilize “kelp forests'' to hide the structural support of the submarine, which was suspended thirty feet above the ground. The structure was hidden by 629 hand-made kelp leaves that my boys were able to help make. By the time the float was on the road, my boys and the rest of the volunteers had cut enough leaves to cover two inches of the float! Cal Poly uses all natural products to decorate the float, including sliced citrus, lentils, and even ground coffee. The students got creative with the decor, using popcorn kernels and walnut shells to create the look of a sandy sea floor. When it was all ready to go, approximately 30,000 flowers covered the float. The CPP Rose Float will be returning safely this year, but we are still checking if we can volunteer again this winter.

Volunteering with my kids and getting a tour of what goes into the float’s creation from start to finish was a really great experience, especially looking back at it now. We went with our friends, which made the experience even more special. We were involved in the building of something huge, in a small way, and we did it with a crowd of people that seems so much larger now in a post-pandemic world.

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Being a part of the float helped my kids and I have a better understanding of how something is created with the help of a community. They were able to have a unique connection to the float when they saw it on New Year’s Day. The feeling of contributing to something bigger than themselves and being a part of a community is such a wonderful lesson to have as a kid. We’re hopeful that we may be able to participate again this year or another year in the near future as we reflect on the experience we had for the 2020 Cal Poly Rose Float.

Written by Head Rascal (Ngoc Nguyen Lay), mother of two rascals, ages 6 and 8. (Ages during volunteering 4 and 6)

2 Ingredient Cake to Bake with Kids

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Sometimes I want to bake with my kids, but I don’t have all the ingredients nor do I really want clean up the mess. But this special cake is only two ingredients - Nutella and eggs. It is so very easy; you must try it yourself!

Ingredients

  • 4 eggs (large, room temperature)

  • 1 cup Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a spring-form cake pan with baking paper and set aside.

  2. Place eggs into mixing bowl and beat on high speed until the mixture triples in volume. This will take 5-7 minutes.

  3. Spoon Nutella into a medium glass bowl and microwave for 15-20 seconds until it is soft.

  4. Spoon one third of the egg mixture and fold using a spatula or metal spoon to mix in the Nutella until entirely combined. Continue with another third of egg mixture and then again until all the egg and Nutella is combined.

  5. Spoon mixture into cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer placed into the center comes out clean.

  6. Cool cake in pan entirely before removing from pan. Slice and serve.

Tips and Tricks

  • You REALLY need to make sure those eggs triple in volume or this recipe will not work. You can save yourself a cake fail by completing this step correctly. If you don’t beat them well you will find that you end up with an egg-y tasting mess.

  • Folding the eggs into the Nutella needs to be done with a light hand so you avoid the eggs losing all their volume. I used a spatula for this job.

Written by Head Rascal (Ngoc Nguyen Lay), mother of two rascals, ages 6 and 8.

Visit Santa's Village

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When I was a kid, I would see the Santa’s Village commercial on TV and wanted to go on an adventure. The opportunity never came around until just last year when I took my two boys there for the entire family’s first time! My husband and I try to raise our children to have the most “normal” life possible, even during a pandemic. To accomplish this, we often find ourselves imagining what we would want to do if we were kids our boys’ age. These past couple of years, we’ve also had to add on how to do those things safely and really put our adult imaginations to work, which led us to visiting Santa’s Village at Lake Arrowhead here in Southern California. Our visit was right before the second big pandemic shut down of 2020 in Los Angeles County.

Santa’s Village was very committed to still providing this experience for families during the pandemic. The entire experience sent a wash of nostalgia over me, and, although the trip was intended for the boys, I even found myself excited visiting the “Sweet Shoppe,” snacking on gingerbread people, and admiring the big beautiful Christmas tree.

Beyond the nostalgia, my boys were able to experience the wonder of Christmas the way I always imagined it should be experienced: surrounded by snow-topped buildings with candy canes, bells, and holly adorning every storefront. We made the trip a mini family staycation, and we loved every moment of it. My boys were able to go ice skating for the first time, and – of course – they saw Santa! I wanted them to meet Santa and take a picture with him, even if he was wearing a face shield. The face shield was an indicator of the times, which I felt was important for my kids; when they look back on their childhood, they’ll remember these memories with small signs of the pandemic sprinkled throughout. It’s been a huge part of their lives, even more so than ours because of their young age, and I want them to be able to remember the happy stuff, too.

Our trip to Santa’s Village transported us to a magical place where Christmas and building family memories take priority, so we’re very excited to provide this experience for free to one family!

