School Lunches Week 1

Ever since I showed pics of some of the boys lunches 2 school years ago I've had so many of my friends ask for me to post pics of them again.  I didn't really do it last year because adjusting to having 4 kids and everything else going on I ended up not making them as often I would have liked or when I did it was nothing that great so I didn't take pics.  But I'm going to try this year to do it again :)  

You'd think I would have been really prepared for the first week of school, but I wasn't.  I was so busy the weekend before school started that I didn't make a good list/menu and so it wasn't that great but the boys actually really enjoyed them.  I won't be doing as many recipes this year because most that I did 2yrs ago were supposed to be warm and I found that most of them the boys didn't like cold and they have no way of warming food at lunch.  I do hope to find a good thermos that will keep food hot so I can do soups, maybe something like pasta and sauces, etc.  But I have to find one that will actually keep it warm from when they leave the house about 6:50 until they eat at 11:30 and 12:30..so far I haven't found anything.  It also has to be microwaveable so I can pack it the night before and then warm it up in the morning and then it will hold the heat...or I guess I could warm it in another container and put it in that.  If you know of any that will really keep it warm let me know, please!

So anyway, I've been posting them daily on Facebook but I'm going to put them all in one blog at the end of each week.  Hopefully it'll give you some new ideas for your kid's lunches.  And I love hearing what other parents are doing too because I'm always looking for new ideas for their lunches!

First of all, let me tell you about their lunch boxes this year.  We decided on Goodbyn and so far I'm loving them!!  They are by far the best we've tried, I love all the compartments, they are very easy to clean (I've been hand washing but they are dishwasher safe).  The boys loved that they came with sticker to decorate and personalize them (which are also dishwasher safe). The only thing I don't like is they are a little hard for Hayden to open, but he's eating lunch at home (but still packed because he loves his lunchbox) so I'm able to help him open and close it.  Landon and Casen manage with no issues and so far they've fully sealed it back each day so no messes in their insulated bags.  The other thing was it was very hard to find an insulated bag big enough, the ones we got technically aren't quite big enough but they work and have kept their food cold with an ice pack until lunch..so they do their job even though they are a little too small.  The water bottles that come with are great, they don't leak at all!  

Here are the boys decorated boxes :)

Hayden's

His water bottle (says Haydy on one side)

Landon's 

Casen's

Preston's..his is the Bynto size, the boys are the original size

Even the Bynto comes with stickers and a water bottle though

Ok and here are the first week's lunches!  

Day 1

Landon's lunch- Apple Cinnamon Muffin, Babybel Cheese, in the container is applesauce, carrots, grapes, sandwich on whole wheat thin with turkey and muenster cheese, freeze dried tropical fruit mix with milk to drink

Casen's- turkey rolled up on a pick with a grape, babybel cheese, carrots, grapes, apple cinnamon muffin, applesauce, freeze dried tropical fruit mix with milk to drink

Hayden's- turkey rolled up on a pick with grapes, babybel cheese, carrots, pickles, apple cinnamon muffins, applesauce in the container, freeze dried tropical fruit mix with almond milk to drink

Day 2

Landon's- In the container is yogurt, whole wheat thin with turkey and muenster cheese, carrots, strawberry fruit twists, hard boiled egg, cantaloupe strawberries and grapes. Milk to drink. They did ask for me not to send the eggs anymore, they like them but they stink when they open their lunch boxes haha

Hayden decided after the first day to eat at home with me, rather than at school, but he wants his lunches still in his lunch box and would like me to make one for Preston in his so they can eat together. 

So here is Preston's- carrots, hard boiled egg, turkey, fruit salad of cantaloupe strawberries and grapes

Hayden's lunch, Casen's was pretty much the same- Turkey rolled up on picks, in the container his Hayden's soy yogurt (Casen had regular), carrots, fruit twists, babybel cheese, fruit salad of grapes strawberries and cantaloupe.  In his water bottle was his soy/fruit protein drink..Casen had a milk box

Day 3

Pic of Hayden's lunch, but again, him and Casen had pretty much the same- cantaloupe, dino shaped turkey and muenster cheese sandwiches, black olives (Casen had strawberries instead), yogurt granola bar (Casen had an oatmeal raisin trail mix bar..like the one pictured in Landon's lunch for this day), homemade cookie from Grandpa Henry, kabobs of grapes and cheese, applesauce in the container, almond milk to drink (casen had regular milk)

Landon- sandwich on a whole wheat thin of turkey and muenster cheese, homemade cookie from Grandpa Henry, oatmeal raisin trail mix bar, strawberries, kabobs of grapes and cheese, applesauce in the container, cantaloupe with milk to drink

