Almost Friday!

I'm not sure why, but I do not have a photo of Hailey's lunch tonight. Maybe I'm still tired from my alarm going off at 12am???  That, I can assure you, will NOT happen this evening.

I do have a picture of Cailyn's lunch for tomorrow. Her fabulous teachers have said that she is loving feeding herself, so I send a bunch of finger foods (and some vanilla yogurt).  I hope Cailyn doesn't give them a hard time with her teachers feeding her off the spoon!!  I know it is a matter of time before she will be able to do it all by herself. :)

Tomorrow's lunch for Cailyn: an open faced grilled cheese, diced strawberries, sweet potato puffs, and vanilla yogurt.

Summertime.....

I know it isn't, but it sure felt like it today!  I'm sick of the heat and ready for the changing leaves and cooler temps.  It sure doesn't feel like the end of September!!!

Tomorrow's lunch is boring, but I'm sticking with my "project."

Wheat Thins, mozzarella cheese hearts, grape tomatoes, vanilla yogurt with heart sprinkles, grapes, and a small handful of fudge cookies.

So I have officially taught 94 students how to play an instrument this week....and it is only Tuesday!!! I'm exhausted!!!  Between the excited students, the squeaky sounds, and the constant chatter and laughter, I'm just about ready for bed at 7:30 tonight.  I made an awesome broccoli-cheddar soup for dinner (that will probably be a part of Cailyn's bento on Thursday), and took time to make "cool lunches" for tomorrow.

Hailey's lunch: Ham and cheese roll-ups, mini pretzels, grape tomatoes, peach yogurt, strawberries and grapes, and two mini Lorna Doone cookies.

For Cailyn, some peach yogurt, diced strawberries, cheese, and baby goldfish.  

Rain rain go away!

What a week this will be if the rain keeps up. How exhausting!  Cailyn has a cold or something again. After listening to her scream from the moment we got home until the minute she went to bed (6:08 to be exact!), I just needed some quiet mommy/Hailey time.  Hailey helped me get together her lunch for tomorrow so we could "do something together without Cailyn's mouth" (HAHA!).

Lunch for Hailey: Half a Soynut Butter and Jelly (cut into rectangles), a Babybel cheese, grapes on some sea creature picks, Cheez-Its, grape tomatoes and baby carrots with a fishie container of ranch, and vnilla pudding with "Fairy Dust." No Bento for Cailyn tomorrow.....daddy is taking her to the doctor yet again.  When will we have a healthy household??

Another weekend gone too quickly!!

This was a busy and tiring weekend!  I hope the week moves just as fast. I want to spend next weekend at home with my kiddos and not run around so much!!

Hailey's lunch for tomorrow: Mini mozzerella cheese flowers, Wheat Thins, cucumber hearts (with a teddy bear container of ranch), strawberries and grapes (with a little fish pick), yogurt, and chocolate goldfish.

I bought some new mealtime items for Cailyn today - including this "sassy" container.  Perfect for "some" of her lunch! ;-)  Cailyn will have some mozzerella cheese, strawberries, applesauce and yogurt.  I'll see how this container works out for tomorrow!!

Bouquet of Flowers

Every day, I arrive at pre-school to find a flower Hailey has selected from the play-yard, just for me. Sometimes the flower is purple because "that's your favorite color." Often, it is some kind of weed.  I know Hailey is taking the time to choose something special for me because she loves me. :)  For tomorrow, I'm sending her some flowers too.

Hailey's lunch: mini flower grilled cheeses (open face) with a ham center and pretzel stems, a bed of raisins, fruit snacks, yogurt with mini flower sprinkles, grape tomatoes (halved) and black olives with a container of ranch. I even stuck in a little turtle pick just for fun.

The lunch really looked yummy in person. I need to take better pictures with my camera phone!!!

Halfway through the week!

Things have been busy, busy, busy!  I'm finally caught up at work, and we are now figuring out Halloween costumes for this year (already!).  Looks like the leading contenders have gone from a horse (for the past 10.5 months) to Dorothy or a bubble bath!!!  Calgon....take me away!

Lunch for Hailey: half a soynut butter and jelly sandwich (minus crusts) cut into squares, whole grain goldfish, heart shaped cheese, carrots, olives, and grape tomatoes with a container of ranch, and chocolate pudding with flower sprinkles.  I should have made this lunch for myself as well!! 

I don't even have any words today.  I'm tired, cranky, and wish it were Friday.  The weather was gorgeous today though....definite plus.