We love being able to give back to our Hello Rascal Kids community, and we’re grateful that Santa’s Village is providing us with the opportunity to share the magic. We’re going to raffle the experience off to one of our readers who writes to us and tells us why they want to go to Santa’s Village with their family. Get creative with it! We’d even love to see a handwritten letter from one of your rascals. We will share details about this giveaway on our Instagram Page @hellorascalkids

Written by Head Rascal (Ngoc Nguyen Lay), mother of two rascals, ages 6 and 8. (Ages during our visit: 5 and 7)

Kid Friendly Pumpkin Lattes

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We all know that fall is PSL season. My kids asked “What's a PSL?,” so I had to explain the tradition of the Pumpkin Spice Latte for my SoCal little rascals. We then created a special drink with a twist on the classic PSL. For my boys, I removed the coffee and added in marshmallow with the classic pumpkin flavor. Toasted marshmallow and pumpkin spice create a creamy autumn beverage that kids of all ages can enjoy.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup milk

  • 1 tbsp. pure pumpkin purée

  • ¼ tsp. pumpkin pie spice

  • 1 tbsp. sugar - or to taste

  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

  • ¼ cup marshmallow fluff

Instructions

  1. In a small saucepan, add the milk, pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice and sugar.

  2. Heat over medium heat until hot, whisking frequently. Do not let it come to a boil. Remove from heat.

  3. Add the vanilla.

  4. Spoon the marshmallow fluff on top.

  5. Sprinkle with a little more pumpkin pie spice. Serve immediately!

Written by Head Rascal (Ngoc Nguyen Lay), mother of two rascals, ages 6 and 8.

Pink Ghouls Inspired Halloween Party

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We are thrilled with this Pink Ghouls Inspired Halloween Party by April Gray of C. C. Monroe Event Design. Pink is the new black for Halloween décor. While we all love a good pink party, April wanted to add a little twist to this current trend by incorporating dried pressed florals into the design, inspired by Ashley Renuart’s acrylic pressed floral installation. For the color scheme, she went with soft neutral colors of blush pink, mauve, and ivory with skeleton details added to make it spooktacular.

Pink Ghouls Inspired Halloween Party on Hello Rascal Kids

Creative Amme did an amazing job creating floral pressed skull placecards with matching acrylic drink stirrers. The team created custom skull décor by adding dried pressed florals to the eyes of Dollar Tree skulls. Schentell of Offerings curated the perfect mix of dried floral “potion” bottles along with soft whimsical arrangements. The theme of skeletons and dried pressed florals carried over into the dessert design with Sweet Deetails creating the prettiest 2-tier cake along with matching floral adorned skull cookies.  We also want to take a second to admire the “boo”tiful cotton candy created by Twisted For Sugar.

Pink Ghouls Inspired Halloween Party on Hello Rascal Kids

Glamfete created the perfect plastic fringe garland, which was adorned with little pink skeletons and used as the backdrop for the tablescape. For a pop of color, Party Shop Avenue created a custom mauve and pink balloon installation.

Pink Ghouls Inspired Halloween Party on Hello Rascal Kids

The little Halloween models wore Shop With Grace and Joy t-shirts. When April saw the t-shirt’s design of pink skeletons, she knew it was a must have item. Skipping the traditional Halloween face painting, she decided to add pressed florals to the girls’ faces to get them Halloween ready! The dried floral hair adornments created by Offerings were so cute it was almost scary.

Pink Ghouls Inspired Halloween Party on Hello Rascal Kids

The styled shoot took place at Festoon LA. We love it’s modern boho vibe! The photos were perfectly captured by Caitlin Alohilani Photography.

Vendors: 

 Shared by April Gray of C.C. Monroe Event Design, mother of four rascals.

Staycation at The Woodlands Resort

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Staycations are often my favorite kind of getaway because they can be quick, they don’t require a ton of time in the car, and they are easy to plan last minute. The Woodlands Resort is our go-to for a night or two away. It is less than an hour’s drive from our house, it is surrounded by beautiful and lush trees, and everything you could possibly need is on site. It isn’t a far stretch to call this place our home-away-from-home.

From the moment of our arrival, the entire focus is relaxation, fun, and playing with our rascals. This kid-friendly resort provides lots of options for all members of the family. The property is expansive with lots of areas to walk and explore in the cooler mornings. My early risers don their socks and shoes before heading out quietly while other guests sleep. This property has many animal statues throughout the grounds, so one morning we tried to find them all.

