Tale of a Traveling Octogenarian

I realize as I sit here and type this that my parents are prepping me for when my children are older and begin to leave the nest. Anyway that is what I am telling myself. 
I also say things like "This is good practice." 
or "It's all part of the cycle." and "You can't hold on too tight." The last thing I want to be is one of those helicopter children. 

Well, easier said than done. Back in late January my dad announced that he was going back to the mid-west to see his sister and aunt and to march in the St. Patrick's Day parade in his boyhood town. So I'll tell you the truth, I was nervous just thinking about it. Having just visited this same state myself less than a year ago I know that there is nearly no way to get a direct flight, that the weather is unfriendly at best, and frankly that it's not the place he remembers. I find facing TSA daunting and I fly fairly regularly! 

I can only imagine what you are thinking right now as you read this- He is an adult. The man is in his 80's! He's educated! He worked in aerospace and traveled all the time! Heck, he took me on my first trips to Europe!

Here is my dad as a fresh faced young man

He was a police officer and faced bad guys! He raised two daughters. Even more impressive he was on the S.W.A.T. Team! That man traveled across the country on route 66 to get to California. And to top it all off he survived the depression! What is my problem?! It's not as if he has not been around the block a few times and I know it. 

Over a few weeks we worked details out.
Flights (booked)
Rental Car (booked)
Airport shuttle (booked)
Place to stay (organized by my aunt, thank you!)
Packing instructions, reviewed, explained, and discussed several times. 
We talked about it all. What shoes to wear to get through TSA quickly, the weather and the appropriate clothing to pack. EVERYTHING. If I had been sending my 6yo off to visit family in the mid-west I could have just done it for her and it would have been less worrisome in several ways. 

Time to admit something I guess. I am constantly worried for my parents. I think unfortunately for me I often project negative outcomes to situations which they seem to pass through with little to no damage. I know this, but that does not calm my fears. Who am I to discourage him? He and my mom had allowed me to study abroad at 21 (I know that technically I didn't NEED their permission but that's beside the point) and he has been supportive of my career and the traveling I do. When the time came I knew I had to let him follow his heart and that everyone involved would regret it if he didn't go see these important people in his life. I told myself "Flying to see Aunt B isn't hurting anyone." I also reminded myself that "there would be help at the airport if he needed it and he would be with friends and family once he arrived at his destination." 

D-day came and went. I saw a few photos that my cousin and aunt posted on social media but that was about it. He was scheduled to be gone 12 days. On day 11 I phoned him to let him know I would be at the airport to pick him up as planned. He sounded happy and ready to come home. What more could I ask for?

The next night at 9:30 I headed out to our local international airport to pick up my Dad. 80+ years old and still traveling here and there. Maybe with a bit more support, but getting it done just the same.

Just returned from his trip to see family in the mid-west.

It warms the heart to see people you love do what makes them happy. Don't you think? 

A Tale of an Ocean Themed Spring Break

This week my kids have gone back to school after spring break. After a week, it's a shock not only for them but for me too. Homework, alarm clocks, backpacks and lunches. OH MY!

Not that we did a lot, vacations are more stay-cations in our house. My husband and I both had to work so the kids were home with their babysitter all week. But never mind that. L, my 6.75 yo started a unit on the Ocean in her 1st grade class and so the one thing we did over this break was visit an aquarium and then have a short, and chilly afternoon at the beach.

The 4yo and the 6.75yo ham it up at the Cabrillo Aquarium in San Pedro, Ca.

It was a fun day but the altered motive was to get the girls excited about ocean life and this precious resource. L has a diorama to do before the end of the month and frankly I was hoping she would get inspired. 

To keep things ocean-ish I have also been trying to send her with ocean themed lunches (SHOCKER!) So here we go, here was Monday's lunch. 

PB & J Angel Fish and Manatee along with apple slices, string cheese and bear cookies (so frustrated that we didn't have goldfish crackers)

Close-up of AF and Manatee

IDK if this will help her get going on her diorama but at the end of the day we had a nice day and put our toes in the sand. Thanks Cabrillo Aquarium! 

A Tale of St Patricks Day Lunch

Tomorrow is St Patrick's Day. Now, we are not religious at all, but I was brought up to be connected to my Irish heritage and cleche as it may be St. P's Day is a part of that. I try to make it something my kids can connect with as well. Tomorrow I have a long work day ahead of me so we celebrated tonight with corned beef and soda bread. Yum! 

Corned Beef!

Soda Bread! 

For lunch tomorrow I am sending my daughter a four leaf clover for lunch, apples and one big cookie. 

Happy St Patrick's Day Everyone!

A Bunny Tale

Last summer my kids found a bunny in our neighbors roses.

One of the kids feeds our new bunny a treat

The poor little guy was clearly someone's pet that had gotten loose. No one in our neighborhood claimed him and within a day we had a new pet.

Anyway, Spring is here and so I made a lunch for the 6yo that looks like the bunny.

Tale of a School Spirit Sandwich

Friday is School Spirit day at my daughter's elementary school. When I have the time (aka get up nice and early) I try to make her a lunch that reflects the school mascot which is a bee. I didn't sleep much last night so I had plenty of time to think about what to do today. 

Here is her painted bento lunch for Friday March 14, 2014. 
I hope she likes it!

PB&J sandwich with apple slices and cookies

Close-up of today's sandwich

A Tale of Tuesday's Lunch

Here is the lunch that went with L today. It's a pb&j sandwich painted with food coloring. On the side she has apple slices and a rice cake snack. To tie the the two boxes together I used the disposable grass for bento lunches my last remaining silicone flower and leaf (where do they go?) 

To rid the sandwich of it's crust I got used a sandwich sealer that I got at Northgate Market and made by Wonder Bread. It's a fantastic little device that seals the sandwich and removes the crust. The final product is similar to an uncrustable but you are in control of the content of the sandwich and the type of bread used. 

Ta-Da! The finished product. 

Happy Tuesday!

A Tale of…Doctors Orders

At my last physical the Doctor told me I need to increase my calcium intake. 

Today while looking for something to eat for lunch I found a half eaten pint of Ben and Jerry's Mint Cookie Ice Cream and was confronted with the question:If I eat it for lunch, am I following Dr's orders?