Tomorrow's lunch is a ham and cheese roll up (sliced in half), grape tomatoes and a container of ranch, peaches, cherry yogurt, and a Zebra cake (sliced in halves).

Gingerbread Daddy

Hailey was sad because she coulnd't see Paul tonight or tomorrow morning due to his work schedule.  I told her I'd make daddy in her lunch for tomorrow so she wouldn't be sad anymore.  I know this "daddy" looks nothing like Paul, but I know it will make Hailey smile tomorrow afternoon. :)

I know the photo quality is really poor.  I really need to find a better way to photograph these lunches!!!

Tomorrow's lunch is a "daddy" sandwich (an open face ham and cheese sammy) with a raisin face and buttons, Wheat Thin Stix, mixed berry yogurt, half an apple with a star cutout (I put lemon jiuce on to keep the paple from browning), a container of raisins, and chocolate goldfish.

Monday Bentos

This weekend was spent playing "catch up." Catching up on housework, laundry, spending time with my girls (and husband for that matter!), and sleep!  Cailyn caught a nasty cold earlier in the week, and sent it right over to me.  I'm hoping tonight will be relaxing and I'll turn in early. As it is - Cailyn was in bed by 6:45 tonight, and Hailey by 7! :)

Tomorrow, Hailey will have string cheese, wheat thins, a container of raisins, and half an orange (already started to peel it for her), raspberry yogurt, grape tomatoes and baby carrots with a container of ranch.

Some people have been asking if I create a bento for myself also.  Here is my lunch for tomorrow: pepper jack cheese and wheat thin stix (the fire roasted tomato are yummy!!), a container of peaches, baby carrots and celery with some blue cheese, and mini fudge cookies for dessert.

Paul made lunch for the girls while I was shopping today. I came home to find his version of a bento lunch (he was very proud of himself!!): A sandwich cut into four triangles with pretzel sticks sticking out of the shapes.  At least he made lunch, right?? 

Friday's Lunch

I didn't get a chance to post this on Thursday night because I went to see Lady Gaga at the XL Center. AMAZING show!!!!

Also, on Paul made lunches for the girls on Wednesday night. No pics for those lunches!

Here was Hailey's lunch from today.

Ham and cheese roll-up, wheat thins, grape tomatoes, pretzel sticks, a container of raisins, half an orange, and blackberry-pomegranate yogurt.

Beautiful Fall Weather!

No, that title has nothing to do with my Bento for today, but it still needed to be said! :) 

Hailey's lunch for tomorrow:

Mini ham and cheese heart sandwiches, pretzel sticks, grapes, apple sauce, grape tomatoes and olives with a container of ranch, and two little chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

Tomorrow is "Open House" at work - Paul is going to be making lunches!!!  I'm not sure if they will be bento-style, but if they are, I will be sure to post!!!

Just Another Manic Monday!

Back to work - I think the girls are getting colds, I'm tired....two Open Houses this week, and a concert. Is it Friday yet???

Hailey's lunch for tomorrow: heart shaped cheese minis, Wheat Thins, garden grape tomatoes, a container of raisins, French vanilla pudding with pixie dust (some red sprinkles), diced peaches, and some mini fudge stripe cookies.

Long week ahead!

I already don't know how I'm going to handle our 1st five day work week - with two open houses and a concert thrown in there?  I'm sure we will ALL be exhausted in this house by the time Friday rolls around!!

Here is Hailey's lunch for tomorrow:

Ham and cheese "sushi", pretzel sticks, grapes, strawberry-banana yogurt with butterfly sprinkles, grape tomatoes, olives, and carrots with a small container of ranch dressing, and a chocolate chip cookie for dessert.

Flower Power

Hailey asked for something with flowers in tomorrow's lunch.  Here is what I came up with...

She has flowers (wheat bread, american cheese, and ham centers) with carrot stems and broccoli leaves, half an apple (I used lemon juice to prevent browning) sliced and ready to eat, strawberry-banana yogurt, 2 cookies, and grape tomatoes.

I have to say, the grape tomatoes are DELISH, and fresh out of the garden of one of my sweet neighbors. Hailey actually said she didn't want ranch with these tomatoes - they "are too yummy all alone." Haha!

I did want to include Cailyn's lunch for tomorrow.  It is NOT artistic in any way, shape, or form. However, some  people have been asking what I send for her each day.

On the left is and apple-banana combo, and she will have that with a blueberry muffin (or two!) for breakfast. On the right is her lunch.  She has carrots, a Take n' Toss bowl of applesauce, and on the bottom, is a Corningware dish filled with homemade Mac N' Cheese from tonight's dinner.  Most likely this will not be enough for her, so she will also have snacks of Cheerios ad/or goldfish in addition to her 2 bottles.  I cannot believe she is only 17 lbs!!!!!  I don't know where she puts it all!!

