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Dollar Tree Score!!!!

I almost NEVER go to the dollar store. I just don't think about it - I'm a Target fan and a frequent Wal-Mart shopper :) BUT - ever since I started with the bento lunches I've wanted to get in there and see what they have as far as cute little containers for the kids' lunches. I love their 2 tier Bento boxes but when we're just eating at home those really aren't necessary. So today I had SPARE time (really...I did!) before getting Braden so I stopped in. I do have to say that Dollar Tree is the Macy's of dollar stores LOL It's better than others so I'm glad there is one close for times like this.



Aren't these CUTE??? Oh my gosh I love them! I would've bought every animal set they had if I thought I could get away with it (Darren is NOT a fan of dollar stores so I'm going to need to bring these in a little at a time!). I need to get a little basket or tub to start keeping all this stuff in - then I can let the kids pick what they want to use - so fun!

There is a bowl with lid - and that lid is very tight fitting which makes me super happy. Then there are, what I'm calling, yogurt cups and a spoon! How cool is that? We buy yogurt in the larger tub instead of single serve cups so these are perfect! Not to mention if I want to give them pudding or jell-o...maybe diced fruit. isn't it funny that I can spend a few bucks and be so happy???

I also grabbed this Toy Story number puzzle mat for Braden. Counting isn't his strong suit - he thinks 6 is a floater and can go where ever it's needed. He loved it and did great...the 6 is even in his assigned spot! I think Mrs. Ellett must be doing her job right at school!!! (I also picked up some scotch tape for Hailee because I want to be the best mom in the world and that will do it!)



that's all - just had to share my excitement! :)

learning new things is HARD work!

Pre-K in the mornings, playing in the afternoon. That gets exhausting!!!

once I made sure his mouth was empty I put him to bed. It was 6:30pm :) he's down for the night....I hope!

**Public Service Announcement**

If you have a spring loaded air rifle (aka bb gun) and you know it's malfunctioning - don't try to be the big man and force it to do what it isn't wanting to do - because you will NOT win. you WILL slice your thumb open, scrape up and bruise your elbow, bleed all over your wife's kitchen and make her follow you with a bottle of bleach cleaner, ruin one good towel trying to stop that blood, freak out your kids, spend an evening in the ER getting a tetanus shot and some dermabond. then you will be unable to use that thumb because it's hurts worse than when you knocked 2 teeth out with a wrench. you WILL also get a 10 day supply of antibiotics and some fun pain pills :)

okay - if you don't like looking at open wounds stop here! LOL









(this photo was taken this morning, 16 hours after it happened...still sort of "sticky" and possibly not quite glued well enough......and I did not take a picture of the other side)

minimizing the bento

Braden is in one of his phases where he isn't eating. It happens every few weeks. So I had to remember to cut back on the food and make sure it's something more "snack like".

of course it has to be healthy - SO we have peanut butter (protein), sliced banana (fruit), 6 low fat graham cracker pieces (1 1/2 crackers...grains), and raisins (fruit AND fiber LOL). Except for a few raisins he ate it all and drank all his milk. Nothing wasted. And I just served it in a Rubbermaid square container we have - need to find something smaller and cuter :)

(Hailee got minimal, too -she's been bringing food home. 1/2 pita w/pb & j, cantaloupe, honeydew, and some grapes with a bottle of water)

Love when nothing is wasted - I'd rather them eat less and more often than waste food because I gave them too much.

oh yeah - it's FRIDAY!!! 2 days free of the alarm clock - then Monday starts a short week and Thursday starts a 4 day weekend - lots of happiness for this mommy!

boring bento's today

Hailee requested peanut butter, butter, and jelly sandwich today. I did not feel like cutting it up all cute like so instead I stuck a veggie face on it for her LOL add in some flower kiwi, sliced plum, and flower cucumber with carrot and celery sprinkles - voila. a lunch that is healthy, sort of cute, sort of boring :)


Braden's is a bit different with his veggies - cucumber shapes cut by hand (star, diamond, square) and no "sprinkles". He's eating less these days so I have to minimize for him.

oh- the monkeys have mini m&m's in them - it holds 8 and they think they've scored in the candy department!!!

Monday Bento's

Hailee's new favorite bread is a pita. Yesterday (no photo taken) the kids had cream cheese & strawberry jam in a pita. Today is school so I decided not so sweet!

Hailee - juice box, pasta salad (rigatoni, mini pepperoni, peas, and a bit of ranch dressing), cucumber flowers, grapes (normally there's more but had no room!), celery & carrot bits, pita with cream cheese & ham, smarties in the monkey, oh and ranch!