The majority of daylight hours are spent in or near the water. The Woodlands Resort has a waterpark area that is perfect for little and big kids (and most adults). A splash pad area shoots water out of the ground through little fountains. A lazy river gives you a chance to relax and float under the canopy of trees (and has its own enclosed water slide). A one foot deep pool is close to lounge chairs (parents can sigh with relief) and is a great option for young toddlers. Two fully enclosed water slides twist and turn until they deposit you into a smaller pool that also has a small slide that lands you into one of the two larger pools. The other larger pool is separate from the waterpark area for the kid-free folks.

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With three restaurants on site, you don’t have to leave the resort unless you want to. We usually choose the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet and eat lunch poolside, but we like to leave the property for a local dinner option.

The property has other amenities such as two golf courses, a full-service spa, a fitness center, tennis courts, bike rentals, poolside cabanas, daily and nightly activities for kids, and firepits to roast marshmallows for s’mores. Located in The Woodlands, Texas, you can also take advantage of local lakes, hiking trails, shopping, concerts and performing arts, a children’s museum, restaurants, and pedal boats.

The goal for our next staycation: breakfast in bed (watching cartoons) courtesy of room service!

Written by Brandi Stanton, mom of two rascals ages 3 and 5.

The Power To Choose Books

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As kids get older, they begin to do things they’ve never had to do before - like pick out weather-appropriate clothing, stay in their big-kid beds until they fall asleep, and choose to tell the truth. These are big milestones for kids to reach because they contribute to independence and foster decision making skills. Making the right choice is indeed a CHOICE and kids have to navigate that world step by step, decision by decision.

Making the right choice is something adults can do easily; we understand cause and effect and accept that decisions have consequences. Kids learn these things by making their own choices, discussing options with caregivers, and working through consequences as necessary.

My mother-in-law recently purchased What Should Danny Do? and What Should Danny Do? School Day to help our kids understand choices and decision making. They are from the Power To Choose series.

The Power to Choose Books on Hello Rascal Kids

These books remind me of the Choose Your Own Adventure series I read when I was a kid. In that series, by making choices throughout the book, the reader decides the fate of the characters (I’m looking forward to when my rascals are old enough to read those books too!).

Each of the Danny books begins by setting the scene: Danny is starting his day and has to make his first choice. The reader selects between two options (one is inherently less desirable) and turns to the corresponding page. The plot continues and presents the reader with another two choices. On and on it goes until the end of Danny’s day.

The Power to Choose Books on Hello Rascal Kids

As parent and child read the story together, conversations about each choice and the corresponding effects occur naturally. Similar to the real world, selecting a less desirable choice does not ruin the whole day; Danny has many chances to turn his day around and end on a positive note.

These books extend beyond story time. You’ll often hear me saying to my kids when faced with a difficult choice: “You have a choice to make here. What would Danny do?” When they get in a rut or are having a fussy moment, I will say: “You can turn this around. What would Danny do?”

This isn’t fool-proof parenting, but it does provide opportunities to have low-stakes conversations about choices, how to weigh options, and natural consequences.

Written by Brandi Stanton, mom to 2 rascals ages 3 and 5.

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Lido Village Books

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I love purchasing my books off of Amazon. I’m a sucker for instant gratification and knowing that my books will be on my doorstep the next day is almost too good to be true. But, as much as I love the speed and convenience of Amazon and other big retailers, there is something special about small, independent bookstores. Lido Village Books in Newport Beach, CA is the perfect example of one of these irresistible shops. I was excited to find this bookshop and I’m grateful that my family has been able to make visiting a semi-regular event. I know books often cost more at independent bookstores, but I use these trips as a teaching moment to encourage my little ones to support small businesses and local sellers.

It is a literal hidden gem, nestled at the end of a small, covered walkway in Lido Village Marina. Inspired by London and Paris, this tiny independent bookstore is home to a curated selection of books ranging from new releases to classic favorites for both children and adults and, despite its size, it seemed to have everything in between as well.

Lido Village Books strikes the perfect balance of having a fancy atmosphere without feeling too intimidating. It’s small, but its size shouldn’t fool you – there’s tons to do and see. From author book signings (which will hopefully pick up again in a post-COVID world) to weekly storytimes for kids, there’s no shortage of experiences to be had here. The effort they put into creating not just a bookshop, but a book buying experience, is clear. The set up of all the books is well-done and organized. Their children’s corner is a perfect place for your little rascals while you browse the adult books. They also celebrate author birthdays every month, and even offer a discount if you purchase works by that author. My favorite section is called “Take an adventure with a book.” It’s this shop’s take on a “blind date” with a book! You get to see the genre and a short description, but you don’t know what book you’re getting until you take it home and unwrap it.

