I get to show them off after all! They were in today's mail. That was lightning fast shipping! I highly recommend this eBay seller: satsukiyamiinc

I've been eBaying!

In our small town, I don't know of any specialty Asian markets so I relied on eBay for the last few things I just HAD to pick up. Again, I'd show the pictures but the pictures aren't mine to show.

Happy Balloon Orange Bento Box for Ty
Happy Balloon Blue Bento Box for Wes
Zoo animals toothpick set for Bento
Williams-Sonoma Ice Cream Sandwich Molds (great for rice or hard boiled eggs)

Found some silicone molds at the Dollar Tree, of which I grabbed a bear and star. Also picked up blue and orange insulated lunch bags for their bento boxes to go inside. Target carries the Lock & Lock box which has the snap down lids like the ones I purchased at Dollar Tree, but it has 4 removable containers inside. That one will be for Connor.

Lunch Today

Not much new today except I sent fried rice with Tyler that was leftover from dinner. I told him he could try it cold or microwave it. He loves pistachios so I filled up some space with those. Weston will be trying string cheese and ham cube shish-ka-bobs. There's about 5 of them in there- I know it's hard to tell. The cup is ranch dressing for his oak leaf-shaped cucumbers and baby carrots.

The Real Test...

Would be if they ate it, right? Tyler ate everything, and liked it. Weston skipped on his veggies (lil' stinker) but ate everything else. And Connor polished off everything, even the cucumbers and ranch. We pretended that he was a long-necked giraffe nibbling leaf-shaped cucumbers from the tree tops. He even scarfed down his sandwich, and he's not a big sandwich eater unless they are dinosaur sandwiches apparently! The major success today: 2/3 boys ate cucumbers and LIKED them ha ha!

School Lunch Bento #1

Weston's at top: Strawberry & pineapple shish-ka-bobs, leaf-shaped cucumbers on green pepper strips, ranch to dip, garlic and herb veggie chips, cheese wheel, dino-shaped cream cheese & strawberry jam sandwiches, organic smoothie

Tyler's at bottom: Same except for grapes instead of strawberries and baby carrots instead of pepper, buy milk at school

I'll let you know how successful it was when they get home and I can check their lunch containers for leftovers. Just for kicks, here they are right before they left for the 1st day back to school.

What to pack in cute boxes?

Ok the boys are totally not going to like me calling any part of this process CUTE ha ha! I figured I'd list some of the things the boys really like, followed by some variations and maybe some ways to slightly tweak them to introduce new foods.

Ty's faves: Rice, Chili, Cottage Cheese w/ Fruit, Pineapple, Roast, Mac & Cheese, Rolls, Pistachios, Quesadillas, Tacos, Hot Dogs, Turkey

To try for Ty: fried rice, shaped white rice, mini tacos or taquitos, tamale, fruit kebob, corn muffins with veggies or diced meat mixed in, shaped hot dogs, other nuts, pinwheel sandwich


Wes' faves: Chicken & noodles, Strawberries, Pineapple, Green pepper, String Cheese, Cottage Cheese w/ Fruit, Roast, Pork, Rolls, Meatballs, Salami, Enchilada

To try for Wes: strawberry and kiwi mix, blueberries, mini tacos or taquitos, tamale, burrito, meatballs with different seasonings, meatballs on rice, fruit kebob, baybel cheese, cucumber slices or sticks


C.J.'s faves: Chicken, Pasta, esp. Mac & Cheese, Grapes, Bananas, Cheese, Turkey, Hot Dogs, Raisins, String Cheese, Sausage, Roast, Rolls, Grilled Cheese

To try for C.J.: pasta salad, shaped grilled cheese and ham, shaped hot dogs, raisin pudding, raviolis, sliced cheese shapes, sausage wrapped in pancake, fruit kebob, sliced ham shapes, baybel cheese, bologna shapes, banana chips

The Stand-Ins

The Dollar Tree of all places had some containers that will suffice until I can get the real deal! They're all 4 cup size and microwaveable, freezer proof, and top rack dishwasher safe. I prefer the ones on the right because of the closures but I'll have to sort of divide them into sections myself. I'll be using silicone baking cups for this. Michael's has square ones that should do and the bright colors will show through the clear plastic- nice! Plus, silicone baking cups are reusable and easy to wash.

Semi-successful

My first hunt for bento accessories while fun, proved only semi-successful. I can't find the actual bento boxes. It's kind of hard to describe the whole process without them! If you google bento you'll get results but I don't want to steal their pictures. The food seriously looks like artwork in some of them, it's amazing! It looks like I'll be doing a bunch of my shopping online, by way of eBay. I did however find some prep tools/accessories.

*DynoBytes sandwich cutter
*Plastic toothpicks
*Muppets plastic cutlery
*6-pc. mini cookie cutter set with a "harvest" theme
*10 pack of mini takeout boxes

I'm considering picking up a couple of these from Tupperware which will suffice:
http://order.tupperware.com/pls/htprod_www/tup_show_item.show_item_detail

(Remember those horrid red-orange ones many of us had as kids?!)

but I'd also like to get some actual Japanese bento boxes. Another option is the Laptop Lunch, which you can also google. Now that is really cool as it comes with a water bottle which the schools are allowing the kids to have with them at all times this year. Menu plan to come next!

