Thursday, February 28, 2013

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”
Dr. Seuss, Happy Birthday to You! 


Saturday is Dr. Seuss's Birthday and Read Across America you can find all kinds of printables online. Need lunch ideas or other fun snacks? Check out this linky at Bento Bloggers & Friends for all kinds of Seussical wonderment.

The monkey's classes haven't done their Seuss days yet and to be honest I've been overwhelmed with commitments lately. So while I had high aspirations, I fell a bit flat on delivery. He is our all time favorite author though so here's a beginning and hopefully this robot squirrel gets her groove back soon.


Green Eggs and Ham

When tasked to pick his favorite Dr. Seuss book, Green monkey of course picked Green Eggs & Ham. He would not, could not eat ham today, so his is a PB&J. Dressed up with green Americolor marker and a slice of cheese, what can I say I aim to please. He wanted a green egg to eat, so we dyed it and poached it and wrapped it up neat. Green honeydew to chew and chew, and some green broccoli for garnish but that simply would not do. He would not eat his broccoli, or the yolk of his green egg. He would not eat them here or there, he would not eat them anywhere. What he did do was bring his book, and read it to his class, so they could look.


Oh the Places You'll Go

 “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...”
Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!

For little Blue monkey it was clear to pick Oh the Places you'll Go, to know him is to love him, be he never goes slow. First he raced down carrot roads in apple and grape mobiles, pretty rough terrain for delicate wheels. Next it was up up and away, he just could not help but fly away today. When you can't decide which way to go, round and round the world wherever the winds may blow. 





The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!”
Dr. Seuss,
How the Grinch Stole Christmas 


One last lunch, then I'll let you be. The Grinch is one from Christmas past but still very dear to me. I get a bit grinchy from time to time, hide in my cave, and yes sometimes whine. Our lunchy Grinch is made of turkey and cheese, on a spinach tortilla with fruity hat that whipped up like a breeze.

"The Grinch: The nerve of those Whos. Inviting me down there - on such short notice! Even if I wanted to go my schedule wouldn't allow it. 4:00, wallow in self pity; 4:30, stare into the abyss; 5:00, solve world hunger, tell no one; 5:30, jazzercize; 6:30, dinner with me - I can't cancel that again; 7:00, wrestle with my self-loathing... I'm booked. Of course, if I bump the loathing to 9, I could still be done in time to lay in bed, stare at the ceiling and slip slowly into madness. But what would I wear? "


“So be sure when you step, Step with care and great tact. And remember that life's A Great Balancing Act. And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed) Kid, you'll move mountains.”
Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You'll Go! 

Now click through that linky, and go read great books that help you thinky.

Saturday, February 23, 2013

February 19-22

You know those moments, ok weeks, when time speeds up? You barely dog paddle to gasp for air? This has been one of those weeks. So what do lunches made by the crazy over scheduled mom look like? The I can't plan a theme ahead, or remember why I went to the kitchen for the 3rd time? This is that week. My green monkey is fixing to turn 6 next Wednesday. So family visits, party planning, school fundraising, mom's group activities, sports, all requiring more time and energy than I (or anyone) possess and you get this. Thing is even sloppy lunch is healthier than a lunchable. Still more creative than the cafeteria foods available. So not my most epic pinnable week, but got 'er done as they say down here in Texas.

Monday - Presidents Day. My kid still had school. Here's Mount Rushmore on money sandwiches.
In this lunch :
  • Ham and Turkey dollar sandwiches
  • Mount Rushmore Provolone
  • Cucumber coins
  • Flag apple
Tuesday - Happy Birthday Copernicus!
Green Monkey - Hello Sunshine
 In this lunch :
  • Carrots
  • Peanut butter & jelly sandwich with americolor markers on a toast stamp for design
  • Sun orange
  • Vanilla pudding with star sprinkles
Blue Monkey - Around the galaxy
 In this lunch -
  • Annie's organic just stars soup with hotdog plannets
  • 9 grapes for the planets (yes I still include pluto)
  • Vanilla pudding with moon and stars sprinkles
  • Carrots and ranch sun
Wednesday - Octopus...this is where fatigue set in, not my finest 6am moment, but he loved it. Sometimes we need to appreciate the simple things.

In this lunch :
  • Ham, turkey and cheese octopus, yes there are 8 tendrils just hard to see since they aren't cut thin enough.
  • Strawberries
  • Peanut butter and celery
Thursday - Party prep and we all have Doctor Who on the brain. Took lil Blue to Goodnight Moon the musical yesterday yet he still wanted a TARDIS too.

