LIFamilies Blog

Bleach Design Clothing

I have been seeing awesome designs all over the net, so I decided to search out a simple tutorial for bleached clothing designs. (Design shirts, tank tops, pants, jeans, etc. this works for all!) These work awesome for team/bachelorette party/family reunion tanks, saying t-shirts, or any other groovily designed items! All you need are:

• Clothing items to be written on
• Bleach pen (available in almost any drug store or grocery store detergent aisle)
• Cardboard
• Washing machine
  
  

To start you probably want to play with your bleach pen a little to get a feel for how it flows and writes. You can either free-hand your designs or use a stencil, both come out equally as impressive. Smooth out your clothing item and insert cardboard to keep the bleach from bleeding through. Draw on your designs and then let it set and dry, as long as your think it needs. Start your washing machine on cold and let it fill about 4 inches while they're drying. Removed the cardboard from your items and drunk them one at a time into the cold water to soak. Let your washer run through a gentle cycle without any detergent. Once done hang your shirt, tanks, or items to dry or transfer them into the dryer. 

Baking Substitutions for Allergies

I found a great list of allergy-friendly baking substitutes options! I've already made quite a few of these substitutes for “healthier” versions and they work amazingly! Here’s a complete list in case you have allergies or intolerances in your family-friend circle: that way everyone can enjoy your yummy baked goods!

Milk: if you're looking for a substitute for traditional dairy milk, any of these can be substituted 1 cup for 1 cup.

~ Almond Milk

~ Soy Milk

~ Coconut Milk

~ Rice Milk

~ Oat Milk

Buttermilk: again, need a substitute for the dairy option? Combine 1 cup of your non-dairy milk of choice with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Use the amount of the cup called for.

Yogurt: trade on of the below for a 1:1 substitution

~ Pureed silken tofu

~ Coconut cream (the cream skimmed off the top of a settled can of full fat coconut milk)

~ Store-bought dairy-free yogurt (in most health food/whole food stored, usually soy, almond, or coconut based)

Eggs: each of the bottom quantities can be used to replace 1 egg.

~ 1 tablespoon of flax or chia meal + 3 tablespoons of water

~ ½ a banana

~ ¼ cup of applesauce

~ ¼ cup of canned pumpkin

~ ¼ cup of pureed silken tofu

~ 1:1 store-bought egg substitute/replacer

Flour: you can buy store-bought gluten-free flour mix. If you prefer, you can create your own, as well. Combine the below for 1 cup of flour substitute.

~ ½ cup of rice flour

~ ¼ cup of tapioca starch/flour

~ ¼ cup of corn or potato starch

Butter: there are always dairy-free butter sticks available, but other natural butter substitutes also include:

~ Avocado

~ Coconut oil

~ Canola oil

~ Olive Oil

Honey:

~ Agave nectar

~ Maple syrup

Oreo Truffles Recipe

It’s officially the weekend and I thought a little chocolate was in order to celebrate! I’m over just grabbing a bar of chocolate and indulging, though! I found this super simple recipe to help you feel like fancy pants with your own homemade truffles, too (that you can then mangia down on)!

You need:

~ 1 pound of Oreos

~ 8 ounces of room temp cream cheese

~ 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract OR 1 teaspoon of mint extract

~ 1 pound of milk chocolate

~ 1/2 pound of white chocolate

Start by pulsing your Oreos in a food processor until they’re a fine powder. Put your cookie powder into a mixer with your cream cheese and extract, and then mix them until thoroughly blended and there aren't any white traces left. Roll mixture up into little balls, place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet, and refrigerate for 45 minutes.

In a double boiler melt your milk chocolate. Once melted, dip and roll your cookie balls to coat thoroughly. Place back on your wax paper. Melt your white chocolate in a separate double boiler (or carefully in the microwave). Drizzle your white chocolate over the top of your truffles. Pop your truffles back into the refrigerator to cool the rest of the way, and then enjoy!! 

