New Year's Lunch Resolution for 2016

According to the USDA "Americans waste enough food every day to fill a 90,000 seat football stadium." I'll be honest, I struggle with my kid's lunches. I feel like I am always trying to figure out how much food is enough to send and I am often frustrated with how much comes home, and shocked at what comes home. In an effort to have less food go into the trash I am scaling back, bento lunch boxes have always been our favorites for lunch anyway, and I appreciate how they allow me to control the portion sizes my children take to school each day. 

Here are the lunches I sent earlier this week. 

Half sandwiches. On the right are cucumbers with Tajin in the heart, and a 100% juice Caprisun. On the left, pretzels, a yogurt and a cutie. 

A close up of one

Each time something comes home I am going to try to figure out if it's something they didn't like, didn't feel like, or if I sent too much food. This day the juice on the right came home and so did the cutie. At least we are getting closer...

Happy New Year!

Of a Visiting Carrot

Today the most awesome carrot came to visit our home. Her name, Elizabeth, Liz for short. 

Not your run of the mill carrot, Liz was full of personality and clearly here to bring some sunshine to the last day of winter break. Liz was fun, and helpful!

She visited my husband as he prepared our dinner, didn't take offense when she saw him preparing the veggies...

She helped me with the Christmas tree...

It was when she went outside to play with the kids that we saw the first warning signs.

The rabbit, typically a sweet if slightly standoffish animal, seemed a bit too interested in Liz. 

Buddy our dog got between them and made sure Liz was safe. (Our Hero!)

Sadly, I turned my back on Liz to help my husband in the kitchen. 

When I checked on her again she was being mauled! It was terrifying!

The bunny was merciless!

Our Lil ran out crying and got between Liz and the bunny. She checked Liz's vitals and it appeared she was not breathing so Lil attempted CPR.

Her entire arm had been eaten and the damage was too extensive. Liz was left a vegitable.

Goodbye Liz Carrot. RIP

Pet Parenting in the Heat

Along with my two children, I am also the pet parent to two creatures. The first is a 3+ year old fluffy white bunny. The second is a small white puppy. 

The bunny is free range during daylight hours and the dog comes and goes in and out as long as someone is home. 

With the recordbreaking heat their survival has been a worry.  I don't want them to become prisoners and so far we have been able to provide them each with relief without crating them in the house. 

Here is what we do- utilizing 4 or 5 milk jugs that were previously "customized" to help in slow watering the trees is the key. 

First, I bring out one of our shower buckets and dump the contents onto our cement patio in the area I know will get the least amount of sun all day. 

Next, I fill the jugs with water, replace the lids, and set them out at the top of the designated area. These jugs have one to 4 small pin holes in their bottoms which allow water to leak out when the lids are loosened. Once they are in place I adjust the lids to allow a tiny bit of water to leak out. On extra hot days I also add some Ice packs, just to be safe. 

This combination, along with plenty of water, seems to do the trick. Both animals enjoy laying on the cool slightly damp cement patio and we are controlling the amount of water used which keeps my anxiety at a minimum. 

I wonder what other people do....

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Do you do silly and sometimes ludicrous things to establish family traditions or foster a sense of wonder at home? Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day and I totally forgot to get goodies to leave from the Leprechauns. I hope one of my girls lets me have their cereal! 

A Quick and Literal Tale

I realized today that my children are way too literal.  
Yesterday my husband, in a moment of frustration,  asked her how many times he had to ask her to do something. She replied 6. 
Today I asked the 7yo how many spoons of Nutella one person needs. She said 2. 
Oh for the love of sweetness! What are your options when this happens? 
I see two clear options in this sort of a situation-
1) Laugh
2) Hit my head on the nearest solid structure

A Tale of Mrs. Mean Guy and How I Learned I Am NOT Mrs. Brady

This is not news, but there are aspects of parenting that really suck rocks. One of my least favorite parts of the job is having to e the bad guy. There are days, weeks, maybe even months, when I swear every other word out of my mouth is "don't" or "no" or "stop-it!" to one or both of my children. It's so tiring and frankly sucks the joy from my most inner core.

As an aside, my sister and I didn't always get along, but I can't believe we would have survived to see 10 if we had behaved the way my kids do. In my fantasies my girls are best of friends and ultimately these fantasy children of mine become strong, polite young women who have a deep bond. I am even OK with the idea that they will gang up on us, their parents. I picture a happy Jan and Marcia Brady, sure they fight but within 20 minutes they are sharing sweaters and working at the ice cream parlor together. Is it really too much to ask?

