My Picky Eater Lunch Options

Lunches

·         Cheesy Ham Biscuits

o    http://onceamonthmom.com/cheesy-ham-biscuit-lunch-muffins-recipe/

·         Chicken Pesto Wraps

o    http://onceamonthmom.com/back-to-school-mini-august-2012-menu/

·         Chips and salsa

·         Corndog muffins

o    http://onceamonthmom.com/corn-dog-muffins/

·         Crackers, meat and cheese

·         DIY Pizza Lunchables

o    http://www.mommyskitchen.net/2011/08/diy-pizza-lunchables-another-back-to.html

·         Grilled cheese/Grilled cheese roll ups

o    http://onceamonthmom.com/finger-licking-good-grilled-cheese-rolls/

·         Hot dog roll ups

o    http://www.food.com/recipe/hot-dog-roll-ups-71513       

·         Meat & Cheese Tortilla Roll Ups

·         Mummy Dogs

o    http://www.instructables.com/id/Mummy-Dogs/

·         Peanut Butter and Jelly Sushi

o    http://www.jif.com/Recipes/Details/3004

·         Pizza Snack Cups

o    http://onceamonthmom.com/toddler-ific-pizza-snack-cups/

·         Quesadillas

o    Apples and peanut butter

o    Bacon and egg

o    Cheese and/or chicken

·         Skewers

o    Fruit and cheese

o    Veggies and cheese

o    Meat and cheese

·         Turkey or Ham and Cheese Sliders on King Hawaiian Rolls

·         Uncrustables - http://onceamonthmom.com/homemade-uncrustables/

o    Nutella and Bananas

o    Peanut Butter and Bananas

o    Peanut Butter and Honey

o    Cream Cheese & Sliced Strawberries

o    Cream cheese and Ham/Turkey

o    Cream cheese and Jelly

o    Bacon and Egg

§  http://onceamonthmom.com/bacon-and-egg-uncrustables/

Thermos Meals

·         Any leftovers really!!!

·         Cheesy Potatoes and Ham

o    http://onceamonthmom.com/cheesy-potatoes-and-ham/

·         Chicken nuggets

·         Fish sticks

·         Mac and Cheese

o    http://onceamonthmom.com/thermos-macaroni-and-cheese/

·         Meatloaf Muffins

o    http://fromdahliastodoxies.blogspot.com/2012/02/not-yo-mamma-meatloaf-muffins.html

·         Pasta with pesto/meat sauce/butter/alfredo

·         Ravioli

·         Sloppy Joes

·         Spaghetti

·         Tomato Soup

Snacks/Sides

·         animal crackers

·         Applesauce

·         Balls of Energy

o    http://onceamonthmom.com/balls-of-energy/

·         Cereal Bar cookies

o    http://onceamonthmom.com/homemade-cereal-bar-cookies/

·         cherrios clusters

o    http://kathiecooks.blogspot.com/2010/01/cheerio-treats.html

·         cottage cheese

·         crunchy granola snack cakes

o    http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/crunchy-granola-snack-cakes

·         dried fruit

·         Fruit, fresh/canned

o    Berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries), watermelon, grapes, pineapple, kiwi, mandarin oranges, mango, cantaloupe, peaches, pears, banana, apples

·         goldfish

·         graham crackers/sticks with peanut butter

·         Granola bars

·         hard boiled egg

o    Homemade - http://onceamonthmom.com/homemade-freezable-yogurt-recipe-in-the-slow-cooker/

·         homemade fruit roll ups

o    http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/09/how-to-make-homemade-fruit-roll-ups/

·         Jell-o

·         Muffins

o    blueberry

o    banana

o    banana chocolate chip

o    Banana pancake

§  http://onceamonthmom.com/mini-banana-pancake-muffins/

·         nuts/trail mix

·         oatmeal banana parfaits

o    http://momster.familycircle.com/blog/slow-cooker-breakfast-recipes/oatmeal-banana-maple-parfaits

·         PB&J Bites

o    http://recipes.bendy.me/Recipe.aspx?recipe_id=793

·         pita bread with hummus or peanut butter

·         popcorn – buttered, salted, caramel, kettle

·         pretzels with/without dip

·         Pudding

·         Quinoa Snack Bites

o    http://onceamonthmom.com/baked-quinoa-snack-bites/

·         raisons/cranberries

·         sliced veggies with ranch dressing or hummus

·         string cheese

·         cheese cubes

·         Veggies, fresh/canned

o    Carrots, Peas, Beans, Corn/corn on the cob, Snap peas

·         Yogurt with/without fruit, sprinkles, marshmallows

o    Homemade

§  http://onceamonthmom.com/homemade-freezable-yogurt-recipe-in-the-slow-cooker/

Oh the ....