Braden - the rest of the pita, lots of carrot & celery with ranch, grapes, pasta salad, and candy!

Hailee this morning in a new shirt from Grandma & Grandpa J. 3/4 sleeves on a 98 degree day. She's an odd one :)

Cleaning is tiring work!

Around 5pm on Saturday I decided it was time Braden cleaned up all his toys in the living room. He had his race track set up - ALL his little hot wheels around the room - a golf cart with clubs and balls - plus other things. As I was telling what to pick up next he laid his head down - not even a minute later this is what happened:


He stayed asleep for about an hour. Then woke up and finished cleaning up his mess! Guess that break was needed LOL

Thursday eats.

I'm following this blog - What's for lunch at our house - and love getting new ideas on bento lunches - I have to limit a bit on Hailee's since her lids need to fit, so nothing over the edges, but so far we're doing good. If she were a big eater I may be in trouble!

Today Hailee decided that she wants to buy milk because she's tired of juice - she made it 5 days with juice, that's a record for her - she's not a big fan! I plan on getting a little bag for her to put her lunch box/bag into along with a bottle of water - that way it stays all together for her and the lunch bin at school. But for now she's happy getting chocolate milk in the cafeteria.

**

her top tray holds half of an everything bagel thin with cream cheese and deli ham, cucumber flowers and ranch. lower tray has some left over green beans, grape skewers, and 2 skittles in the monkey - yes, that's all that monkey will hold! LOL



Braden's has the other half of the bagel thin (these are AWESOME by the way - try them!), carrot sticks and ranch, and skittles in the monkey...peach skewers and a boiled egg that I will slice peel and slice before he eats it. I always have an alternate protein for him - he may only eat one part of the bagel and all the egg - or even none of the bagel. He's not a HUGE sandwich eater outside of pb & j but I just keep offering. When it's cut like a fish or dinosaur though it must taste better! LOL

**

Braden is feeling better so thank you for all the well wishes - I think it was just some funky thing that upset his stomach because by 2:30 yesterday he was running around playing and asking if I'd take him to school LOL

today is busy for me - on top of around the house chores and baking I have to take Hailee to soccer practice after school - then drop the kids off with Darren (not sure if he's meeting me or if I'm taking them home) so that I can get to Hailee's school for her "back to school night". I think Darren is taking the kids out for dinner and I don't even know WHEN or WHAT I'll eat! LOL I bet I sleep good tonight!

Happy Thursday - one more day until the weekend!!!

poor little man

so my little boy is home sick today. he isn't eating and when he tried he didn't keep it down.

but - I have to make sure things are available if he wants them - so I put a few things together to try to get him to snack.
apple sauce, mutligrain saltine crackers, and "grape sticks". of course apple juice, and there's ginger ale, too. just a little bit for him to try - right now he's asleep so I guess I'll put this in the fridge for later.

Hailee wanted me to photo her lunch but I forgot - she has a ham & cheese pita sandwich, cucumber flowers with ranch, berry juice and 2 skittles in her monkey - she'll at least be happy I shared what it was :)

1st day of school

first off - getting lots of questions about the Bento's I'm using for the kids' lunches. I'll try to answer all the questions but feel free to ask more if you need to and I'll do my best to help - I'm new at this but having fun and the kids think it's the best!

I bought all my supplies at this store: All Things For Sale

The stacking boxes with lids and the insulated bags were $13.99 each. I then bought silicone divider cups (you can get them anywhere though, they are mini muffin size), one shaped sandwich cutter (it has 4 shapes - heart, bird, fish, tulip), picks, and the monkey containers.

The "trays" measure 5.75 x 2.75 x 1.25 (small) and 5.75 x 2.75 x 1.5 (bigger). they are small but that's the appeal to my kids - I make smaller food or cut it and they get a good variety instead of JUST a sandwich and fruit. So far Hailee says she has had enough food and gets full at lunch.

Here are pictures from Thursday, the 1st day of school:

in Braden's lunch: Carrots with ranch in the silicone cup, heart & fish shaped peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, banana bread cut into cubes and put on the picks, watermelon. Inside the monkey were 2 sweet tart candies.


Hailee's lunch: juice box (this fits in the deeper of the 2 trays, kiwi fruit, cubed banana bread, cheese cubes and mini pepperoni on picks. sweet tarts in the monkey (notice the bow on her monkey!)



this is with the lids on. the top lid has her napkin but it came with plastic chopsticks. for Hailee that's an invite to play with her food and for Braden that means sword fight - so the chopsticks are put away!


here they are in the bag. I just love the gingham bags!!!! Hailee's bag is red, Braden's is navy.




so there you have it - Hailee says her friend commented on how it's the tiniest lunch box she's ever seen - but then also commented on all her yummy food!!!



now - school pictures!


these were taken by the gate in our driveway - I do this every year. It's a good way to see how the kids have grown - except about 2 months ago Darren had to replace the pickets and repair the gate because it was sagging and couldn't be opened - so I really can't judge Hailee's height this year - but I can really see how much taller she is compared to Braden! maybe she'll exceed me in height??????






