Has it really been 17 days?

I am sorry, between the sickness that is still sort of plaguing us, the holiday bustle, and the holiday clean up. Here I am, I didn't abandon you at all!

So now becomes that lull between Christmas and New Years for us parents. We have been RUNNING on fumes pretty much since Thanksgiving. Baking, wrapping, and attending Winter Programs at our kids schools. My brain is mush, so I am doing some freezer cooking for school lunches :) Easy, doesn't require much thought, and you will be thankful in the coming week. The first day back to school hits you like a ton of bricks, you can prepare all you want. However, the moment that 6 AM alarm goes off, you get mad that you have to get up and go out in 20 degree weather to drive to school.

This week I am freezing. Click on the link to be taken to the source. Some of the Weelicious recipes are from her cookbooks. I will link to those below.

Weelicious Crispy Chicken Bites (Just video, recipe is in her cookbook

Weelicious Graham Crackers

Weelicious Polenta Cut Outs

Weelicious Breakfast Poltenta Cut Outs

For After School Snacks I can never ever go wrong with Momables DIY Frozen Uncrustables easy peasy for my almost 9 year old.

Also, to get you back into the running from school to activities Momables DIY Bistro Boxes will help make the adjustment easier

DIY Protein

Chicken & Hummus

Fruit and Cheese

Goat Cheese and Veggie


As I said above Weelicious which is owned by Catherine McCord has published 2 cookbooks. I own both and they are wonderful. Her first Weelicious Fast, Fresh, and Easy recipes and her most recent Weelicious Lunches I have them both on Kindle Edition and just love them.

Momables is another site I some how stumbled across in the past year and as you can see I love her site too. I am still finding new fun recipes each visit. Her philosophy is to pack the night before and spare the morning stress. I didn't always do this, but really it helps. She is in the beginning stages of her first cookbook which I am so excited and can't wait to read.

I believe the first week or three need to be easy and less stress for Parents and Kids is the BEST WAY TO GO

* Disclosure - Weelicious, Catherine McCord, Momables, and Amazon did not compensate me for this post. These are my own thoughts and views of each recipe and website. 

I am still here!

I am just starting to feel better and also getting caught up. I am looking for some feedback as far as school lunch ideas. Recipes? Packing ideas? Cost Effective ways? please let me know. Onehappymommaoftwo@gmail.com


Thanks

Sorry for my absence

I have been sick for 3 days. Hopefully a new post this weekend. I hope everyone is enjoying their week! I am getting the urge to bake. Any wonderful recipes?

Elf on the Shelf Re-appears

Now, before you go "I hate the Elf on the Shelf", my kids love his antics. My son is 8 years old who will be 9 in mid February and now a 2.5 year old daughter. My daughter does not get what is going on at all, she just get's excited with her brother. She loves the tree, the lights, and all that is pretty. She is so very young and next year, it will all click with her. I also DO NOT use the Elf as a Behavior tool. The Elf in our home does not report bad behavior... he does report good deeds, getting good grades on tests, or if one of the kids is sick, and things along those lines.

November 23rd an invitation appeared on our recently put up, but not decorated Christmas Tree. It was an Elf on the Shelf Breakfast for the arrival of our Elf who is named "Christmas" I found a adorable free Elf on the Shelf Party invitation printable on Pinterest from 505-Designs. If you click on the business name it will take you straight to her page to print them off. The best part is, you can customize them for your kids!

Here are the stuffed Elves that came with the invitation. The kids are loving them, they are with my kids all the time. 

Then it came time for the Breakfast, we did ours on a Saturday since. Sundays we have church, and I didn't want to rush the kids. I was up Friday night long after everyone was in bed setting up the breakfast.

It was super easy, I got most everything from Party City or Wal-Mart. I think the decorations cost like $7.00 and then the plates and cups were another $4.00. If you want, plan with another mom. Then switch cups, plates, and such for the following year. 

We just had Hostess Donettes :) Little elves didn't want to make a mess in the kitchen.

The kids had a blast!

They got Christmas PJ's in the Gift bags and a coloring book.

Best thing I planned, it wasn't a lot, but for them it was the BEST SATURDAY MORNING. 

I also have to add, "Christmas" our family elf brought a friend this year... a girl elf for my daughter. Whom I am having a hard time trying to talk my 2 year old out of naming the elf "Zombie" (Plants VS Zombies is huge in our home).  I might just do it and if she hate it in a few years renaming it. 

I hope everyone elves are behaving. Mine have already Tee-Peed the house so, we will see what else they do.

Megan

Thanksgiving

I just love Thanksgiving, I wish I could bottle up the feeling and during the year when I am feeling like "Woe, is me" I can open up and scoop out some of what just makes my heart SWELL with so much Joy that it is hard to hold it all in.