When I go with my family, I like to make it an experience – I suggest you do the same for you and your little ones. Sometimes, we bring food and picnic down by the harbor. Other times, we stroll through the nearby shops and pick up food or a treat there. There’s the cutest ice cream/coffee shop just around the corner, right on the water. If you’re really up for an adventure, you have the option of taking a boat ride nearby. It’s a great way to spend the day with your family.

Lido Village Books on Hello Rascal Kids

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We Love Books!

Most of our family adventures lead us back to a bookshop.

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Written by Head Rascal (Ngoc Nguyen Lay), mother of two rascals, ages 6 and 8.

Hyatt Wild Oak Ranch in San Antonio, TX

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Some days we need a change of scenery, an opportunity to mix up the routine, and the chance to have fun! For my family, this sometimes looks like a quick trip to a kid-friendly resort. For this excursion, I made a middle-of-the-week reservation at the Hyatt Residence Club Wild Oak Ranch in San Antonio, Texas. This property is my ultimate go-to for a quick getaway for these reasons:

  • It is a 3 hour drive from our house (and my kids are those kids who ask, “Are we there yet?” after being in the car for only 30 minutes).

  • A reservation at this property automatically grants you access to the sister San Antonio property Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa (pay attention to holiday black out dates).

  • You can reserve a studio, one bedroom, or two bedroom unit with FULL KITCHEN. Cereal anyone?

So, let’s break this down.

CAR SURVIVAL TIPS

Three hours in the car is not long for many kids - and I applaud those parents who started long car drives earlier than I did! My kids are just not used to it yet. I am crossing my fingers that one day, one day real soon, they will enjoy car rides. To make the ride a bit easier, I do the following:

  • We eat a meal in the car because it gives the kids something to do (and because we need to eat).

  • We play the ABC game in which everyone works together to identify the letters of the alphabet in order on cars, trucks, billboards, signs, etc. I encourage you to modify the rules as needed so everyone enjoys the game.

  • I tell stories about the road trips I went on as a girl. I think this one is often the most powerful because it gives my kids a view into what my life was like when I was their age. It creates images in their minds of my childhood and their grandparents.

  • SNACKS! See the first bullet point above.

  • The kids have special “car crayons” (which are Crayola Twistables Crayons, but they only come out during car rides) and blank sheet notebooks for them to write and draw.

THE PROPERTY(IES)

Once we’ve arrived and checked in at Wild Oak Ranch, it is time to explore. Having access to 2 properties literally doubles the fun!

  • Wild Oak Ranch is a Hyatt timeshare property, but we are not timeshare owners. Hyatt rents out the unoccupied units as they would any other hotel. I like this property because we can rent a one bedroom unit where the boys sleep in the living room on murphy beds and sofa beds, dad and I sleep in the king bed in the bedroom, the bathroom is very spacious and accommodating, and the balcony provides nice views of the property.

  • The full size kitchen deserves its own bullet point. Full size refrigerator. Full size stovetop and oven. Full size dishwasher. Full size microwave. Kitchen sink. All the cookware, serving dishes, dinnerware, and utensils you may need. Full disclosure: I don’t actually COOK when I am on vacation, but I appreciate having the full kitchen for things like storing snacks, reheating leftovers, chilling water bottles, and serving cereal with milk for breakfast. It makes life a little easier.

  • Wild Oak Ranch has an indoor swimming pool, an outdoor swimming pool, a lazy river, beach access to the lazy river, cabanas, a walking trail, fire pits for smores, restaurants and a snack shop on site, and tons of green space to play.

  • Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort has many of the same amenities as Wild Oak Ranch, along with a golf course, a spa and fitness facility, water slides, an adult-only pool, and hotel owned bikes to borrow for free.

  • You can also leave the property to visit the many San Antonio area attractions.

Staying at Wild Oak Ranch in San Antonio has become a twice-a-year tradition for us, celebrating the start and end of each school year with a family-friendly getaway.

Written by Brandi Stanton, mother of 2 rascals ages 3 and 5.

Easy One Pan Chicken Pasta

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This one pan creamy chicken pasta is perfect for a quick dinner. It’s so easy to make, and only takes about 30 minutes! It’s packed full of yummy flavors and with a cheesy sauce, our rascals love it!

