Welcome to the Pull Your Weeds™ blog! This blog is a place where we can turn #WeedsToSeeds, show gratitude for flowers, and help spread the word about the importance of pulling weeds. Sometimes we might share a seasonal craft or fun activity, maybe identify a gardener’s weed and come up with solutions to turn it into a seed, or look back on a visit where we spread some seeds to fellow gardeners! You might be wondering why it’s important to #PullYourWeeds? Let’s think about this in terms of our garden - weeds make it difficult for flowers and plants to grow. In other words, it’s hard to feel happy if something is making you angry or scared at the same time. And if we don’t pull those weeds, they just keep growing and spreading making it harder to feel happy! So, when weeds pop up, like our friends #GardenerAnna and #GardenerAidan say, we need to “pull ‘em out!” Let’s start off this week with a fun winter craft. We are going to spread some seeds to our feathered friends out in this chilly weather by making some bird feeders! You will need: A piece of wire or a pipe cleaner Cheerios 1. First, grab your wire and start stringing on the Cheerios (you might want to make a loop at the end so they don’t fall off!). 2. Then, bring the two ends of wire together and twist them into a loop. 3. Next, bend the wire into any shape you’d like! Gardener Anna chose a heart, and Gardener Aidan chose a zig zag. 4. Hang you feeder on a branch - you can bend the wire a bit to secure it to the tree if needed. 5. The only thing left to do is wait and watch for the birds! Feel free to watch our tutorial below, starting at about 2 minutes! If you haven’t already, go watch Season 1 of Hello Gardeners! You can meet Gardener Anna and Gardener Aidan, learn more about the book You Are A Gardener™, and see fellow gardeners turning weeds into seeds! Have fun and remember the future is BRIGHT!

Hello Gardeners! With the holidays approaching, the urge to gather is stronger than ever. There is no better time to check in with loved ones, connect with friends, and make the extra effort to let the people in your circle know that you are thinking of them. What better way to do that than with a seasonal craft? Today we've got a craft that is perfect for all ages - from the youngest of gardeners to the gardeners whose ages are in the triple digits. You can turn this craft into a place setting, a holiday card, or cut it out and add it to your collection of holiday ornaments. W E A R E M A K I N G F I N G E R P R I N T O R N A M E N T S ! Here is what you'll need: Paper (ideally cardstock) Fingerpaint Tape Scissors This is the perfect craft to get everyone in the family involved! It also makes a wonderful holiday card for teachers, janitorial staff, coaches, bus drivers, mail and delivery workers, waste management workers, etc. Give the gift of gratitude and acknowledgement this holiday season! Let the people who are working so hard to keep things going know that you appreciate and support them. This craft is #PullYourWeedsApproved because it: ✓ Suits all ages! You are never too old to finger paint 🎨 ✓ Promotes collaborative creativity. Have the kids work together to create these one-of-a-kind pieces! ✓ Encourages reflection and gratitude. Card making can push us to think of those who we often don't thank enough. How are you celebrating the holidays this year? Let us know in the comments below! Always send us your photos! If you made this craft, tag us @youareagardener or email flowers@youareagardener.com. We know this year has presented its fair share of challenges. Keep pulling your weeds, gardeners, and remember - the future is bright!

Hello Gardeners! We experienced our first snow of the season here and it really put us in the holiday spirit! Even though this winter we might find ourselves facing new challenges, we can still appreciate the little things - like snowflakes, a hot cup of cocoa, wearing your favorite sweater, and eating a delicious breakfast. We can also appreciate cozying up inside with a festive craft sure to keep your walls bright and cheerful! Gather up some recyclables because we are making . . . S T A M P E D E V E R G R E E N S SUPPLIES YOU'LL NEED: ❉ White paper ❉ Green paint ❉ Recyclables (yogurt containers, lids, cans, etc.) ❉ Colorful Decorations ❉ Glue The beauty of this craft is that every tree you make will be different! Explore different shapes and textures - maybe you use circles one time and lines the next? For the best results, we recommend using a few different shades of green! This craft is #PullYourWeedsApproved because it: ✓ Exercises resourcefulness. Teach the power of reducing, reusing, and recycling ♻️ ✓ Explores shape, texture, and arrangement. Perfect for young gardeners! ✓ Develops fine motor skills. Be sure to pick items of various sizes to challenge your gardener's grasp 💪 It also makes a beautiful, one-of-a-kind gift for loved ones near and far! Share your upcycled creations with us - we'd love to see how your stamped trees came out! . . . @youareagardener | flowers@youareagardener.com | You Are A Gardener™

