Torrential Tuesday

It’s already Wednesday…well, tomorrow it will be. And the flood warnings will have been called off, finally. It’s been raining torrential cats and dogs each afternoon. Where I go jogging normally is completely underwater. I am hoping the rains will subside and the cooler weather will move in. That *may* be wishful thinking. All this rainy weather has, however, made it look more fallish out. Even wintry. If I squint. Our house is decorated for Halloween. My boys had such a great time putting up all our stuff. I mean, my Bigs had a great time putting up all our stuff. My Smalls had a great time ripping and throwing all our stuff. I love this time of year. It really puts me in the mood to cook meals you’d typically eat this season. Tonight, we are having ham, roasted broccoli, and sweet potatoes. Yum.

My boys’ lunches have that fall time feel, as well. I do declare, this is my favorite time of year!

For my Bigs, I packed a ham and cheese on whole wheat (with mayo), seasoned corn, “pumpkin pie” yogurt (I mix canned pumpkin with vanilla yogurt and sprinkle with cinnamon), a teeny apple, one soft pumpkin ginger cookie, and a few chocolate covered sunflower seeds (Trader Joe’s). Fun!

While my Bigs is in school, we’ll be meeting up with a friend. I like to pack lunches for the boys when we do that. It saves time and money.

I need LOTS of snacks to keep my Smalls busy while us adults are trying to maintain a conversation. I packed a peanut butter and pumpkin butter (Trader Joe’s) sandwich, some Inner Peas snacks (TJ’s), one soft pumpkin ginger cookie, a few chocolate covered sunflower seeds (TJ’s), some applesauce,  a banana, and a pumpkin cereal bar (TJ’s).

Hoping your Hump Day is a good one!

Kristin

Pumpkin-tastic Lunch

I made another trip to my local Trader Joe’s this weekend. I love that place. I just do. I’m the conductor of the Trader Joe’s bandwagon. Do bandwagons have conductors? Drivers? Either way, that’s me. I love Trader Joe’s. I got some really fun pumpkin stuff! I can’t wait to use it in my Bigs’ lunches.

For his lunch tomorrow, I packed a TJ’s pumpkin waffle (toasted) with cream cheese and TJ’s pumpkin butter. I also packed seasoned corn, one soft pumpkin ginger cookie (recipe in previous post), applesauce, and some TJ’s baked green peas (Inner Peas).

I think he’ll like it!

Hope you’ve had a grand Monday!

Kristin

Soft Pumpkin Ginger Cookies

It’s just about that time of year where we make loads of cookies and share them, in hopes that our friends will do the same. to spread joy. I’ve already been thinking about what I want to do this year. As per the usual, I am early (I sort of always am, when it comes to food planning, except for dinner planning – I don’t do that, to my dinner demise). I don’t normally like to make more than three kinds of cookies. It becomes overwhelming, especially when I have so many people, with whom I like to share.

I’ve been trying cookies ALLLLL YEARRRR LONNNNG, you know, for research and all. I’ll be sharing my favorite recipes with you.

Yesterday, I made these little beauties.

I LOVE pumpkin and I LOVE ginger, especially in the form of a soft ginger cookie. These are the best of both – Soft Pumpkin Ginger Cookies.

They screamed my name from the second I found them.

I, naturally, ran out of sugar halfway during my rolling of the balls (at least I had enough for the cookies, themselves!), so I used raw sugar to roll. I actually ended up liking those even more. They were sparkly. These would make such beautiful food gifts this upcoming holiday season. And they are delicious – soft, crunchy from the sugar, full of pumpkin flavor and warmth from spices.

Make them.

Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies

Imma go eat one or ten right now.

Kristin

Friday Re-do

Last night, in our parenting class, we talked about the 5 Love Languages. Do you know yours? Do you know your kid’s love language? I’ll be taking the tests to find out what love language I am (although I think I already know) and which one each of my kids have (I have an idea about my 4 year old). I think it will help me understand them better and help me communicate to them on a level that they get, that they need. This parenting course (Danny Silk’s Loving on Purpose) has been life-changing for me. Understanding their love languages will also help me find appropriate repercussions for their misguided actions. I’m so encouraged by this course, the teachings, and the wonderful teachers. It has been so refreshing for me as a parent, which I needed. This parenting thing is hard. With the encouragement of other seasoned parents, it’s given me an entirely new perspective on things, what I’ve done wrong, how I can strengthen myself as a parent, and also my bond with each of my boys.