Since we have moved, our holidays are little different now. I cook, by myself, which is kind of cool I have learned. I cook what I want to eat, end of story. However, last night, my wonderful husband asked for Hashbrown Casserole and lumpy garlic potatoes. The Hashbrown casserole sent me for a loop, we had NO SOUR CREAM. If you are ever with out sour cream, look up substitutes, there a ton I never would have thought of. I used a buttermilk substitute that worked like a charm. Other than that little request, we had a great great meal and day.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday today! With friends or family, many blessings to you and yours. Thanks for reading my little random update.

A little Turkey Sandwich for the kids lunch. sorry for the poor photo quality. I was cooking up a storm. Tail is made from Mozzerella Cheese and Red Pears. 1st attempt, I got the idea from Pinterest.

Megan

1st Post and a product that I came upon through a giveaway.

Hi, I am Megan and welcome to my blog! I am a Stay at home Wife/Mom, I have 2 kids almost 9 my son and 2 and 1/2 my daughter. I live in Tucson, AZ a transplant from St. Louis, MO and soon to be moving to the Dallas, TX area.

I am writing my 1st Blog post on part inspiration of the other mom's out there whom strive so very much to provide WONDERFUL nutritious lunches for their children and also on behalf of all Stay at Home Wives/Moms. We deserve a round of applause for listening to "Bubble Guppies"s for a few hours followed by let me cook you a imaginary pizza 17 times in 5 minutes, then "Nope, I won't eat my lunch or take a nap" We have all been there! I am still there. I have also been a working mom, during our move from St. Louis to Tucson, I worked full-time. It is not easy... Working mom's for every day you clock you have a mark in my book to have a night off. Get a sitter for the kids and the husband and hit a book store. You DESERVE IT TOO!

Being a mom it's a huge job, no matter if you work or stay at home... you are constantly bombarded by obligations you need to tend to. PTA, Car Pool, Sports, the list goes on and on. I have learned a few tricks to ease my pain. I am hoping maybe ONE MOM can use them to help her life go a little smoother. Stick with the blog, I might surprise you.

The first thing I am covering is a product I actually won from a fellow blogger. Her name is Astrid and she runs http://lunchfitforakid.blogspot.com/ she had a contest from Dick and Jane Baking Company http://www.dickandjanebakingco.com/ I was beyond happy. This small small company in Michigan sent me a wonderful box of goodies. They were gift wrapped inside with pastel tissue paper and I had 8 BOXES of snacks! It was amazing! These are educational snacks that have States & Capitols, Presidents, and Foreign Language (Spanish). They are also NUT FREE! My son immediately loved them and since has shared with his friends a few snacks I include in his lunch box. I am mailing a box to my sister, my nephew has a Nut Allergy and I can't wait to see what he thinks! They are like a vanilla wafer, but more like a cracker. I love them, and they aren't super sweet. In a snack box, I pack 6, a few carrots, 3 slices of preferred cheese, and grapes. That is it! The are filling!


I have one issue with Dick and Jane Baking, they aren't available West of Dallas, TX. I wrote this blog in hopes to get their company the well deserved recognition to expand on Westward! Their product is amazing and I feel great sending it. I can't believe a giveaway could make such a difference, I am really loving this product.


To help Dick and Jane Baking Co to find more stores please go here http://www.dickandjanebakingco.com/index.php?option=com_civicrm&task=civicrm/profile/map&Itemid=358&map=1&gid=13&reset=1 and fill out the "Help Dick and Jane" questionnaire.



Now, BACK to the wonderful lady Astrid, of http://lunchfitforakid.blogspot.com/ I again stumbled upon her blog via a twitter giveaway. If you scroll through her blog... she is a mom after my own heart. She experiments even if it sounds crazy! I do as well, "You have to TRY BEFORE YOU DENY" in my home, I see she runs the same course. She is a wonderful blogger, who as well, just wants to send something her kids' will love for lunch. Her kids are active participants in posts of their meals, which is the BEST thing you can do in making any transition of cooking styles. Even if your child buys lunch and you make a switch part-time to bring from home, that is a big deal! I will touch further on that as I blog to help. Here is a cute post from Lunches Fit for a Kid ( http://lunchfitforakid.blogspot.com/) It features "Dick and Jane Baking Company" http://lunchfitforakid.blogspot.com/2013/11/family-lunches-111213-kid-made.html


In closing, also with my package, I got a wonderful note from Anne at Dick and Jane Baking Company. She welcomed me to the family and it was just a warm and also HAND WRITTEN NOTE. Seriously, you can't even get a hand written holiday card. It truly touched me as far as the Customer Service they will provide!


I hope you loved my first blog post!

Megan