Nearby Vacation Destinations

I don’t know about you, but this year so far has left me in dire need of a vacation. The summer has been lovely, but 2014 has been just as crazy and complicated as 2013 (if not worse)! I keep thinking one of these years needs to get a little more laid back, but it doesn't look like it’s going to happen anytime soon, so it’s officially time to take matters into our own hands! I wanted to make an awesome little list of places in close proximity that you can get away for a short vacation without spending the whole time driving!

Start with a quick hop, skip, and jump to Bear Mountain. This is a state park and historic preserve situated in the mountains above the west bank of the Hudson River. There’s enough hiking, biking, fishing, swimming and adventuring to keep the whole family happy! Best part? It'll only take you about 2 hours from the center of Suffolk County to get there (so give or take a little from wherever you’re situated)!

Looking for a quick getaway up into New England? Jump on the New London ferry… and go very little further! New London usually flies under the radar for vacation seekers: they get off the ferry and keep on heading north for further destinations. New London has its own charms and attraction for a weekend of entertainment. Check out history building, mills, and churches; art centers, state parks, and even take a short ferry ride to Block Island. Including the New London ferry ride (which is an adventure of its own) this trip should take you just about 2.5 hours, if you're starting from central Suffolk County. Still not completely sold that there’s enough to keep everyone entertained? Once you've completed New London, Mystic Seaport is just a short 15-20 minute drive away with its own aquarium, shops, and much more!

Looking for a quiet coast to get away to and just absorb what’s left of the summer? Head the short distance from Long Island to Sea Girt, New Jersey. This quiet little borough of New Jersey offers stretches of beautiful beach, along with small town charm and local history. It’s perfect for family or romantic relaxation away from the usual “Jersey Shore” volume. This trip will take you just under 3 hours to get there from central Suffolk County.  

For more of what New York has to offer, head up to Phoenicia, NY for a mixture of small town relaxation and mountain area activities. The town has coffee shops, boutiques, and festivals for everyone to enjoy. Phoenicia is also nestled in the shadow of Slide Mountain, also offering tubing, kayaking, hiking, and more! It’ll take you just about 3 hours to get to Phoenicia from central Suffolk County.  

Dirt and Grease Fighting Hand Scrub

Always looking to keep life simple, I found a great recipe for a gardeners hand scrub (or for a mechanic or anyone who gets their hands really dirty). There are always Goo Be Gones or similar handy helpers that get rid of the dirty, grease or grime at the end of the day, but this one can be made quickly and at a moment’s notice! All you need are:

~ A 8oz mason jar

~ Granulated sugar

~ Dish soap of choice (especial something like Dawn, which has known degreasing abilities!)

Just fill up your mason jar about 3/4 full with granulated sugar. Then pour in your dish soap to the bottom of the mouth of your jar. If you want, you can also at 4-5 drops of lemon essential oil to make your scrub anti-bacterial and disinfecting. Stir up your mixture well and check the consistency: you want a thick scrub so add more sugar and stir as needed. Once you have your consistency keep your gardeners hand scrub close to your sink. When you're in need just scoop out a small amount, scrub over your hands, and rinse away.

Healthier Fast Food Options

Sometimes we are just out of time and have no choice but to grab something fast on the go. Now we all know the evils of fast food, but once in a while it seems like the lesser of two evils. I found a great cheat sheet that gave some healthier options for national chains. Here are some of the best for local options.

~ From Taco Bell, try the Chicken Fresco Burrito Supreme and Pintos ‘n’ Cheese. This is a great high protein and high fiber option for when you're rushing past a Taco Bell. Together this combo has 520 calories, 17 grams of fiber, and 28 grams of protein.

~ Head over to Subway for a soup and sandwich option! If you go for a 6” Veggie Delite, be sure to follow it up with a Tomato Orzo soup. Together the pairing has 360 calories, 7 grams of fiber, and 14 grams of protein to keep you full and going!

~ If you're brave enough to drive into a McDonald’s drive-thru be sure to test the Southwest Salad and the Fruit n Yogurt Parfait. Believe it or not, McDonald’s grilled chicken Southwest Salad actually stands out as having the highest fiber and lowest saturated fats among its competitors. Together your salad and yogurt will rack you up 480 calories, 7 grams of fiber, and a whopping 34 grams of protein!