Since yesterday was such a rushed day (I was Helper Parent at the Co-op and we had our wonderful parenting class), I had to make a hurried lunch for my Bigs.

It was basic. And that word, when applied to this lunch, makes me giggle. I packed a PB&J (square HA!), goldfish crackers, squeezy fruit applesauce, Trader Joe’s ABC cookies, raisins, and a few PB&J balls I bought on a whim.

Basic.

While I was busy making his lunch (and little Brother’s since we’d be running around all day today), Smalls comes up and takes a HUGE bite out of Bigs’ sandwich.

I just had to laugh. Smalls will be finishing that sandwich today. 🙂

I usually type my blog posts at night, but I just couldn’t find the time. I’ve got time now…you know why? My truck wouldn’t start. Nope. Not even a little. It choked. I had both boys buckled in, we were ready to go. They wanted their breakfasts (which they were supposed to eat in the car since we were, of course, running short on time). So I’ve got time now, to post this, as we watch Disney Junior TV and await the arrival of AAA to get me a new battery. Oh yes boy, I need a re-do of this day! I am quite grateful, however, that this happened while at home. Best place to be!

Have a BLESSED day and may it be an easy one for you!

Kristin

Whiny Wednesday

Ugh. You know that feeling when you’re having a good day, and then all of sudden, you aren’t? That was my day. It wasn’t so bad at first. But then I got overwhelmed with life and also I took in some of my old purses to a resale store and they told me (not so much in words, but with rejection) that my Vera Bradley’s print and style was “old”. I felt washed up. It sort of set a tone for the rest of my day. It was just little things like that, happening for the rest of the day. Oh well. I’m not THAT old.

And I know it could be a lot worse. And a LOT more serious. We’re keeping it light around here tonight.

But still.

And then I had to get to karate, back home, make dinner (pre-fab chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs, whatever), and three lunches for tomorrow. I want to soak in a garden tub filled with bubbles, and surrounded by lightly scented candles and silence.

We don’t have a garden tub. Or silence.

On the upside, tomorrow is my day at the Co-op, to work in my Bigs’ classroom. I’m very excited for that. This week they are learning about the five senses. Tomorrow is a taste test. Perfect!

For my Bigs’ lunch, I went with dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets (so what if I’ve said, even here on this blog, that I would only ever make my own chicken nuggets from scratch from then on). Mama’s tired.

I packed four of those not-so-good-for-you nuggets, some ketchup, a homemade honey zucchini muffin (that IS good for you), grapes, pineapple, dried oranges, and banana chips.

For my Smalls:

I made a PB&J half sandwich. I also packed some banana chips, two dried orange segments, some mini cinnamon rice cakes, and an applesauce squeezy fruit.

And for me:

For myself, I packed a salad (iceberg lettuce, orange tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and a packet that comes in my Publix’s pre-packed salads (dressing, nuts, cranberries). I also packed grapes, pineapple, and a yogurt.

Blessings to you!

Kristin

I need this Bible verse tonight:

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. – Romans 12:2

Cheerio! It’s time for tea!

I have two boys. I think most of you know that because I talk about them incessantly. If you’re near me and they aren’t, I’m showing you pictures of them on my phone (today’s response to wallet pictures). I always thought I’d have a girl or two, I never expected to have TWO boys. I think I’m still in shock. My oldest is four. I am not very good at “boy” stuff. I try, I do. I am really good at dressing in cutoff jean shorts (my daily uniform – I LOVE getting dressed up, but I live in my cutoffs, but I DO love matching my boys and then matching myself TO them.)  and shopping for boy clothes, but when it comes to boy things – I struggle. I just don’t have that gene. Try as I might! I is who I is…

But I’m grateful. They’ve shown me how cute bug catching can be (I don’t quite touch the bugs myself), to let go when they get a little dirty, to eat like cavemen with their hands (okay, so I’m big on table manners, so this particular attribute isn’t so cute), to play superheroes or dinosaurs. I can cut my Bigs’ hair like a salon would do. So I’ve adapted, I’ve learned, and I’ve always been so grateful for them.

