Healthy Kid Lunches

I was scouring the net just now looking for some new ideas for my daughter's school lunches... it seems like I pack the same things for her day in and day out, and I want to add some new items.

Then it occurred to me that other Moms might be doing the same thing, so I thought I'd post my list in case it gives someone else some new ideas :-)

The following are some things I have packed for my daughter for school lunches:

• Cheese sandwich on whole grain bread


• Frozen juice box as an ice pack


• Cheese string


• Mini carrots


• Banana


• Granola bar


• Apple sauce


• Fish crackers


• Cheerios


• Fig Newtons


• Green grapes

...see what I mean? It's all good stuff, but there's not a whole lot there. My daughter is pretty picky. I guess I'll just keep surfing and see what else I can come up with...

Chewing Hair

My daughter has hair down to her waist.

Kind of.

Now she has two mid-cheek length fringes on either side of her face. The layered look? Yup. A hair dresser? Nope. She chewed it that way herself.

That's right, she chewed her hair. Chow down, baby... and pass the ketchup.

It was cute for a couple of days - you know, kids and their weird and endearing habits - until I noticed that some of her hair has been significantly shortened.

Um... hang on.

So today after school when she put another big chunk in her mouth, I couldn't help myself - I threatened her with a real hair dresser appointment (as in, scissors - not teeth).

"If you're going to chew it off, I'm going to take you in and have it ALL cut off!"

I was then the recipient of a narrowed eyes dirty look.

"Well Mommy, I could still chew it!!"

(Um... EXCUSE ME??? You want to take on your MOTHER???)

She's got spunk, I'll give her that. But for all her tough kid comebacks, I haven't seen any hair in her mouth since...

How To Keep Kids Quiet While Others Are Sleeping

What? You think I know?

Hubby works shift work, and I think the poor man has given up on having a quiet house to sleep in.

The kids mean well (when they remember). Asking a four and five year old to remember something for longer than 30 seconds is like asking me to stick with a diet.

Anyway... at the moment my Dad is visiting and sleeping in our basement, the sleeping area of which is located directly below our living room. Anyone who's lived in the basement suite of a house built in the 70's knows how noisy the ceilings are when people walk overhead.

So my daughter very thoughtfully turns down the volume of her Bratz DVD player ("Grandpa is sleeping!"). They sing along to the Barney music in nice quiet voices, trying their best to be good.

The song "If You're Happy And You Know It" comes on, and they quietly demonstrate their happiness by... stomping their feet.

(sigh)

Pass the ice cream!!!

Saving Money On Birthday Presents

Here's a quick tip for saving money on all the birthday gift madness your kids inflict on you...

(I haven't learned the art of saying "I'm sorry but - insert child name - won't be able to make it, but thanks for the invite".)

This is what a friend of mine does. Her daughter is only ten months old, so she can get away with it, without being hounded by her own child. (Me? I'll have to wait until A & J are BOTH in school full time so they're not shopping with me, and there to wail, whine and wallow in the misery of Mean Mommy Aways Says No.)

Anyway, my thrifty friend has a "gift closet", and any time she sees something on sale, she buys it and hides it in the closet. She never, ever, ever (did I mention ever?) pays full price for kids' gifts.

This is definitely on my to-do list for the future...

Blog Book - The Self Publishing Option

Ohhhh!!!! Look what I found:

http://www.blurb.com/create/book/blogbook

I've been toying with the idea of taking this blog and putting in paper format as a keepsake for my kids.

I used to scrapbook, but don't really have time anymore (blogging is faster and easier 'cause you don't have to have anything printed). Then it occurred to me that if Blogger ever shut down, and my PC (with all the post e-mails) crashed, I'd lose all my content.

Another neat thing about blogging is that quite often you record little moments and thoughts that you (or I, anyway!) might not scrapbook about. It's like a daily journal of your kids life.

I think I might do it... I just have to figure out where the cut off should be. Maybe a yearly book - we're getting close to the of 2008, so maybe in January of 2009 I could create a 2008 book?

I'll keep you posted on what I decide, and how it turns out...