| Home Making // Lunch Kits |

I was out for a friends birthday last night and as most ladies events go we talk about parenting, disciplining, kids being home vs. being at school, the crazy things our kids say, packing lunches....the list goes on.

 

One of the common denominators between my friends is that none of us really like to pack our kids lunches {we hear angels sing when we see the reminder that today is "fun lunch day" at school!}.  It's not that it's hard to do, but it does take time and well I don't know about you but I'd rather spend my extra time not packing lunches!  

I choose to pre-pack my kids lunches, this usually happens from 5-6pm the night before school...usually when I'm in the kitchen already preparing dinner.  This helps it so I'm not grumpy with one more thing to do before we leave the house in the am. 

In our discussion last night we spoke about kids not eating their food and about the discipline that follows.  This brought me to the boys lunches, if they don't eat what is given to them then they have to eat it before they eat their afternoon snack once home from school.  Fair right!?!

They get choices in their lunch, they can choose to eat their veggies first or last, doesn't matter to me but the rules are: you don't eat all the "good stuff" and not the veggies and you NEVER throw out food.  

My friends thought I was a little crazy when I told them my kids never throw anything out; now let me say now that our school has a strict recycling program so if perfectly-not-eaten food is thrown out it's obvious and the teacher will hold the class responsible until the person that threw it out admits to this.  

In two years of school only one of my kids tried to throw something away and it was a homemade date square.  He was full. 

Someone commented to me and said that she gives her child only what she knows he will eat at school.  I do too but I also expect that if they will have cucumbers at my table on Saturday for lunch that they will do the same at school.  I'm my kids parent, not grandparent.  My job is to prepare them so that when I'm not looking {like at school or with said grandparent} that they will still make a balanced choice. 

So I thought I would share how I take the "blech" out of making lunches and actually having the kids eat their lunch!

1. Pack their fave's // My boys don't love sandwiches so a wrap or pepperoni & crackers will do

2. They get 1 treat in their lunch // today it's fruit snacks {this changes seasonally}

3. There is always veggies and a fruit...I even raisins count as a fruit to save time and not cut up fresh fruit

4. In Kinder at our school the kids are only aloud to bring water, but JJ is able to bring juice boxes in Gr. 1 but I still just send a water bottle and just put a touch {2 Tablespoons} of ice tea in with the rest water so he'll drink the whole bottle // Each day I do this his water bottle comes home empty!
5. They get to choose at least 2 items for their lunch kit 

 And most days I send a little note personalized to each of them // I just use a recipe card that I get from the dollar store along with a sharpie that I keep in my junk drawer in the kitchen, again it is easy and adds a little sunshine to their day!

 Well That's all for today!  Let me know if any of you lovelies have any tricks up your sleeves for packing great school lunches...I'd love to know some of your tricks too!  

I'm off to go for my walk on this beautiful day then I'll be up to my eyeballs in alligators trying to make a cake for my nephew and prepare for Mother's Day. 

Hope you lovelies have a beautiful weekend and feel celebrated for the amazing job you do raising and loving on your littles! 

{XoXo}

| Purpose \\ In Motherhood |

In life we all have purpose.  As a Mom that is a constantly changing thing.

Some days my purpose is to do laundry, clean toilets, fill the tummy of my hungry family.

Some days my purpose is to hug & cuddle my littles, some days it's less about the "stuff" that makes up life but more about the people.

Some days my purpose is to dream; to be a visionary..for my family, for my God, for me... 

Most days I wear all three types of hats...some days {ok, who am I kidding..most days!} I don't look pretty wearing all these hats!  That's a fact!  It's a tough tough gig people!

I do find that this is one of the most difficult things as a Mom, to constantly be changing hats taking one off to put another one on.  I like consistency, I like there to be a pattern...the same isn't boring, it's dependable!  I like dependable and I function much better when things are steady and normal.

*Disclaimer!!  If you're reading this and you're not yet a Mom and you think you would like to be a Mom but also love your own schedule without having to constantly be dealing with changing tides....I would highly recommend you reconsider becoming a parent.  It's the most self-less role you will ever play; I'm just sayin'!*

Changing tides, when you're swimming in the ocean you have be watching for the next wave and for the pull or push that it may have on you.  This is what being a Mom is like.  You can be sure that there is going to be a push or pull for something other than what you're doing right now.  The kids like the tide will push or pull you in one way or another...this is good, this is what being a Mom is all about.

Being a Mom is like swimming in the ocean, it's lovely and great until you get caught in the rip tide and it can surely rip you a new one if you're not ready for it!  

All this being said, being a Mom is worth every frustrating & exhilarating moment and I wouldn't trade it for anything!

Today I've sat down and taken a deep breath and let the laundry pile sit at the end of the bed while I took time for myself...I'll get the laundry done, I'll get dinner made and I'll get my hugs in with all my boys but today when I had an hour that I could have been catching up wearing my "home-maker hat" I took time for myself and refreshed my heart and set my mind on my purpose.

Here is my day in photos 

1. Me wearing a new necklace a gift from my neighbor 

2. My freshly updated flower pots

3. Alphabet cookies, fresh cut flowers and a sweet little hand ready to do home reading

4. My feet taking time to rest and refresh

"Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty"

Psalm 91

Hope y'all have had a great day and had time to rest in His shelter.  Take a moment out of the race to rest in Him! 

{XoXo}

| Lately // A catch up post |

Good Morning All {all of those who may or may not be still reading this - HA!} either way I'm still here, I'm trying to get caught up on some things around my home and this blog is on that list. 

At any rate we all gots to start somewhere so here I am! 

We've been home from our trip to Maui for one week today and since then life has taken over and we've been going non-stop.

I love life and all that it contains, but sometimes I just want to stop and smell the lilacs {especially since they are in season here}.

Here are some snipits of what we have been up to since we came home...

1. Cherry blossoms in full bloom

2. Cole & I on our way to a field trip

3. Veggie prep for the week

4. Unpacking // ugh, need I say more!?!

5. Beautiful lilacs

6. She Loves conference 

7. Play date and walk through Fort Langley

8. Bloomin' 

9. Summer is almost here and the boys are wearing hats and shorts to school! 

I've started working on a re-cap of our trip to Hawaii but I'm trying to get them in scrapbook order so I can do it all at one time...I'm still working on my project life project which between everything else is so much work!  But I'm going to get it done sooner than later so I can be caught up for 2014. 

Hope you all are well and enjoying this season...I've got a few things blooming in my heart that I'm gonna share, just need to collect my thoughts ;-) 

{XoXo}