Preston's- a mix of what the others had.  He only ate the sandwich and some grapes, I couldn't believe he ate the grapes because he usually won't eat things like that, like he wouldn't touch the other stuff because it was wet/sticky feeling

Day 4

All had the same so only one pic- apples (which I soaked in pineapple juice so they wouldn't turn brown...worked perfectly!!!! They don't like it when I do it with lemon juice because it makes them too tart, the pineapple juice was perfect!) cubed cheese with a pic, carrots, fruit twists, pineapple, shaped graham crackers, nutella on whole wheat thin, peanut butter for grahams and apples.  Watered down apple juice to drink

Day 5

All the same- kabobs of chicken and cheese, half a whole wheat thin with nutella, veggie straws, peanut butter, cantaloupe and strawberries, strawberry dessert "pizza" and apples.  The pizza ended up getting gooey and gross from the moisture.  I'm going to try it again because I know they'll love it but I think I might put it in it's own baggy in the box so moisture doesn't get on it.  The sections are sealed really well but just from being cold it makes some condensation so it ended up wet.  Watered down apple juice to drink

The boys had a great first week back to school, I hope your kids did too!

Back to School!!!!

Yes, yes, I know how horrible I have been with keeping up with this blog.  This summer was really busy and it was just too much to try and keep up with this.  But now school is back in session, let's see how well I can do now that I have 3hrs to myself everyday!!!!! 

Well it's official.  I am now a mommy of a 4th grader, 2nd grader and preschooler!!!!  I really can't believe it!  They are getting big way too fast!

They started back to school on Monday and have been having a great week so far.  

Landon really likes his teacher and has already made a new friend that he talks about constantly!  He is very excited for this school year.  I always think it's fun to remember some of the things they liked from year to year, so I'll tell you a little about what each boy is into right now.  Landon is now 52in I believe and he's about 57lbs.  He is still really into Lego, it's pretty much all he plays with.  He's also into Halo still, Star Wars, Batman.  His best friends are Kolten and Adrian..his new friend is Andrew so we'll see how that goes over the year :)  He is most excited about science this year and the experiments they will do, he's also very excited about math.  He's least excited about the writing portion of the STAAR test.

Casen is thrilled for summer to be over and him to start 2nd grade!  He's even more excited that he got Landon's 2nd grade teacher!  He is now about 48in and 47lbs.  He is starting to really get into lego as well, he also loves his gears toys.  His best friends are Max and Connor.  He is most excited about learning multiplication and cursive this year.  He is least excited about....nothing!  Haha he said he's excited about all of it.  

Hayden is now in pre-k!!!!  For now at least, he is on the waiting list for another program that would be full day and also help more with his speech so it's possible a spot will open up in the next week or two and he'd be switched over to that.  If not he'll remain in pre-k halfdays.  He goes in the afternoon so he has lunch at home then I drop him off at 11:50 and pick him up at 3.  He is loving it so far and really likes his teacher.  He is doing really well following rules so far.  He was very excited that he brought his crocodile book to school and his teacher read it to the class yesterday.  He is SO into alligators/crocodiles right now.  He is most excited about learning how to write and learning all his letters this year, and least excited about nothing :)  He is now almost 38in and 37lbs.

I do still have Preston home with me!  But he's started napping the entire time Hayden is at school so I pretty much have those 3 hours off to clean, relax, catch up on some tv and clean some more!  He is doing great but he has his 15mo appt tomorrow so I'll update on him then :)

Hope everyone's kids have a great school year!!!

Camp Sunny Patch Melissa and Doug!

Repost from Melissa and Doug!!!

  Melissa & Doug is thrilled to announce the launch of our first-ever virtual summer camp: Camp Sunny Patch!

All season long, our blog will feature exciting original play ideas to help you add a little bit of structure and a whole lot of fun to summer vacation. Each weekly camp activity, written by ourfavorite bloggers, features a creative new way to get your kids moving their bodies and using their imaginations in the great outdoors . . . and you never have to leave your own backyard!

Just check out the weekly activity online to get inspired, then get outside and start having a blast. Download a weekly badge for each session your kids complete, and you can paste it on the printable Camp Sunny Patch poster (available exclusively on our blog and to our email subscribers!).

We’ll have special camp-themed surprises throughout the summer for Melissa & Doug Facebook fans, too. Remember to sign up and tune in to get the latest on giveaways, albums, contests and more.