As you may know, #GardenerAnna describes baking as one of the brightest 'flowers' in her garden. Cooking, baking and creating in the kitchen is a wonderful way to keep kids focused, active and it's also an excellent confidence builder! This time of year our family loves to play around with classic cookie recipes and give them a fun and current twist. Kiss cookies have always been a kid-friendly favorite so today on the #PullYourWeeds we are making Minty Kiss cookies. We did not come up with this recipe entirely ourselves, we played around with a few different versions and made it our own. Scroll Down For The Full Recipe Mint Kiss Cookie Recipe 2 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup unsalted butter - extremely softened 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon green sugar sprinkles 1 tablespoon red sugar sprinkles about 24 Candy Cane Kisses Sugar Roll 1/2 cup sugar divided evenly into two bowls 2 teaspoons green sugar sprinkles (mixed into 1 bowl of sugar) 2 teaspoons red sugar sprinkles (mixed into 1 bowl of sugar) Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl cream your butter and sugar until it is light, fluffy and smooth (make sure your butter is extremely softened, if it is too hard it will make the dough too flaky). Once butter and sugar are creamy add one egg at a time and then the vanilla. Once these ingredients are creamy and mixed, slowly add the dry ingredients. Once the dough is formed divide evenly and mix in the sprinkles-one ball gets 1 tbsp of green and one ball gets 1 tbsp of red. Now scoop out dough and roll 1 inch balls in your hand and dip in the sugar roll. This process adds a little texture and brightness to the cookies. Once your sheets are full press your thumb gently into each ball to flatten it a bit. Bake cookies at 350 degrees for about 9-11 minutes. Let cookies cool on a rack for about 4-5 minutes and then gently press in an unwrapped candy cane kiss. (test one first, if the kiss starts to melt they are still too hot). Let cool completely before storing. Enjoy! These Kiss Cookies are Gardener Anna approved! Here's a fun fact about how the kiss cookie was created... "In 1957, Freda Smith from Gibsonburg, Ohio pressed a Hershey Kiss into a peanut butter cookie and history was made! This cookie did not win the 1957 Pillsbury Bake-Off contest, but it become a huge star in the cookie world!" (reference startcooking.com) Happy Holidays from our family to yours! Pull your weeds, plant your seeds and enjoy the flowers along the way. You are a gardener.

Taste the essence of apple in our delicious homemade Apple Syrup Soda Recipe. This is a refreshing treat for the whole family to enjoy! It is super simple to make and perfect for all those leftover apples! This is a great recipe to make with your kids-it is an opportunity to encourage safe chopping & slicing and it is fun to watch the apples break down into a syrup! Apple Syrup Soda Mix equal parts of chopped apples and brown sugar in an airtight container -we used a mason jar. (You can also add a couple of cinnamon sticks) Stir occasionally and let sit for 12-24 hours. Drain syrup into a jar. Fill a glass with ice and plain soda water or seltzer. Add desired amount of syrup to the soda & Enjoy! (refrigerate any leftover syrup and save for up to a week) This easy to make Apple Syrup Recipe is a wonderful addition to all sorts of mocktails and cocktails! It also delicious poured over your pancakes, waffles and drizzled over ice cream! Thank you to our Mixologist/Photographer friend @sourgrapes908 for this fast & fun recipe! What are some of your favorite recipes you enjoy making with your family? We would love to share them on our #PullYourWeeds® Blog. Email us at flowers@youareagardener.com

Take a breath...no, literally! Taking deep breaths can instantly help you feel calmer and more relaxed which benefits your overall well-being. When you are in a calm state it is easier to make better decisions and use your best judgement, especially when a gardener encounters a stressful situation..aka weeds! Deep breathing exercises are definitely one of our favorite, go-to gardening tools! That's why today on the #PullYourWeeds® Blog we are sharing with a fall themed breathing technique that is great for gardeners of all ages! Get ready to relax, refresh and reduce your stress! <> Did you and your kids try our deep leaf breathing exercise? We would love to hear from you and find out what are some of your favorite gardening tools for your emotional toolkit! Send us an email to flowers@youareagardener.com #pullyourweeds #kidsbreathingexercises #gardeningtools

To get you in the spirit of the season, today we are sharing some of our favorite wintertime crafts, sweet holiday treats and more good tidings! Click the Links Below To Join The Holiday Fun: 1. Crushed Candy Cane Ginger Sammies 2. Minty Kiss Cookies 3. Stamped Evergreens Craft 4. Homemade Hot Cocoa 5. Fingerprint Ornament Cards 6. Kid-Friendly Bird Feeder Craft Click Here and join the holiday fun! Our #PullYourWeeds® Blog and platform are all rooted in helping children, teachers and families fill their 'emotional toolbox' with tons of 'gardening tools' to help them manage stress and uncomfortable emotions with a positive disposition. It's all about turning weeds into seeds...you grow through what you go through! To book a social & emotional learning (SEL) workshop(s) for your school or family with Shanna Truffini, Author/Creator of the You Are a Gardener® Platform please send an email to flowers@youareagardener.com #PullYourWeeds® | You Are a Gardener®

We know this has been a challenging year for many, especially children. We are here for you now more than ever. When life feels chaotic, we are here to help you seek out the calm. When that peaceful path gets overgrown with weeds, we are here to help you clear it. When you are feeling vulnerable, alone and afraid, we are here to empower you with tools to help you embrace your confidence. There is a gentler way and we are here to help you find it. (Truffini Family Photo Taken December 2021-Great Swap Greenhouse) Shanna Truffini's You Are a Gardener® children's book was first published in December of 2017 & has since blossomed into an entire platform dedicated to empowering children, families and educators with tools & skills to help manage stress and big emotions through a positive process. Social and emotional learning (SEL) skills are at the root of every child's success at home and in school and our evergreen SEL programs are a gentle way to start planting those seeds! Dig into the You Are a Gardener® mindset today! Get a copy of our book, reads our blog, schedule a program for your school, book a workshop for your family, watch our videos and follow us @youareagardener ! "Plant your seeds, pull your weeds & enjoy the flowers along the way. You are a gardener." TAP THE PHOTO TO GET YOUR SIGNED COPY OF YOU ARE A GARDENER® TODAY!