Hailee outside her school sign....again I do this every year.

getting her papers and lunch out of her bag.


looking ever so beautiful. wow - so proud to say that "I made her!" go me!


she came HOME!!!! yay! (notice the hair - she NEVER comes home with her hair fixed the way I do it in the mornings LOL)

Braden wanted another picture when we took him to school (he's afternoon) since he had his backpack. Isn't he so CUTE? and he looks so little! but happy to say I made him, too!!! :)


outside his sign (our "home" school doesn't offer preK so I have to take him to a different school this year)

hanging his pack on the hook


mommy putting his football name tag on


my little man - so into playing with the girls that he wouldn't even look up to say good bye! :( I did get a kiss and hug eventually :)


so there you have it. Day one. I now have 2 school aged children - pre-kindergarten and 3rd grade. Dang, 3rd grade. that sounds so REAL and BIG! how did that ever happen? I bet I say the same thing next year :)

hope ya'll are having fun with your new school year or are getting ready to start! We're hoping for a great year and they're both eager to see what they get to do and learn!

My first Bento Lunch for the kids

With Hailee starting school tomorrow I wanted to do a practice pack! So today I packed her lunch as if I were sending her to school. The top tray has the juice box, animal crackers, and 3 jelly beans inside that adorable little monkey. The bottom tray is ham and cheese shaped sandwiches (heart and tulip), pineapple skewer and cucumber slices. She did ask for ranch so I will need to find a container to hold that for her. The lids fit perfectly so this would be good for school - she did not eat the animal crackers - she is a light eater so this was plenty of food. I could obviously get more food without the juice, but if Hailee has more to carry she has more to lose or forget - and believe me she would LOL


I packed Braden's differently since they really were eating at the table, and he won't be eating at school anyway. He has the fish and bird sandwich (one cutter did all 4 shapes) cucumber slices, and jelly beans in the top tray. The other holds half boiled egg, animal crackers and pineapple. He ate all of it (except the yolk) along with a juice box AND a glass of milk.


so there's my first attempt at a Bento lunch. The kids love it - love having small, cute things with variety. Darren at first thought it was silly but he's warmed up to the idea so next month I'll warm him right up to letting me order more cutesy things for packing and preparing the foods!!!!



eta: here's where I bought them ALL THINGS FOR SALE

so stinkin' cute!!!!!

new sugarplums!!!!!

seriously! isn't that "take a seat" set so cute and versatile? you could do fall theme, Christmas, snow, day at the park - ugh I can't wait until Monday to see it all!!!

a few {unedited} photos

My geek won't give me CS5 to do photo editing yet (stupid laptop is still moody) so here are some pictures right from the camera.


this year's corn. It's in the pot getting blanched. our crop this year tastes SO much better than last year - and last year was GOOD!!




bacon & cheese muffins. Hailee's pick but after having one she said they'd be better with OUT bacon. hmmmm... (yesterday I made olive, mushroom & mozzerella and she is now very happy again....today I'm making blueberry for my unadventurous husband)





My little guy starts pre-K in just 11 days. He has been very hard to teach writing to. So I used one of my many fonts and let him practice tracing his name. He does SO good, but does every letter backwards....and he works from right to left. His teacher is going to have her work cut out for her with this one. He is not nearly as ready as Hailee was - but I've heard it's because he's a boy. and I've heard it's because he's the 2nd child. and I believe it's because he's stubborn and only likes to do things HIS way LOL


Hailee wanted her hair curly like Taylor Swift. She said if I put her hair in braids it will work. So after her bath I spent over 30 minutes braiding her hair so she could sleep with them.


Here she is the next morning - not so Taylor Swift-like in my opinion. But she was happy with it and refused to let me wash her hair that night. (love the drowsy little boy that HAD to be in the photo??? gotta love early mornings)



well that's all I have for now. This week will be busy because flaky mom that I am has not been shopping for school clothes or supplies so I get to do it ALL now. The kids meet their teachers on the 10th and their first day is the 12th! I have a HUGE list of things to cook and bake to keep myself busy in the afternoons so I'm actually looking forward to it (until I have to leave my baby with a woman I don't know for 2 1/2 hours!)

enjoy the rest of your weekend folks!

a quick post

not much today - but I need to post this as a pat on my own back.