Best of all, camp is just around the corner–June’s activity calendar will be available in just a few short days. It’s free. It’s fun. And it could be the start of the best summer ever.

See you at Camp Sunny Patch!

For all things Camp Sunny Patch see our Camp Sunny Patch Guide.

You can also click the button on the right hand side to access their Camp Guide

Preston is one today!!!!!

As of 9:30pm tonight, May 31st, Preston was a year old!!!!!  I really can't believe it, this year has gone by faster than ever.  It makes me so sad that he is already 1, I've never really been sad with the other boys.  He's turning into a toddler :(  

From a 7lb 1oz 20in baby 

To a 19lbs 3oz 28in little man

He's now walking well with furniture and this past week has finally started letting us walk with him, holding his hands.  He used to cry when we'd try but now he's figured it out and loves it!  He is a pig and eats everything in sight!  It's surprising he's so small because he eats SO much food!  He's still nursing 3-5x a day and we will continue for hopefully the next year, until he self weans.  He's teething like crazy and has had 5 teeth break through just in the past couple weeks, he now has 11 teeth.  He can say mama, dada, bubba, gugga (Casen), up (though doesn't say it much anymore), more, he's said bye bye a couple times and night night a couple times.  He's not really signing much because he's trying to talk a lot.  

He had his 1yr check up today and it went pretty well.  He still has his heart murmur so they are sending him to a cardiologist, usually it's resolved by a year.  Plus, his weight and height have gone from the 50th% about 5-6mo ago to now it's below the 10th%.  He also wears out easily it seems, he needs a lot of sleep.  So she wants him checked due to all of his past history, make sure everything is ok.  

He sees his urologist for a 1yr follow up next week, hopefully his kidneys look better and not worse.  He gets mild fevers every couple of weeks so I'm really hoping thats not UTIs because that would be causing more damage to his kidneys.  They said that usually they get a high fever but if this is a constant thing maybe not.  With the fevers he doesn't ever act sick but I have noticed he doesn't pee very much when he has them.  Praying everything is looking better then. 

He also has a follow up with his developmental pediatrician but I think that's not until July :)  

I've spent what free time I have had the past few days working on this first year video of him.  He's grown so much <3

The video doesn't seem to be working so I'll upload it tomorrow

Another great giveaway from Mom Spotted!!!!

Go check out the awesome giveaway going on at Mom Spotted!!!  She's giving away a Britax Frontier 85 SICT!!!!!!!!!  Which is a value of $340!  It's an awesome car seat!!!  Good luck to everyone!

Look how awesome it is :)

One thing I love about this seat is it's a forward facing only seat and it's limits state that the child has to be 2yrs old AND 25lbs to use it, finally a manufacturer that doesn't say they can use their seats FF at only 1yrs old!!!!

Summer Bucket List 2012

Well summer is officially here!!!!  Landon has finished 3rd grade, Casen has finished 1st grade and Hayden has finished his first year of preschool!!!!!!  So now I"m busy planning our summer, and having tons of fun doing it!!!  

I have decided we will do a Summer Bucket List, I made an I'm bored jar (that has activities that need no help from me, just ideas that they can do on their own when they are bored), we are going to make a summer scrapbook of all the things we do (including lots of pics taken by the boys), participate in the library reading program and I"m having them keep journals all summer to keep up on writing and spelling.  I have finished the "I'm bored jar" aside from decorating it, when I finish it I'll post a pic.  Then today I'm going to get the stuff to make our Summer bucket List and when that's done I'll post a pic but here are my ideas for it :)

All Day activities: (these will be color coded)

• Pirate's Cove
• Hawaiian Falls
• Eat Backwards Day (dinner, lunch, breakfast)
• Go to the Lego store, each get one small kit/toy
• Spend the day watching movies
• Make your own rock candy (which is actually a couple day process)
• Have a pj day
• Have a no electronics day

Half Day Activities:

• Make and eat homemade ice cream
• Make Tie dye shirts
• Make homemade finger paints and allow them to body paint with them
• Make pillow and blanket forts
• Go to the park and feed the ducks
• Go to the Museum
• Go to the Aquarium
• Go to Chuck E Cheese
• Have an ice cream sundae bar
• Watch a movie and eat popcorn
• Make hot car crayons
• Make and play with soda bottle sprinklers
• Make and use popsicle paint
• Go to a "new to you" park
• Go to splashground
• Wash the car
• Go to drive in
• Go visit Aunt Dessa at work
• Make and take treats to the fire station

2hrs or less:

• Make shark tooth necklaces
• Make a dessert together and eat first, then eat dinner
• Make playdough
• Go for snow cones
• Go out for ice cream
• Go out for frozen yogurt
• Make silly putty
• Make lobster hand and foot prints
• Play in sprinkler
• Have Christmas in July
• Go swimming
• Go to the park
• Go to the bookstore and each get a new book
• Make homemade pizzas for lunch
• Blow bubbles
• Make fresh fruit popsicles
• Have a picnic
• Turn the music up loud and sing and dance
• Make rootbeer floats
• Make bubble bath paint
• Make bouncy balls
• Make lemonade with real lemons
• Make fizzy sidewalk painting
• Make cookies
• Eat watermelon outside and don't care about the mess
• Play a few games of uno
• Make ice cream in a bag
• Play hopscotch
• Go ride bikes
• Get a new coloring book and color
• Make magical playdough mix
• Make marshmallow shooters
• Make a bubble snake maker
• Make a "really big bubble maker"
• Make glow in the dark drinks
• Make sponge balls
• Make gak
• Make a hair gel writing bag
• Marble painting
• Shaving cream painting
• Make glow in the dark slime
• Go to the $ store and each pick something
• Write a letter and mail it
• Put on a play
• Make homeade finger paints and paint a pic
• Make galaxy play dough
• Build with marshmallows
• Have a watermelon eating contest
• Make glow stick lanterns

Then we have some ongoing things:

• Make a summer scrapbook
• Library reading program
• Date night with each kid on their own at least once, if not twice
• Make an art gallery for each kid
• Create a calm down space for each
• Find a good book and read a chapter outloud each day
• Write in journals daily
• Make chalk board message boards for each kid
• Go on lots of playdates!!!!!
• Go swimming at least a few times a week
• Swim lessons
• 2 different Vacation Bible Schools
• Baseball camp for Landon and Casen

It's going to be a great summer!!!!

Zoo trip!!!

Today I took Hayden and Preston to a playdate at the zoo!  It was Preston's first time ever going to the zoo and Hayden's first time in a long time.  So long, in fact, that he swore he had never been before, he didn't remember it lol. He has been asking to go for awhile and was so excited about it.  

So we got there and I started unloading and saw one of the other moms from our playgroup, Shari, parked a couple spots over.  We walked in together and as I was walking in I started thinking what a bad idea this was.  Just from the car to the gates I was already in quite a bit of pain, and I had taken some medicine already to help.  But we get in there and went to the Children's Zoo section and met up with the other moms.  In there they have a river type thing for the kids to play in, get wet and cool off.  Hayden loved that and ended up soaked!

They also had huge eggs that the kids could climb in

Also a big nest.  Hayden climbed in and started saying "tweet tweet" lol

There were also some chickens that were hanging out with us, eating food other people have dropped...and I might have dropped 1-2 crackers for them....

After playing for awhile we decided to go look at some animals and Hayden REALLY wanted to see the crocodiles so we headed in that direction.  We stopped and saw some other things on the way.  Hayden seriously was loving every bit of it, he was so excited to see each animal.  

It was pretty hot so he kept cool with his spray fan

Then we started heading towards the monorail.  Hayden was SO excited about this, couldn't stop talking about it, didn't want to stop and look at anything else on the way, just wanted to make it to the "train".  So we get up there and he sees how it's open on one side and pretty high up and he freaked out  lol.  He decided he did NOT want to go on it and that he was scared.  But after some convincing he went and got on and absolutely loved it.

On the monorail we saw some zebras

Pelicans

Went under a waterfall

Then we saw Hayden's favorite, again, the crocodile!!!!!

After the monorail ride a couple of the moms were ready to go so me and Dawn headed with our kids over to the carousel so they could ride

Dawn left after that and I took Hayden over to the gift shop to find some crocodile stuff.  We ended up getting him a stuffed croc and a gummy croc

Then we made our way back to the car.  By this point I was in so much pain I honestly didn't think I'd make it to the car but somehow I did.  Hayden was also hurting because when his pants got wet at the very beginning they never dried and they rubbed the insides of his legs the entire time he was walking and now it's really red and sore :(  But we really had a great time.  I wish Mark had been there with us (the older boys too).  Hayden seriously enjoyed every second, I'm not sure I've seen him quite that happy before.  It was awesome <3 

Preston really didn't do much, he just hung out in his stroller, took a nap and did seem to enjoy the monorail ride.  But he didn't pay any attention to any animals or anything yet.  So hopefully mark will get to experience his real first visit to the zoo, when he actually participates.  I did get him a cute little zebra though :)