Another Day Off

So we are off from school yet again. This time, for Rosh Hashanah. When will we actually have a full week of school???

Today's lunch for Hailey was two heart-shaped mini grilled cheese sandwiches, red grapes, blueberry yogurt, broccoli with a small container of ranch dressing, and one of my homemade chocolate chip cookies.

I'll post again tonight with lunch for tomorrow!

Too Tired Today!

So I think this first day (again!) of school really took a toll on the girls....and me!  Cailyn was asleep by 6:15 (and  it was a struggle to keep her awake that long!), and Hailey was asleep by 6:45.  I'm thinking my bedtime will be within the hour!!

I was just too tired to think tonight when it came to making lunches. For tomorrow, Hailey has mini soy-nut butter and jelly sandwiches (that didn't really take to the flower shape), a cheese stick cut into little circles, olives and grape tomatoes with a fishie container of ranch, diced peaches, and a homemade chocolate chip cookie.

I should start posting what Cailyn's lunch looks like.  Not because it necessarily looks interesting in the artistic sense, but because of the sheer amount this teeny person consumes during her day at school.  It boggles my mind, and makes Hailey's lunch look like a snack!

Back to School.....Again

After an unexpected extention to summer vacation, we are finally going back to work/school tomorrow.  I'm really looking forward to it, and so is Hailey. She can't wait to see her teachers and friends, play outside, and do homework (her words - not mine!). And, no, she does NOT get homework at pre-school!

For tomorrow, Hailey will have ham and cheese "skewers", cheez-its, grapes (she cannot eat enough red grapes lately!!!!), strawberry-banana yogurt, and grape tomatoes and baby carrots with a little container of ranch dressing.

Hope you all had a great (and relaxing!) Labor Day weekend!!

Waiting for Earl....

Well, yesterday's "bugs on a log" bento = FAIL. Hailey decided that she no longer likes celery. Instead, she ate the yogurt raisins and licked the peanut butter right off the celery sticks. Ah well, at least I'm honest, right?

A woman on one of my message boards asked me to try to think of a "less girly" bento. So in preparation for the rain coming in later today, I figured I'd do a "water themed" bento....that hopefully boys would love, too. :)

Today, Hailey will have a peanut butter and jelly "sailboat" with a carrot mast. The boat is surrounded by goldfish crackers and two "octopus" string cheese halves.  There are black olives, grape tomato halves, and baby carrots with a green fish container of ranch, applesauce, and (in the blue cup) Nemo fruit snacks with a blue fish pick.  

I have a feeling she will get a kick out of this one! :)

Bento from Home

Well, the girls and I remain home while the water damage is being cleaned up at my school.  We took advantage of lunch at "Mimi's House" yesterday, but I'm back to making Hailey's "cool lunch" again today.

Today's lunch is "bugs on a log" (celery and peanut butter topped with yogurt raisins), flower shaped cheese, mandarin oranges, and vanilla pudding with flower sprinkles.

More tomorrow!!! :)

First Day of School Bento

So here it is: my first blog entry.  I've decided to begin to document the beginning of my Bento making.  I started trying experimenting with Bentos a bit this summer so Hailey would eat more of a variety during lunch.  She now asks for "cool lunches" each day, and gobbles them right up.  Boring? Maybe to some. A waste of time? I've gotten that also. However, Hailey LOVES them.  Let's face it.  If I'm putting a big smile on my little girl's face as she eats her lunch during her day at pre-school, then this little "experiment" is totally worth it.

This summer, I bought food containers and lunch bags from Easy Lunch Boxes.  So convenient, easy to pack, and big enough without being too bulky for my 3 year old.

I'll have to take some better pictures (the first two are taken with my cell phone), and of course will have to update on a regular basis, but here is Hailey's 1st Bento of the school year.

Hailey's lunch: turkey, and cheese on wheat bread (cut into heart shapes), baby carrots with a container of ranch dressing, strawberries and grapes, vanilla yogurt, and a few animal crackers for dessert.

Day #2

Hailey's Bento today is mozzerella cheese in mini heart shapes with wheat crackers, grapes, applesauce, grape tomatoes and baby carrots with a container of ranch dressing, and two mini chocolate chip cookies.

The rest of the week I'll be on a bit of a hiatus!  Pipe leak at work = no school until after Labor Day!!