.... sorrow, yet, oh the ...

... JOY!


Though the frost killed off my cherry tomato plant, I can rejoice that I FINALLY have sproutlings from my carrots! These little fellows made my day, I also got around to planting my blueberry plant in my garden table, even as hesitant as I was to put something that has LARGE potential in something that isn't meant for such growth. We'll see how it works, but for now, I'm hopeful!

Sibling love = Mommy's blessing

Every year when it draws near to Noah's birthday, I'm reminded that Kenna is also that much older! It's hard to look at the 2 and remind myself that they aren't babies anymore. But oh the joy I get to experience when pictures like this show me just how beautiful they are!

And their love for each other makes me smile inside! So many days I catch them cuddling or hugging each other and it just melts my heart ... my new favorite song reminds me "...in the middle of my little mess, I forget how big I'm blessed..." ... and looking at this reminds me of no less! I am blessed :)

Plant Love

Here's what I've been working on -


On the top I planted carrots from seeds (which makes me VERY nervous!), the middle and bottom left are strawberry plants, the middle right is a cherry tomato plant, and the bottom right is spinach from seed (also very nerve-racking!).

Top - red lettuce, middle - romaine lettuce, bottom - bonnie spinach

And the ever so bothersome blueberry plant that I desperately wanted! On the tag it says it can grow up to 5-8 FEET! Shocking to me, someone who has never dealt with blueberries, except for in the grocery store! For now it remains in the planter it came in ... where shall I plant this supposed BEAST?!

Letter D

I'm finally getting around to posting the pictures of our continued Letter of the Week curriculum (I say that as if I'm good at this! HA!). But here they are! Now, if only I can get my act together to move onto E :)

Caching and Kite Flying

I'm going to divert back to this weekend, since we had such a great time Saturday geocaching for the 1st time this year! The kids had a blast, remembering the fun it is to "treasure hunt" ... and they sure found some great treasures (some worthy of trashing too lol)!

Kennady's Dora ring -


Noah's Santa Pez gun (the REAL treasure) -


We also had some time, even though it was a little chilly, to fly some kites! The kids were interested for all of 2 minutes, but I got a really cute shot of Kenna manning both kites by herself ... GO GIRL! :)

Daddy-less Week

Today was a good Day #1 with Paul gone. Although I hate that I just came back from a mini-vacation just to see Paul go on his mini-work-vacation, I felt like I was back in my own element again today.

This morning, the kids and I went on a (probably) 2 mile long walk. The weather was great and it was nice not to have to plan an activity, but to just escape the house and walk! Towards the end, the kids were VERY tired, but it made for a peaceful transition into lunch and then naps. I probably didn't thank the kids enough for their obedience today, tomorrow I hope I can improve.

It was also nice to wake the kids up from nap, make dinner and plan my evening around whatever we wanted to do. Without the stress of work, or trying to "fit it all in" because mom works tomorrow night instead, I could relax. I think this week is going to be a deal breaker on whether I continue my job or not; I can work when the kids go to school, I like being able to enjoy our time together, as hectic and sometimes stressful as that may be.

I digress. As soon as we got back from the walk, I put Kennady in big girl underwear, figuring that since I will be single parenting them this week, I can put an extra effort into potty training this little Princess. I'm happy to report that while the gym daycare did NOT help me stay on top of her potty schedule, she, otherwise, was accident free! I PRAY that the desire to "go potty" will arise this week and manifest into a diaper-free Fritz household. Pray with me, it has been a long journey for her and for us ... I could care less anymore about the cost, I just want her to LIKE and WANT to go potty, I know she can do it, I just want HER to WANT to do it.

Oh the joy that accomplishment will bring!

While tonight will be lonely for Mommy, without Daddy, all in all, we did well today as the Fritz's minus "the biggest Fritz." Never do I want to get used to him being gone (deployments, TDY's or mini-work-vacations), but I am confident that we can survive and not go nuts while he is.

P.S. Meal planning week #2 was a fail, and #3 is showing itself one as well. Life just can't be normal for 2 seconds can it? Intentions are good and I hope to get back at it, and blog about it, soon!