Into Bento

For years, children have dreaded opening their brown-bag lunches. Squashed peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, tiny fragments of potato chips,and bruised bananas are none too appealing! But here comes bento, the Japanese style of packing food into neat divided sections in ways that attract the eye. They call it the bento-box. The twist is in making the foods visually appealing. An added benefit is that the containers keep foods from mixing and mushing all together. Small containers also lead to packing a little from each food group, leading to less overeating. The result is a simple, healthful lunch that begs to be eaten.

The school provided lunch this year is $2.70. At 5 days a week that is $13.50 per child. $27 a week for two children. My out-of-pocket expense for one month of school provided hot lunches would be $108! The bargain hunter in me tells me I can do better. And I can definitely do better than hot dogs, corn dogs, and pizza day in and day out.

Hence, my search for bento. The concept appeals to me. I'm hoping my picky toddler will also catch on to bento and give some new foods a try, or at least give some old foods a new chance. The cute and colorful containers are the first purchase I plan on, followed by cookie cutters ranging in size, silicone baking cups, sauce containers, egg molds, character toothpicks, maybe even a wavy veggie shredder. My bento adventure starts tomorrow and I'm so excited! I'll be sure and report back how it goes.

!^&@$*#^%!

You know the day has started out wrong (very wrong) when are awoken way too early...on a weekend...by mad painful CRAMPS!

A Very Wise Rat Once Said

"Each of your brothers has strengths and weaknesses. You must learn to be strong when they are weak. If you don't learn to recognize this...then all hope is lost for our family." -Master Splinter, Sensei

Slight Disappointments

Life is full of them, but if we dwell on them, we lose sight of what's in front of us that makes us truly happy.

I cried a little inside as my gel-lathered belly lay exposed on the ultrasound table. Child #3 was a boy. A wriggling, squirming boy with a rather large head compared to the size of his body. I turned from my husband to shield my eyes from his view, the wetness welling in them like an ocean opening up to swallow a toy sailboat. We already had two boys and this was to be our last baby. There would be no little girl in my future. I wouldn't be buying any cute dresses or baby dolls. I would be surrounded by dirt and dump trucks.

As I got used to the little life occupying my tummy, I came to know where he nestled his sweet little feet (directly under my left ribs) and when he was awake I'd have his two big brothers talk to him and they exclaimed they would read to him and show him how to play T-ball and all the things that big brothers do. And he'd respond by nudging my belly and I'd put the boys' grubby little hands there to feel him kick back and their faces lit up with wonder. Shortly after this he got a name, Connor, by which we called him often as we spoke gently to him. And he was so real to us. So lively. So wanted. The ache in my heart for a girl dulled.

Connor is 3 now. It's been nothing but the joy of my heart to watch the boys grow up together. Tyler is protective and nurturing. He often has made Connor breakfast before I get out of bed. He thinks of ways to include everyone in the games they play. Weston dares the other two to step out of their shells. He's the go-getter and his creative mind is always inventing new adventures. Connor is our laughter. He's very in tuned to feelings and is quite well at giving you a kiss and a cuddle when you need it most. All three together however intertwine to nurture each other and where one is weak, the others strong. When one falls, the others pick him up and dust him off. Sadness is nothing a little wrassle with brothers cannot ward off.

My Mom said a few days ago that I am having trouble letting go of. She was introducing us to my Uncle's old buddy from HS and she said "And this is Connor. He was supposed to be the girl." What the hell? I'm standing right there with Jason and the boys and Jason and I exchanged "the look." I bit my tongue but I'm still hurt by it. Imagine if Connor understood or she says something that bright down the road when he does? I'm just surprised she feels that way because we let go of the temporary upset of not having a girl in our family long ago. We absolutely love our boys! My slight disappointment is now aimed at my mother.

What Connor was supposed to be, he is. He completes and complements our quite goofy and fun-loving family of 5. One of many lessons the boys have taught me unknowingly is that dwelling in disappointment is losing time that would be better spent enjoying my blessings.

It's Me

You Are An INFJ

The Protector You live your life with integrity, originality, vision, and creativity.Independent and stubborn, you rarely stray from your vision - no matter what it is.You are an excellent listener, with almost infinite patience.You have complex, deep feelings, and you take great care to express them. In love, you truly see relationships as an opportunity to connect and grow.You enjoy relationships as long as they are improving and changing. You can't stand stagnation. At work, you stay motivated and happy... as long as you are working toward a dream you support.You would make a great photographer, alternative medicine guru, or teacher. How you see yourself: Hardworking, ethical, and helpful When other people don't get you, they see you as: Manipulative, weak, and unstable

What's" Your Personality Type?

Happy 50th Birthday Mom

I think we're finally on the up and up. We've laughed together and cried together. Laughed AT each other and cried our share of tears that the other had no idea were ever shed. The last few years have strained our mother/daughter relationship but here we are eating dinner together like a family once again. May you find continued happiness in all that you do. Love you!