But I’m still a girl (well, a WOMAN now, but you know, girl-Y). I do what I can with these boy themed lunches.

Except for today. Last night I made a lunch that is definitely more “girly” for today, but since I added a blue background and my boy is eating it, it’s boyish. Or we can call a spade a spade and just say it’s a girly lunch. Who cares. His favorite color is pink and his besties are all girls. He’s great at karate, running, and yardwork. He is who he is, and I love him.

I spread strawberry cream cheese on melba toast, there are two little sandwiches of that. I had a conversation last week with my Mom over tea (more on that later) and I was inspired to get some melba toast (okay, impulse buy!). I packed seasoned corn (have to have a veggie!), oyster crackers, raisins, colby jack cheese, sliced plum, and a slice of chocolate cake (with star sprinkles). Looks like a kid’s “high tea” to me!

My inspiration behind this whole meal was the high tea I shared with my Mom last week. We used to do that a lot when I was little, and sporadically throughout our lives, together. We found a really cute place and it was the best tea we’d ever had, and we’ve enjoyed it in England! Making that kid lunch might be the closest thing to having tea with my kid since I do not have girls. Back to the REAL tea…

We had the most delicious Peach Melba tea (hence the Melba talk – I had remembered that I had a Sunday school teacher named Melba and it always reminded me of melba toast and peach melba, even as a child). This was the best hot tea I’d ever had.

The food spread was insanely beautiful – the bottom tier was tea sandwiches, the middle was British desserts, and the top was scones with jam and clotted cream.

Turkey & Cranberry, Egg Salad, & Cucumber with Cream Cheese, all on British bread

Berry Tart, Baby Cupcakes, Zucchini Walnut Bread, Bread Pud, & Jam Roly Poly

The scones were perfect (as was everything). The Ex-Pat owner of the tea shop showed us the “real” way to eat them, to maximize jamming and clotted creaming.

Heavenly

Anyone who has known me knows that I’ve been an Anglophile since before it was cool. I’m glad I found a way to sort of share that with my Bigs, in my own way.

Blessings!

Kristin

Won’t you take me to Dippy-Town?

Won’t you take me to, a-Dippy-Towwwwn?

Is the song “Funky-Town” in your head now? It is in mine. I love that song though. It totally reminds me of “Shrek”. I’m such a Mom.

Tomorrow, at lunchtime, my Bigs is going to Dippy-Town. It’s a town where you dip stuff. Like food into other foods. It’s a great town.

Almost every part of his lunch is something he can dip – rice cakes, cookies (Trader Joe’s School Book Cinnamon Cookies), carrot chips, banana chips, and raisins. The dippees are applesauce and peanut butter. I love a good interactive lunch. I know my buddy does too.

We had an extremely productive day. I love those kinds. I did laundry, cleaned out two hall closets (I meannnn, the JUNK I had in there was unreal), cleaned bathrooms, balanced our checkbook, went grocery shopping, went to karate, and made a birthday cake for one of my besties.

AND I made dinner on top of that! AND guess what? It was good!

These would be great on a game day! I don’t even know when those are or for what sport you’d be celebrating, but I DO know about eating!

Earlier today, I marinated chicken wings in a Ziploc bag. I made the marinade (no real measurements, that’s what’s so wonderful about marinades) in gluten-free soy sauce, orange juice, fresh garlic, orange marmalade, and S&P. I baked them at 400 for about 40 minutes. They were sticky, gooey, crunchy, tender, orangey, and garlicky. Yum. Try them. You know, next time you’re celebrating the ol’ pigskin.

Blessings!