Green Monkey - A town called Mercy Doctor
 In this lunch :
  • Peanut butter and jelly cowboy hat, head, bow tie with provolone cheese on top (yes I am aware I can't draw free hand)
  • Badge babybel
  • Carrots
  • Grapes
Blue Monkey - Goodnight Moon Doctor

 In this lunch in Yubo:
  • Peanut butter and jelly and pretzel red balloon, bed with TARDIS bedspread, and bunny with candy eye
  • Lettuce great green room with cheese moon
  • Carrots
  • Grapes
Friday -  Normally he gets to buy lunch on Friday...but he's been having difficulties behaving at school so he lost that privilege and so I made a slapdash Cyberman...I wish I hadn't been up since 3am because the bars should be higher above the helmet. But I was on party prep overload so...
  In this lunch :
  • Peanut butter and Jelly Cyberman
  • Cheese and crackers
  • Vanilla pudding with sprinkles
  •  Carrots
  • Grapes
The birthday party was awesome but I'm exhausted so I'll post that later :)

Friday, February 15, 2013

My Geeky Valentine Blog Hop

Jumping in a bit late but I couldn't resist joining in the camaraderie of Edible Geekery and their fabulous My Geeky Valentine Blog Hop.

I am not a mushy gooey Valentine's person, but we do love geeky stuff and that's how we rolled this year with our lunches.

Doctor Who


In this lunch :
  • Layered heart sandwich ham, turkey, and cheese and TARDIS topped with cheese and marshmallow
  • Double heart cheese and crackers
  • Heart watermelon, strawberry, and grape
Here is his corresponding valentine he made for school 
 TARDIS with 2 hearts, Hershey chocolate heart, and bubbles.

In this lunch :
  • Jelly and butter bagels
  • Cheese letters
  • Heart strawberries
  • "X" carrots
  • Heart brownie
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

So long and thanks for all the fish

In this lunch :
  •  Dolphins swimming around a heart PB&J, flipped the heart inside out for contrast in our Yubo
  • M&Ms
  • Goldfish
  • Strawberries


Now Hop along and see what Karen over at What's In Our Lunch Bags? Keep on hopping until you get all the way back here again and we'll meet back up at the end of the Universe. Happy Hopping!


Valentine's Day

Sorry this is up after Valentine's day but its been that kind of week. So many fun parties for the kids though so I had to do at least a party wrap up.

Valentine's Day was yesterday but we've been adding love to our food all month it seems. Here's some of the highlights from this month. I wanted to have this up earlier but it has been that kind of week :)

Breakfasts

 Love bug chocolate chip pancakes

 Mickey Mouse pancakes

Mommy loves you pancakes - no I don't look like that just being silly
Scrambled egg heart
Heart omelets and bacon roses

 Directions :
  • Roll bacon
  • Secure with toothpick
  • Place on a wire rack over a pan ( mine fits perfectly on an 8" square cake pan)
  • Bake at 350 for 25-30 min or until browned, turning a few times
  • Once cooled a bit you can remove the toothpick and add stems
  • My stems are 1/2 of a green pipe cleaner, twist a leaf.
 Little monkey's Valentine breakfast

Mommy's Valentine breakfast
Party Foods

Little Smokie hearts and veggie tray


Directions :
  •  Cut smokie diagonally in the middle, turn to form a heart
  • Wrap with crescent roll dough
  • Bake at 375 for 15 min or until golden. I use Pillsbury dough. 
  • Heart foil pan and veggies (carrots, cauliflower and broccoli) in the center

Strawberry Pie Pops

 Directions :
  • Pillsbury pie crust cut with heart cookie cutter
  • 2 egg whites whipped for wash
  • Brush one heart with egg white
  • Add a dollop (yep very technical I know) of pie filling I used strawberry
  • (Optional) Insert stick to the middle, wrap the exposed stick with foil so it won't burn
  • Add second heart
  • Seal all the way around by pressing a fork around the edges
  • Brush top with egg white  - You can leave it plain like these or decorate with sprinkles
  • Bake on parchment paper at 375 for 15-17 min
  • Let cool a few minutes before gently moving to a wire rack to cool completely
  • I winged it but here's directions from Pillsbury I just found
My fellow BBF Keeley made these gluten free this week as well check out her great tutorial over at Keeley McGuire

Chocolate dipped Strawberries


Valentines
 
Teachers
  • 2 dipped Strawberries
  • 2 mini strawberry pies

 


Green Monkey - Time Lords love twice as much
  • TARDIS with 2 hearts on card stock
  • Hershey's chocolate heart
  • Bubbles
  • He wrapped his box by himself and decorated with foam stickers


 Blue Monkey - You blow me away!
  • Bubbles on blue card stock
  • Hershey chocolate heart
  • Bubbles
  • Daddy wrapped his for him, he added the stickers



Our Lunches are on the previous posts:
I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day. 