Easy One Pan Chicken Pasta on Hello Rascal Kids

Our one pan cheesy chicken pasta is just the answer for your busy weeknight. Not only does using one pan make for an easy cooking process, but an even easier cleaning process. Our ingredients are listed below but feel free replace veggie and protein options to fit your liking.

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil

  • 1/2 cup diced yellow onion

  • 1 red or green bell pepper (diced)

  • 3 cloves garlic (minced)

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken (cut into bite size)

  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth

  • 2 cups penne noodles

  • 3/4 tsp dried basil

  • 3/4 tsp dried oregano

  • 1 1/2 tsp salt (to taste)

  • 1/2 tsp pepper (to taste)

  • 4 oz light cream cheese (room temperature)

  • 1/2 cup plain Greek nonfat yogurt

  • 1 cups shredded cheese

Instructions

  1. In a large saucepan over medium heat add 2 Tbsp olive oil.

  2. Add the onion and saute for a few minutes until transparent, stirring occasionally.

  3. Add the red pepper and saute for a minute or two, stirring 1 or 2 times.

  4. Add the minced garlic and saute until lightly golden.

  5. Add the chicken pieces, turning to brown on each side (but don't cook the chicken thoroughly - that will happen while cooking the penne).

  6. Add the chicken broth and then the penne noodles.

  7. Add all the spices and stir.

  8. Bring to a boil and cook until penne is al dente (follow the instructions on the packaging). Stir occasionally and put the lid on if necessary to not let it dry out.

  9. Once the penne is al dente, lower the temperature and add the Greek yogurt and cream cheese. Stir until all is mixed in and it makes a creamy sauce.

  10. Add in shredded cheese, stir, and let melt.

  11. Serve warm, sprinkling the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese on top of your individual plates.

One pan brings together all the flavors from start to finish. The pasta soaks in all the yummy flavors of the chicken broth and herbs while becoming soft enough to eat. Making this pasta dish is extra easy, and extra flavorful too.

Written by Head Rascal (Ngoc Nguyen Lay), mother of two rascals, ages 6 and 8.

The Bad Seed, The Good Egg, The Couch Potato, and The Cool Bean Book Review

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The Bad Seed, The Good Egg, The Couch Potato, and The Cool Bean Book Review on Hello Racal Kids

Let’s talk about behavior and actions and how they affect others. Or better yet, let’s read about it and then use the books as ways to discuss these important topics with our kids. At least, that is what I did.

The Bad Seed Book Review on Hello Rascal Kids

The Bad Seed

Book Review

This story is great for showing kids that your reputation and past actions don’t make you who you are.  It is possible to change but you’re not going to be good all the time. 

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The Bad Seed is a story of a seed who does some pretty awful things.  His manners (and hygiene) leave a lot to be desired.  One of my rascals favorite pictures is when the Bad Seed intentionally makes a baby cry.  He happily disturbs the peace. The seed has been through some rough patches.  He had a happy family life but they lost their home and were separated.  He felt that the things that he had gone through had caused him to turn into a bad seed.  But one day, he decides to be better. 

The book also shows that your behavior is a decision that you make.  It’s also refreshingly honest in showing that some people will hold your past actions against you and that the rest might not think you’re immediately good, but maybe not all bad.

The Good Egg Book Review on Hello Rascal Kids

The Good Egg Book review

It’s a amazing message that you don’t have to take care of the world or be perfect all the time.  It’s also nice to see mental and physical health tied together.

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A companion book to The Bad Seed, The Good Egg is a fun self help book that my rascals could relate to while reading it.  The good egg is as helpful as possible (sometimes in a way that makes things worse, as the very funny illustrations show).  He has put himself in charge of everyone.  The other eggs in his carton misbehave and he spends all his time trying to fix their messes until finally he cracks.

He decides he needs to leave.  He goes on a long journey of self discovery.  Along the way, he learns to take care of himself.  The egg finds hobbies and ways to relax.  Taking time for himself helps him heal.  He realizes that he misses his carton of friends and returns home.  While he was gone, they’ve learned to appreciate him a bit, too.  Most importantly, he’s learned that they can be a bit bad and it doesn’t really affect him.  Sometimes, he even joins in.

The mindfulness and coping tools used in this book are ones that kids can easily use themselves when alone, at home, or in a classroom.

The Cool Bean on Hello Rascal Kids

The Cool Bean Book Review

This is a gentle, sweet story of how generosity and kindness are the true qualities to champion, and offers a great example for young readers and an important reminder for older readers.