~ Did you know Burger King had veggie burgers? I didn't know they had veggie burgers! It may be a little more select, depending on your area, but Burger King’s Veggie Burger (hold the mayo) is a tasty and vegetarian option. Combine it with a garden salad sans chicken with light Italian dressing and you have a delicious combination worth 450 calories, 10 grams of fiber, and 26 grams of protein. 

~ Looking for a more outside the box option from Wendy’s? Order yourself a plain baked potato and then top if with  a small chili. Your chili baked potato will be a warm and satisfying 460 calories, 12 grams of fiber, and 21 grams of protein!

~ Lastly, believe it or not, you can have your KFC and eat it too! Choose a 1-piece meal of a grilled chicken breast, mashed potatoes and corn on the cob. Even though KFC is notorious for setting you back a week’s worth of calories with just one meal, this lighter option will only cost you 430 calories, and give you 5 grams of fiber and 41 grams of protein! 

Exclusive Newborn Mini Sessions!

I have some awesome news that I wanted share with you, our loyal fans! I just received an exclusive LIFamilies special from THREE14 Photography. Just for our users, they're offering a limited-space newborn mini session special for September-November! If you've ever had newborn photos taken before you know that mini sessions are something most photographers don't offer: it's a lot of extra work, love, and dedication! Here are the details that I've received!

Password Safety Tips

Just when you started to think that it was safe to re-enter the world of online finances, it seems that a whole new security breach of epic proportions may have set us all back to square one. So what recently happened? Well it was announced yesterday that a “Russian gang” stole over 1.2 BILLION username and password combinations. What does this mean to you? It’s time to start watching everything like a hawk again and to change your passwords! We become too complacent with our passwords and tend to use what works for us or that we can remember. We need to buff up that security, though, and here are the top 3 expert tips to help keep your accounts safe online!

1. Use different passwords! Don’t have all 25 (just a random number, of course) different usernames, emails, and financial accounts that you use be protected by the same passwords! Have at least a handful of detailed passwords that you can use, and if you need to have something like Keeper, a password manager, store them so you don't need to remember them all.
2. Make your passwords difficult. Unfortunately the most commonly used passwords are still “password” and “1234567.” This habit is almost the equivalent of handing out your debit card number and pin code to random strangers that pass you by (or worse). Start the habit of creating long and complex passwords for your important accounts. Use numbers, symbols, capital letters, and lowercase letters. Make your password phases or short sentences instead of single words. The more complex your passwords are the safer you are.
3. Change your passwords regularly! Just because you've officially come up with the password of all passwords doesn't mean you're infinitely safe. To be safe you need to still update and change your passwords on a relatively regular basis. 

My Delicious Nephew!

I just have to share! I am starting my day very late because I spent the morning with my delicious new nephew, Jace, at his newborn photoshoot with Amanda Saldarelli Photography. Now, I know that I get to check out scrumptious shoots all the time, and I know all of the hard work that goes into every single one of them, but it was truly amazing watching it action! Jace was putty in her hands, while Amanda had the patients of a saint trying to ensure every tiny little detail was just perfect! I could barely make it back to the office before checking for the teasers and there they were already! SOOO here's my shameless adorable teaser share post!!

Dry Shampoo DIY

I found this super simple recipe for dry shampoo and I just had to share! I'm one of those people who just can't wash my hair every single day or it becomes one big brittle nest of knots! So instead of having straw hair or store bought chemicals, here’s a third option: super simple dry shampoo!

All you need are:

• A mason jar with holes punched in the lid or un-used salt shakers as your container
• ½ cup of cornstarch (preferably organic)
• 3-4 drops of your preferred essential oil
• 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder if you have dark hair
• 2 tablespoons of cinnamon if you have red or auburn hair
  
  

Just combine all of your ingredients, quickly so that the essential oil doesn't have a chance to make your powders clump. That’s really it!

Dry shampoo is great for if your hair misbehaves like mine, if you head to the gym on your lunch break (to absorb sweat and oils from your workout), or if you simply run out of time in the morning! Just shake a little into your roots, let it sit a couple minutes to absorb the oils, and then comb or brush it right out!