Thursday, February 14, 2013

Love in your lunch

So this week needs a disclaimer that I am completely burnt out and rundown. I need to recharge my robot batteries. The monkeys don't mind though they still love me and don't even notice when I mess up. Which reminds me that no matter how many plans I have in my head they are pleased with anything and it doesn't matter if I never catch up on the "to-do" list. I set the bar high because they deserve it, sometimes gravity just knocks you off your toes. I did not get to any of the 100th day of school ideas I had pinned, but we made up for it the next day by celebrating 101st day of school HA!

Monday  - 100th Day of School!!! Green monkey requested a Buzz Lightyear, the artwork is...hand sketched and I can't draw so use your imagination.

In this lunch :
  • Babybel star
  • Ham and cheese star with hand sketched Buzz Lightyear
  • Grapes
  • Pirates booty
Tuesday - Since Green Monkey wanted Buzz on 100th day ... here's to 101!

 In this lunch :
  • 101 Day of school! Peanut butter and jelly 1's
  • Jelly and butter bagel 0
  • 101 cucmbers
  • 101 apple
I love you in our Yubo lunchbox for blue monkey


In this lunch :
  • I brownie - Had to use up the football brownies from Superbowl week
  • New toast stamp from Target, but it was hard to read on our jelly toast, so I added jelly to the heart and colored in "you" with edible markers,
  • "V" carrots
  • Heart watermelon
Wednesday - I love you Oodles 
We love Doctor Who so this is our Valentine Ood lunch for Green Monkey
In this lunch :
  • Jelly and butter bagels
  • Cheese letters
  • Heart strawberries
  • "X" carrots
  • Heart brownie
Thursday - Happy Valentine's Day! You're a heart-breaker In our Yubo lunch box for blue 


 In this lunch :
  • Broken heart PB&J
  • Fruit roll-up fortune cookie
  • Heart strawberries
  • Broken heart brownie
Eat your heart out for Green monkey

 In this lunch :
  • Inverted heart PB&J
  • Heart Babybel
  • Fruit roll-up fortune cookie
  • Heart strawberries
  • Heart brownie
Awesome fruit roll-up from She Knows for fruit roll-up fortune cookies. I couldn't resist making them once a fellow BBF Jeana at  The Tiny Princess Lunch Box mentioned it, thanks for the idea! These are just brilliant and I happened to have mini strawberry fruit roll-ups in the pantry and parchment paper on hand.

I'll be back with all the party fun we've had this week. But for now, off to do those room-mommy crazy things. Happy Valentine's Day!

Friday, February 8, 2013

February 4 - 8 Lunches

The monkeys were off school again this time for teacher training conferences. So I went back to just a weekly post this week. I did include a few of my on-the-go lunches as well, because hey Momma has to eat too!

Tuesday - We headed out to the Austin Nature and Science Center with some friends to play.

 In my lunch :
  • Garden salad with carrots, broccoli, cauliflower
  • Tuna butterfly with string cheese
  • Trail mix - almonds, pistachios, yogurt covered raisins, dark chocolate goji berries, dark chocolate acai berries
  • Grapes and strawberries
In Green monkey's lunch :
  • PB&J sandwich with string cheese Tic-Tac-Toe
  • Teddy grahams
  • Grapes and strawberry
  • Pickles - He wanted a pickle sandwich I talked him into a side of pickles instead

In Blue monkey's Yubo lunch box:
  • PB&J with string cheese Tic-tac-toe
  • Teddy grahams
  • Grapes and strawberry
  • Carrots
Wednesday - We were supposed to go play but they chose to stay home instead. I had already packed lunches.
In my lunch:
  • Salad with broccoli and S carrots celebrating the upcoming Chinese New Year - Year of the snake
  • Ham and cheese and turkey and cheese roll-ups
  • Almonds and pistachios
  • Grapes and strawberry

In Blue monkey's lunch :
  • PB&J Snake with candy eyes and fruit leather tongue
  • Veggies straws
  • S shaped snake watermelon
In Green monkey's lunch :
  • PB&J AT-AT (front view) with pretzel guns
  • Pirates booty
  • Droid watermelons
Thursday - Back to school for Green monkey, back to errands and gym for little blue and me (We ate out).
In Green monkey's lunch : Time lords love twice as much
  • Layered heart sandwich ham, turkey, and cheese and TARDIS topped with cheese and marshamallow
  • Double heart cheese and crackers
  • Heart watermelon, strawberry, and grape

Friday - Green monkey buys lunch at school, Blue and I come picnic with him.
 In my lunch :
  • Salad with carrots, ham and turkey roll-ups, Cheese cupid hearts
  • Almonds and pistachios
  • Grapes
 In Blue monkey's Yubo lunch box : He asked for a planet
  • PB&J Earth with cheese hearts
  • Grapes
  • Carrots
Since Valentine's day is next week I've been sneaking hearts into their lunches all month. Next week is filled with parties stay tuned for our homemade valentines coming up this weekend.