I have *OFFICIALLY* lost another 9 pounds which puts me at 30 total - it's been a long, tough year but I never gave up. 10 more to go - 20 if I really focus!!!!



I have some new photos of the kids to share - as soon as I get them off the camera...


have a great weekend friends!!!

check this out!

Lollipop Crafts

A new blog for scrappy challenges! and guess what? they're having a design team call! tell your friends - also, become a follower and tell them I sent ya!

(and how CUTE is that name??? love it!)

hello sunshine

hello sunshine, originally uploaded by Created by Corey.

Here is a quick little card I made today. I think it's pretty darn adorable!!! I am loving my new Papertrey Ink stamps and dies. They all can be used so many ways!

This is Fillable Frames 5 with sentiment. I cut the paper, then stamped the frame outline followed by the sentiment. The bee is a digital image from Holly Jones and that cute little thing is attached with a pop dot! The papers are Cosmo Cricket Delovely and the vibrance of their colors just make me SMILE!!!

I'm thinking of doing more similar to this but maybe with a white frame. Would make a great gift set don't you think?

I {love} Unity!

If you aren't familiar with Unity now is the time! They are an awesome company - so generous and always thinking of their fans and customers. oh, and their STAMPS? wow!!!!!!!!!!

check this out... Unity on Facebook - read that blog post then fan them and refer!

much better now!

The day after the 4th I came down with a cold. How someone gets a cold in July is beyond me, but I did it. To make things worse I had to sleep elevated so I could breathe and ended up getting a terrible strain in my neck that lasted 4 days! I still have just a bit of a kink along with a cough, but other than that I'm so much better now. thank, God!

on a happier note - I have broke the plateau! I finally lost an extra pound so not only did I lose the 5 pounds I gained at Christmas, I lost an extra! I wish I could say I did it while still eating breads and grains and carbs. but I can't. Carbs are bad - I know that now. and by not eating them I have lost more weight. So I'll keep going with it and see what happens. BUT - when family comes to visit and they want to go to Zio's for dinner - I'm totally going for it! I figure if I can do good and get the weight off a treat every now and then won't KILL me! might make me gain a few pounds, but now I know how to get them off! Now to lose those last 20 that I've been working towards!

I also, just today, finished the last of my design team projects for the Aug/Sep issue of Ready, Set, Create!!!! I need to get photos taken and send them off to Jen - but I'm done and that is a great feeling!!!!

Hope ya'll had a great weekend - I hope to be back with some new photos later in the week!

the 4th of july in photos

well getting these pictures in order takes too long for my patience today, so you'll just have to go with it. :)

This is Colette and Hailee - C is actually almost 2 years younger than Hailee but she's taller and they both act the same age - 20. LOL these 2 don't see each other very often but when they do it's like long lost sisters! they have so much fun together!

ugh. then there's these 2. The future Mr & Mrs Braden. Bonded by their love of Starbucks LOL. This is "Little" Haile and my son ADORES her! She's a few months older so he continues with his love for older girls :)

Not sure about this one - I think the camera light got him - it's still cute!

Hailee took this one - not bad. We hung out by the garage, in the shade, while Darren had the turkey fryer going. Wind was really bad so we couldn't leave it unattended.


and the finished turkey - no doubt it's done if it breaks in half getting it out of the basket!

another of Hailee's work - a bit grainy but still a decent picture.

as you can see Braden is not as good with the camera - we're just saying he was focusing on Hailee's shirt and necklaces because they were so festive!!!

after a fall.....

me & my kiddos - I love how cute they are - makes me feel good LOL too bad they get most of their looks from their daddy :)

relighting the fire - that darn wind.

okay - so my mom calls and we're talking about the day. She YELLS at me to make sure my kids stay AWAY from fireworks and to make sure that I, their mother, keep an eye on them and not let them get hurt or burned. So I took this. punk in hand lighting the fuse. how's that for keeping an eye on them???? sheesh mom!!!!

this was the first picture I took - before the dirt. the grime. the sweat. food stains. all that. I think the dirty, real pictures are actually better!!!


The Morning After. aaaah! Can you tell we blew up a lot of stuff??? Some of it is IN that trash can, too, I think (it's the neighbors can so I'm really not sure). There is one heck of a mess out there and I'm so glad it's not MY job to clean it up LOL


so there you have it - an Oklahoma celebration! There was TONS of food, lots of people, and of course the fireworks. We had a great time and I'm still full! My kids enjoyed their day and were exhausted because Braden slept until 9:30 and Hailee til 10:30!!! Darren is now at work and I'm doing laundry and housework.

hope ya'll had fun and were safe!