Hello Gardeners! When we think of Valentine's Day, we think of cards, candy hearts and roses, but Valentine's Day is also about gratitude and letting the people who support and inspire us know that they are valued. It's a day where we can express the love we feel for others and also express love to ourselves. So today, the You Are A Gardener® team is showing some love to our revered mascot, Foxie with a cute and festive Valentine's Day Fox! We are going to show you how to make these adorable foxes using 7 heart cut-outs! Let's get started! Here's what you'll need: Paper in reds, pinks, and whites Black paper Scissors Glue Pencil For this craft you will need to cut out 7 hearts: one large, two medium, two small, and two extra small. Your large heart is your fox's head, the medium hearts are the cheeks, the small hearts are the outer ears, and the extra small hearts are the inner ears. Don't forget the folded paper trick when cutting out your hearts! Fold a piece of paper in half and cut a slanted half-oval shape - this will give you perfectly symmetrical hearts! Feel free to use this adorable fox as your Valentine's Day card by writing on the back or attaching it to the front of a card. These foxes are a heartfelt way to let the people you love know you are thinking about them this Valentine's Day! Did you do this craft? Share your creations with us by tagging us in your photos or sending them right to our inbox! @youareagardener | flowers@youareagardener.com | You Are A Gardener™

Hello Gardeners! There's something about a plate full of pancakes that just makes you feel warm and comforted. Maybe it's the fluffiness of the pan-fried cake or the sweet syrup and melted butter drizzled on top, but pancakes just make a good day better! Pancakes also give us endless opportunities for creativity in the kitchen. Whether it's with intricate shapes, flavorful toppings, or bright colors - you can always push the traditional pancake a little further! With Valentine's Day coming up, we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to pump some love into our pancakes - best part is, all you'll need is some red food coloring! Make your pancake batter as you normally would and reserve a small amount (two large spoonfuls) in a small bowl. Add some red food coloring to your reserve bowl until it reaches the pink or red coloring you like. Next, start making pancakes! Make sure your pan is hot and buttered. Give you batter a few seconds to heat up, then make small dots with your pink icing. Use a toothpick, butter knife, or some other utensil to draw a line through your dot to transform it into a heart! You can even try making a circle of hearts! If you really want to wow, make some heart-shaped pancakes with your pink batter to add to your plate! Nothing says "I love you!" like a plate full of pancakes!! Bon appétit! Ready to share with someone you love! How do you celebrate Valentine's Day? Do you share your love through kind gestures, thoughtful gifts, or special moments? Let us know in the comments below! #SpreadSeedsOfLove ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ @youareagardener | flowers@youareagardener.com | You Are A Gardener™

Today we are giving our classic hot cocoa a makeover with a pretty pink twist! The sweet thing about this recipe is you only need a few ingredients, it is super easy to make and kids of all ages love it! Scroll down to Get The Recipe! Pretty in Pink Hot Cocoa ❅ 4 Cups of Milk ❅ 1 1/2 Cups of White Chocolate Chips ❅ 1 1/2 Tsp of Vanilla ❅ 2-3 Drops of Red Food Coloring Or Beet Juice Combine milk and chips in a sauce pan over low to medium heat and stir frequently until the chips are melted and the cocoa is creamy. Add a few drops of your coloring until you get your desired shade of pink. Pour into mugs and enjoy! We gave our cocoa an extra sparkle & topped it off with some whip cream & pretty pastel stars. Do you have a favorite #WinterTime treat that you and your kids love to make? Send us your recipe and photos to flowers@youareagardener.com for a chance to be featured on our site! #PullYourWeeds | #SeedsOfLove | #YouAreAGardener

NOW IS THE TIME TO START PLANTING YOUR SEL SEEDS FOR SPRING- FOR YOUR SCHOOL OR FAMILY! Bright, uplifting and positive content for kids is needed now more than ever. The #PullYourWeeds® SEL Workshops & Assemblies for children ages 4-11 are rooted in social emotional learning (SEL) skills, growth mindset tools, self-empowerment, confidence building, conflict resolution skills, self-compassion and mindfulness. Our programs are guaranteed to change the way your students and staff manage stress and big emotions with empowering results! <> <> GET ON OUR SCHEDULE TODAY! EMAIL US: flowers@youareagardener.com ⭐️ CLICK HERE TO READ REVIEWS ON OUR #PULLYOURWEEDS® SEL PROGRAM ⭐️