Day Two.. It's going to be a long year..

It doesn't get any easier. Today was their second day of school. Dropping them off was as hard today as it was yesterday. I need to get a job. Lonely hours in a big house where my children can't be heard. It breaks my heart.
Yesterday I had them all sit and tell me how their first day went on video. I am tempted to do that everyday. I don't want to miss anything. I think Puppy-boy senses how empty the house is. He has just been curled up on my lap all morning. I am so thankful for him.
They grow up so fast. You turn your head for a moment and all of a sudden they are walking out the door to independence. I know that it is my job as their Momma to assist them in becoming independent, creative thinkers who contribute to society. It is just not an easy job. When Miniman got his hair cut for school I couldn't help but see the little mischievous guy whom I had held in my heart for so long and in my arms for what seems like only moments.
 I do remember what it was like when Hubby and I were first married. Before babies and all the wonderfulness that is parenthood. He would leave for work early in the morning and I would stay home. If I wanted to I would go to work with him and walk the mall where his office was located. If I chose to stay home I could catch the bus and meet him for lunch. I started volunteering at various places. First it was the local library shelving books, then it was the local fire department redoing the filing system. I started quilting about that time, I also learned how to knit. So my days were filled with creative things and when nothing else seemed to be interesting, I would go around town on my bicycle or my feet. Our apartment was less than a mile from the beach. Although it was a beach in the northwest (you don't swim in it), it was still a great beach to walk on, or ride a horse. Hubby would come home to a clean house and a hot meal. After dinner we would just relax and watch a movie or play video games. It was good stuff!.
I need something to fill up my days. Hubby is coming down with orders, that much is certain. We just don't know when or where. We have a good idea on the where, but with the Army you don't make any plans until the ink is completely dry. So we wait, in limbo. I should be doing all the things I can to get the house ready. but for right now, I will savor a warm cup of tea and the love of Puppy-boy. Until next time dear Readers.. Be Blessed!

Lunch..

     When I was growing up there was one option as far as lunch.. the lunch room. Where I would get in a line and dutifully have my ticket punched only to have a tray of over cooked somewhat bland food piled on to it. I would look forward to pizza, hamburger and hot dog days, as there wasn't much you could do to mess those up. I still shudder when I think of the over cooked worm size spaghetti noodles with a so called marinara sauce. Lunch looked something like this (on the good days):

I had the green eyes of envy for anyone at the table who brought their lunch. It was a surprise to see what they pulled out on a day to day basis, not to mention I knew it took time to make that lunch. I am no dummy, with seven sisters, a Momma who worked one job and a Daddy who worked two. Lets just say school lunch was easier. I still wanted to pack my lunch. But all through elementary, middle and half way through high school I had school lunch. One day I decided that I was going to pack my lunch. On the days I remembered I ate, on the day's I forgot I didn't .. well I did I just ate off all my friends plates.
     After graduating there was work, I was making money and it felt good to spend it. So I bought my lunch, it just made since to me. Then I got married. No kids so every now and then I would pack a lunch of left overs for Hubby, but mostly we would go out for lunch. Ten years and three kids later.. I am packing for almost everyone.
     I started packing lunches for Goosie when she was in kindergarten. I thought it was a great way to save money. I would pack her lunch three days out of the week and she would buy her lunch the other two. I thought this would teach her some responsibility and it would give me a break from the dreaded brown bag. After some time I grew tired of the usual peanut butter and jelly, with an apple, a drink and some chips or something. So last year (first time I was packing for Miniman) I stumbled across the idea of bento boxes. Let me say that the Japanese have lunch on the run for this one. Creative, colorful, healthy, imaginative. The only limit to a bento is your imagination! Almost any of the food storage containers you already have at home can be used as a bento. There are special boxes you can buy. some are basic, others are fun shaped, you can spend a lot or just use the containers you already have and spend nothing. I have chosen the latter, it means a little more creativity on my part to make sure everything fits, it I think it's worth it.
     So now that you have the containers, what do you put in them? I grew up with a pyramid, but it has been replaced with a plate:

I try to make the bento as colorful as possible. I also try to make as much of the food at home. I am on Pintrest and have a board just for School Food This means it is has less preservatives and other things then what you can buy at the store. This also means more work. But it is work well worth it when you think of the benefit your children have at lunch time. Fresh food, that is full of flavor, vitamins and nutrients. The teachers are the green eyed monsters sometimes! If you need ideas you can check this out. I will post the ones I make and the recipes I use as an added help. Well, it is about time to roll out the cheese cracker dough. Until next time dear readers.. Be blessed!