Kristin

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. – Jeremiah 29:11

(This verse has gotten me through some of my darkest times)

Taste the Rainbow! (TGIF)

Tomorrow is Friday! YESSSSSSSSSSS! Whenever Friday rolls around, no matter how good my week was, I think to myself, “Whew! We made it!”. It just feels good to reach Friday. And in that same happy spirit, I made a colorful lunch for my Bigs!

I packed a mini cinnamon raisin bagel with cranberry orange cream cheese, homemade strawberry fruit snacks, green grapes, applesauce squeezy fruit, mini pickles, and chocolate covered sunflower seeds for dessert (Sun Drops).

What a fun way to end the week (at least I think it would be!).

Blessings!

Kristin

He must become greater; I must become less. – John 3:30

The Ghostess with the Mostess

My unfortunate run of cooking this week has been hit AND miss today. Dinner was a just okay. I made chicken. Nothing special. What is wrong with me?! If only I had the same passion about cooking as I do baking!

I gotta get back on track with cooking dinners that are both complete AND edible, so my family doesn’t starve.

I did make something really yummy earlier today, that I served with tonight’s chicken. I also was hoping to put it in my Bigs’ lunchbox tomorrow, but alas, he did not care for them.

Vegetable Macaroni and Cheese Muffins:

http://www.produceforkids.com/meal-planning/mac-n-cheese-muffins

My Bigs can sniff out a green vegetable like a hound dog. These “muffins” had broccoli, carrots, and onions in them. A trifecta of deliciousness, if you ask me. I was really hoping Bigs would love them and want to enjoy one for lunch tomorrow. Oh well. My Smalls enjoyed them. He doesn’t love noodles, but he’s crazy about savory food…broccoli in particular. He ate about a pound of broccoli today. And enjoyed the noodles because of the broccoli. I even convinced him (no convincing needed, actually) to eat broccoli as his prize for going twosies in the potty. Funny kid.

Anywho, because Bigs did not like these, I had to come up with another lunch.

I made a turkey, cheddar, and mayo sandwich. I shaped it like a ghost and added candy eyes. I also packed seasoned corn, plum slices, a honey zucchini muffin, two TJ’s ginger cookies, and some dried blueberries.

I made the muffins on Monday. They are delicious – whole wheat, honey, zucchini. What’s not to love?

Another great recipe from 100 Days of Real Food. Although I think I didn’t grate my zucchini small enough, my Bigs doesn’t seem to mind these. Maybe because I call them “Army Men Muffins”. I never thought I’d be the parent to HIDE vegetables.

Here’s the recipe:

http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/06/25/recipe-zucchini-bread/

My Smalls has school tomorrow too (and his “school” pictures, so cute!!). I made him a special lunch:

I turned a PB&J into a pumpkin shape and used my Food Writers to add some details. I also packed banana chips, two ginger cookies, and some dried blueberries. I hope he knows what his sandwich is!

Blessings,

Kristin

Small Bites VPK School Lunch

So. Tonight’s dinner was a total and utter disaster. It didn’t even start with the best of intentions. It was doomed. Right from the start. If you follow me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SprinklesinmyLunchbox), then you know. I mentioned that it involved lamb and a crockpot. That’s all I am willing to say about it. I might barf just thinking about it. **SHUDDER** We ate cornbread and mashed potatoes (homemade, at least!!) instead. I threw some grapes on our plates too, just to take away from all the carbs. I was just so happy to have something edible for my kids to eat, that I didn’t care about what it was.

Don’t even ask me why I bought the lamb to begin with.

It was a baaaaaaaaaaad decision.

#regret

Anyways, because of that regretful decision, when it came time to make my Bigs’ school lunch for tomorrow, I didn’t even feel like touching meat. Of any kind. Or food. Of any kind. So I give myself a little leeway on this lunch. It was packed in a hurry. And without much thought. Sorry, Kid.

I made green grape and Colby jack cheese kebabs. I also packed two little cornbread muffins from dinner tonight, some homemade applesauce, a banana, some dried fruit (mandarin oranges, blueberries, banana chips), and two chocolate covered almonds.

Tomorrow’s a new day. Tomorrow, I’ll make good food. Tomorrow, the regretful smell of tonight’s dinner will have cleared.

Can’t wait for tomorrow.

Kristin