Sorry, now back to reality. This past April after hosting a birthday party my 7yo daughter got a coupon for the Build-a-Bear Workshop down by Disneyland. Today was the expiration date. Earlier this week I told both girls that we could go and use this coupon along with the left over gift cards I had from the party, today, Saturday. The caveat? They needed to behave. I thought I was setting the bar low. Honestly I did. I didn't want to let this discount expire any more than they wanted to skip a trip to BaB. I should also add that nearly every Saturday the kids and I go to a restaurant about 10 miles from our house and meet family members for breakfast.

Here was the basic plan when I got up this morning. Let the kids sleep in. Get them dressed and out the door by 8am, be to breakfast by 8:30, then from there if all has gone well we would go over to BaB.

It started going south about 15 minutes after they got up.  From the start they were arguing and grumpy with each other (strike 1). They didn't do what I asked them to do in preparation for leaving the house but instead said "hold on I am doing…." (strike 2). They constantly interrupted the adults at breakfast, didn't eat the meals they ordered and refused to sit in their seats (3, 4 and 5). I could go on. The 4yo took her sisters 1 Direction trading cards and colored on them (strike 6!) There was crying, there was baby talk (OMG I HATE BABY TALK!) and there was basic rudeness. I swear I reminded them over and over again about the promised trip and the consequences of their behavior. Honestly I did, before, during, and after.

Finally breakfast was over and we got in the car. The first thing out of both their mouths was "let's go to Build-a-Bear!" I'm sorry. WHAT? Somebody needed a reality check, for sure! Had we come from the same restaurant? Did they even understand what the expectations had been? Who did they think they were fooling with this sunny declaration? Had they recently been hit in the head and lost their memory? Why, oh why, could they not just behave?!

I know that I am not Mrs. Brady because if I were I would have been able to make some sweet and simple statement and they would have had a total attitude adjustment. Instead we had this….
Me "Girls, what did I say you needed to do to earn the visit to BaB?"
Them "We needed to get ready quick, listen and be good."
Me "How do you think you did?'
Them silence
Me "Honestly, how do you think you did?
7yo "badly"
Me "….I am sorry to have to say this but we can't go to BaB today or I would be teaching you the wrong thing."
Them crying and begging lots of "we will be good now!" and disingenuous promises that involved the rest of the day 
Me "Please stop. I am not changing my mind, we will do it another time, IF you shape up."

And so instead of going and having a fun morning building stuffed animals we filled up the gas tank and drove through the car wash. Sadly they have continued to bicker and jump all over each other for the slightest offense and so as of now they have also lost TV (although I would pay anything to be able to just chill on the sofa in front of some cartoons right now.) It is honestly hurting me as much as it is hurting them.

Fingers crossed they start getting their act together. We have three more days until they are out of school and the prospect of being home with them fighting and baby-talking for the next few months makes me want to run away and join the circus.

Portrait of me by 4yo- I named it Mad Mommy

Well readers? Do you have any parenting advice? Over the counter meds I should try on days like this?

Awesome Sesame Noodles

Today was a school picnic for F, the 4yo. It's a potluck event and so I decided to make my very favorite  Sesame Noodle dish which was given to me nearly 20 years ago by a friend. It's slightly spicy and sooooo good!
Sadly I forgot to take a picture of it but I did send some in the 7yo's lunch so can show the bit she took with her. 

L's lunch- PB sandwich, apples, and yummy sesame noodles

For those of you wondering how to make this, I am posting the recipe here. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments! Enjoy!!!

Sesame Noodles 

Quantity                                      Ingredients     

1/4 c.                                           soy sauce

3 T.                                             Sesame Oil

2 T.                                             Red Wine Vinegar

1 1/2 T.                                       Sugar

1 T.                                             Chili Sauce w/Garlic (Sambal Oelek)

12oz package                              Chinese water-style noodles or spaghetti 

4                                                  green onions sliced

2                                                  bell peppers julienne

2 T.                                              Cilantro, chopped (I use an entire bunch but just the leaves)

2-4t                                              sesame seeds (I use toasted and normal)

Blend marinade ingredients until well combined (can be done a day ahead, cover and chill). Bring to room temperature. Cook noodles al dente, cool and toss with marinade and remaining ingredients. Serve chilled. This works as an entree and feeds 4 or as a side and feeds 8-10.