before she was 2

Yep, this is an entire post dedicated to Maia shortly before her birthday. I couldn't resist. Sorry!














































Check out the retro dress thingie below on the right...I wore that when I was the same age! Maia wore it for the first day of summer.

























The lilies in the back yard didn't stand a chance against the wrath of Moo!











































Maia's first snow cone at the preschool picnic...

Spiderman lunchset giveaway!

It's been quite a while since I've had a giveaway, so to help you get ready for the school year, here is a Spiderman lunch set! Finding girl themed bentos is easy, but if your boys don't like cars or bears you're often out of luck.


Here's the prize: a sandwich keeper, sparkly stickers, paper muffin cups, fork & spoon. The sandwich keeper did not come with outer packaging, and the fork & spoon were part of a multi-pack but have never been used.

- The plastic sandwich keeper fits a traditional sandwich perfectly, or it can be used as a bento to arrange foods neatly inside. The lid is not leak-proof, but it stays on well. If you want the image on the top to stay looking new, handwash.
- Stickers are a fun treat for kids. They can also be used to decorate a lunch note, or used with a toothpick to create a unique bento or cupcake decoration.
- Muffin or cupcake cups are handy to separate food items in a bento. Use paper ones to hold dry foods like nuts, dried fruit, grapes, mini pitas or shaped sandwiches, cookies or crackers, etc.
- A small fork & spoon set are easy to fit inside a lunchbox or furoshiki. Handwash or place in a small items basket in the top rack of a dishwasher if you must.

So here's the hoop...Answer one of the following questions in comments to be entered to win! That's it! (You will be required to provide a name & address for shipping purposes if you win.)

Question: What will you likely pack for your child's first lunch this school year?
(If you don't have kids in school, homeschool, if this is for an adult, for a gift, or if you just don't like the first question: What is your favourite sandwich?)

I will pick a winner on Thursday, Aug. 27th by random-boy-hat-#-generator, hahaha.

freezer stash prep

School is fast approaching. Only two weeks to go here until elementary school starts, and slightly less than a month until preschool begins. Time to start building up the freezer stash for lunches!!

I envy those with a chest
freezer, but for now our
normal one will have to do.
There are lots of items one
can make ahead and freeze
to make packing lunches in
the morning quicker.




One of the boys' favourites
are mini muffins. They can
be made in a gazillion different
flavours, the kids can help
prepare them, they're easy,
and they freeze and thaw very
well. I've got banana done, and
today we made apple cherry. I
generally save half a dozen in a freezer bag--the best
looking ones--and let the kids & husband attack the rest!

Other things to think about having on hand in the freezer for lunches: burritos &/or burrito filling, gyoza wrappers, dumplings, edamame, veggie burgers (homemade or storebought), mini waffles, frozen veggies (nuke in water or add to pasta), rice.

If you need some extra inspiration to get you excited for fall bento creating, check out this link I just found for some awesome bento art.

So enjoy the rest of your summer, and get those bentos and lunch boxes ready!






















Muffin tin picnic below...

Row 1: peanuts & almonds,
raisins & dried apricots, Veggie
Booty, local watermelon.

Row 2: orange slices, flat
pretzels, smoked Tofurky,
baby carrots & bell pepper
strips.

Row 3: mini apple cherry
muffins, soy cheese,
cucumber slices, vegetable
dumplings.

Too Hot to Cook...Almost.

Ryan's dinner for after swimming at grandma's house: cucumber slices; soy cheese squares; carrot sticks; dijon potatoes; green bean & chick pea salad; peanuts; flat pretzels; peach puffs; plum pieces.

My dinner:
Plum
Watermelon
Blueberries
Red Raspberries
Champagne Raspberries

And some cute from
the park...


Maia still likes
to eat flowers.
Somehow she
always manages
to hunt out the
edible ones, thank
goodness. But then
again most field
wildflowers are
technically edible,
especially in small
quantities.

Is it really summer?

It sure doesn't feel like summer, well, except for the mosquitos. Rain rain rain and more rain. Temps in the 60s and 70s. And did I mention the rain?

Here are some "leftovers" from the last few days...
I managed to make myself a bento: mixed berries & cherries; cucumber slices; pasta w/sundried tomato, garlic & walnuts.
Kids' meal of leftovers:
stuffing; tofu spinach stuffed
pasta shells; snap peas;
carrots; strawberries; roasted
potato half; beet salad.


And a muffin tin meal:

Row 1: kettle corn; pear slices; corn thins; green bell pepper.
Row 2: carrot sticks; farmer's market bread; blueberries; vegetable matzoh crackers.
Row 3: farmer's market toast w/sunflower butter; cucumber slices; peanuts; strawberries.

Poor Ryan tried to eat
an apple, and couldn't,
because he's missing all
of his front teeth! The
new ones are on their
way in quickly though.
I'm sure he'll be able to
eat them again by fall
apple season.

We did manage to have
a picnic on the only sunny
weekend day...
Simple onigiri, edamame, strawberries & blueberries.

The only reason I know the calendar isn't lying is that the black raspberries are ripening!









I'd better get out there and
pick some quick before they're gone!