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In this story, we meet three coooool beans...and one pretty uncool bean. Although the beans started out close, they started to grow apart thanks to different interests. Day after day, the one bean tries his best to fit in, but he just never could reach the “coolness” of the other three. But in his most challenging moments, he learns that the real definition of being cool is kindness.

The Couch Potato Book Review on Hello Rascal Kids

The Couch Potato Book Review

The story stresses balance between devices and the outside world, The Couch Potato also teaches children that relaxation inside is important too and it’s OK to veg out on the couch every once in a while.

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The Couch Potato is a delightful story that will teach children (preschool to elementary age) the value of unplugging in a technology-driven world. Parents will appreciate Couch Potato’s humorous personality and will have fun laughing along with their children as Couch Potato rediscovers all the things he’s been missing.

The Bad Seed, The Good Egg, The Couch Potato, and The Cool Bean Book Review on Hello Racal Kids

We each had our favorite in this book series. Mama’s pick was The Good Egg. This book’s important message acknowledges anxiety and teaches kids healthy ways of dealing with their emotions. AJ loved The Couch Potato because he could relate to the main character, creating balance from screen time and enjoying time outdoors. Ben appreciated The Cool Bean because of the kindness shown to others; it gave him examples of how he could be kind to his friends. I loved using these books as a starter of many discussions with my rascals.

Written by Head Rascal (Ngoc Nguyen Lay), mother of two rascals, ages 6 and 8. Photos by Simply Adri Photography.

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Gone Bananas

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We've gone bananas! My daughter Lea recently turned 7 and was excited to be able to have a party with her friends and finally regain some childhood normalcy after the last year. When I asked her what theme she wanted she said "I just want to go bananas" and our banana theme was born! I wanted to create a stunning yellow vintage banana concept. With the help of 3 Little Birds Rentals, who burned the midnight oil painting their chairs in different shades of yellow, I was able to achieve my vision.

Gone Bananas on Hello Rascal Kids

The showstoppers were definitely the vintage chairs that we hand selected and painted ombre shades of yellow. We maintained the ombre color scheme with the tableware and the desserts. The details on the guests table stunned everyone. I had never seen such a beautiful flower arrangements. The bright yellows were perfect for this summer front yard party. Each touch was thought out - from the banana place cards done by Anne Jones to the banana stir sticks by Creative Amme. The banana cake and mini donuts were the cutest thing we've ever seen by Janice Wong. Janice brought our vision to life with her beautiful and modern desserts.

The kids jumped around in a pastel yellow bounce house from Bounce Couture with an added ombre balloon design by Shana Sharp of Sharp Balloons.

Gone Bananas on Hello Rascal Kids

The birthday girl had an amazing time and so did her friends. It was nice to see so much joy in their faces. The kids went home with cookies from Doughy Dogs and custom tote bags as favors.

Vendors:

Shared by Victoria Petrovsky, mother of one rascal.

Time with Rascals (Happy 2nd Birthday to Hello Rascal Kids)

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As we celebrate our 2nd birthday for Hello Rascal Kids, I reflect on time with my rascals. I started this website as a way to share ideas and document our family’s journey. The boys started back at school this week and having them at home, like we did during the pandemic, will be surely missed. I will miss my mid-day cuddle session, our messy work/school dining table, and our shared lunchtime. If you asked me a few weeks or months ago, I couldn’t wait to send them back to in-person school. Now, here I am, thinking about the short time I have with them when they are truly kids. I wrote this note last year when I was thinking of how quickly my boys have grown. When you are a parent, time passes by quickly and so slowly all at the same time.

Time with Rascals (Happy 2nd Birthday to Hello Rascal Kids)

Today, I looked at AJ and Ben and it feels like they sprouted so quickly over the past few months. The idea for Hello Rascal Kids started when AJ was about 4 and Ben was 2. They were babies to me then, and now they are so grown but they’ll always still be my Rascals!

Since the start of Hello Rascal Kids, we have shared:

  • 15 articles on ways to Celebrate as a family

  • 25 articles on idea to Play with your rascals

  • 25 articles on ideas to Create together

  • 17 articles on ways to Eat

  • 13 articles on Travel adventures and tips

  • 22 articles on books we love to Read with our rascals

We hope continue to grow the Hello Rascal Kids community in the coming year and welcome other families to contribute and share their ideas. For submission information, visit out Contact Page or send us an email at info@hellorascalkids.com.

Written by Head Rascal (Ngoc Nguyen Lay), mother of two rascals, ages 6 and 8.