Preschool Bentos

I warned you that you would get whatever popped into my brain!

As most if you know, I am starting to really love the idea of bento lunches. However, I have only one child in school and he is preschool age. So, I started packing simple, preschool friendly bentos on his school days. He goes twice a week and I am having blast created lunches that will make his buddies jealous. Here is what I have come up with so far:

Bat Bento

Car Bento, notice the read and green "light" cereal

Pumpkin Bento

Superhero bento

Yellow Bento, for yellow day at school

pirate bento, with treasure juice box

Ben (my son) has seemed to enjoy his lunches so far this year. I look forward to creating more as the year goes by. I always use whatever I already have in the house. Other great bento supplies include:

• tooth picks
• paper
• cookie cutters
• food pens
• sprinkles
• muffin papers
• fun shaped foods

I hope this inspires a little bit of creativity for you. It really doesn't take much money or even much time to create these fun little lunches. These meals take me between 10 and 20 minutes to design, create, and pack.

Have bento fun!

All Good Things

Must Come to an End...

And so it goes with this school year's bento lunches. My sons' semester at "baby school" had its final classes today. Next school year my eldest will be taking the big step into a real preschool. I'm both excited and sad about this. He is growing up way to fast and to me he will always be my baby. All this is beside the point! I do have two fun little bento lunches to share.

I wanted to do something special for their final hurrah!

For my ninja- a fully loaded, with chopsticks, stealth packed lunch. Including ninja star gummies and a candy ninja!

 For my mini picky minion- Peanut butter pop tart minion with "banana" gummies and candies. A few little lunch meat test tubes finish off the meal!

 

Some bunny Loves You!

Today my boys had Easter themed bentos. My oldest must have liked it, because he came home talking about it!

Inside the eggs are things like marshmallows, spring gummies, and raisins.

Better Than Nothing Bento

Since my whole family has been sick (especially me), I really had no desire to make anything. However, I couldn't let another week go by. I pulled together this cute little Spring Bento for my boys. I have so many cute ideas to do next week before Easter. So be on the look out!

Two for Spring

So happy its spring! I made my sons' Bentos springy themed (although its not going to be very springy here tomorrow). I stuck with light colors. Fruits and veggies galore and simple finger foods. The boys both loved lunch. It would have been perfect for a picnic had it actually been spring like. haha!

I also had a Pampered Chef Party this evening. It was fun and I will have a recipe of my own creations to share at some point. So, keep on reading!

How was your Monday?

Happy St. Patty's Day

Another Monday has come and gone! Sadly, both my children and I didn't have work/school today, so I only have one bento to share. Even still, at least its something! I hope you all had a wonderful day. I really love St. Patrick's day. Its the only holiday I know that celebrates a missionary with drinking and bagpipes. haha. No, really. I think its just so neat that a missionary did so much for the Lord that he has a holiday around the world!

Something Simple Bentos

As always, Mondays are meant for Bentos! I like today's because its so simple! The boys are just getting over being sick, so they are just getting their appetite back. So, I packed one larger lunch for both boys to share. I also packed a basic bento for myself.

I'm excited to share that coming this week I should be having one of my favorite things on my blog... A GIVEAWAY! This one will be especially useful to parents of younger boys. Spread the news, I want a big turn out! I also have a few meals ready to rumble now too. It should be fun!

Kid Kabobs & Dr. Seuss Bentos

When you have a lot of leftovers, its sometimes hard to be creative. This meal was created out of my need for a main dish to use with all my leftover sides.

Kid kabobs can be made with any kind of meats you like, but its always best to use what ever you already have waiting in the refrigerator.I also added some extra veggies and fruit to my kabobs as well. This recipe is simple and easy.

Kid Kabobs

Ingredients

• 1 can of mandarin oranges 
• precooked chicken
• precooked hot-dogs
• cooked veggies
• kabob sticks

1. Create Kabobs mixing veggies and meat. 
   
   
   
2. Heat in the oven 350 degrees and cook until hot
3. Serve with left over sides!
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    School today ended up being canceled today, but I had already made a few bentos. That is good news for you!
   
   
   
   
   

The Doctor, Pirates, Oceans, and Butterflies

Basically, it was a busy bento day in my family. I themed each persons bento just for them! Mondays have come to be a day I enjoy. I plan all week and spend over an hour preparing the lunches on Sunday night.

It has been an awesome way to show my family I love them and that I am thinking of them always. Below I will share what I did!

 Above is my husband's Doctor Who themed lunch. The famous lines from the Doctor's wife seemed most appropriate, "hello sweetie". You can also see the cranberry bowtie and the TARDIS I created! The marshmallow person was supposed to be one of the many aliens that the Doctor has encountered.

  

The ocean scene was for my youngest little dude. However, I found out later that neither boy would really eat the noodles because they were blue. Oh well! You live and learn.

 

My oldest son is totally into pirates right now. So, it was an easy next step to make his pirate themed. If you can't tell, the islands on both lunches is apple sauce. 

Finally we have mine. I stuck to a floral idea for mine. I didn't really have any cool plans for mine like I did for the boys. I was very impressed with my pear/apple flower in the top and my pretty pinwheel sandwiches.

So, what did you do to make you Monday more special?

More to Mondays

There is going to be a little more excitement to Mondays from now on! My children both go to preschool for one day a week on Mondays. So, that means bento lunches are back! If you don't remember, go back to my Life, Lunch, and Fashion series where several of our bento lunches are featured. However, this time I want you to come along for the challenge. Let's make Mondays less of a drudgery. Let's make it the day we look forward to! Making bento lunches is just one way I give everyone in my family something to look forward to about starting a new week. I challenge you to find a way to make Mondays more exciting for your family. Perhaps you might want to join the bento craze! However you choose to do it, I want to know! Keep your eyes peeled for my bento creations and I will be looking forward to hearing what your doing to put "More to Mondays"!

Below are the creations I sent with my family today. I themed my boys to their personality, while I stuck with a Valentine's day theme for the hubs and I.

The Hubs' lunch- spicy love!

My Lunch!

Also, remember to be checking out DolceDellaVita on Instagram to see my 100 Happy Days challenge photos!

Day Twenty: A Cuppa Coffee Kinda Day

For those who dont know me well, I RARELY drink coffee, and never in the morning. But, this morning was a different case. After several nights of little sleep, two sick children, and almost falling asleep in the shower, I knew I needed to do something. I drank a cup of coffee, but much to my disappointment, it didn't help at all. All I can say is that Im tired... I still think Im super mommy today.

My Lunch

My lunch today was yummy. Still leftovers, but good ones. Mexican bake (also known as taco bake or casserole) and Mexican corn. I do love my casseroles. I enjoy making them. I enjoy eating them. I enjoy sharing them with others. What is not to like about them?

I was hoping to do two bento lunches this week, but its not going to happen. I am hoping to celebrate Spring in Friday's bento.

My Outfit

My outfit turned out better today than yesterday. In fact, I got a large number of compliments on my blouse today. It is one of my personal favorites now anyway, but that just kicked it to my complete favorite I think. I got it recently for an interview, but never wore it for one. I really think the cowl neckline makes it slimming. I have lots of picture today! I hope you enjoy.

Here are pictures of my outfit with and without my coat. This is the denim coat I spoke about it my basics. I love it. It is from Lane Bryant and its one of my favorite pieces. The shirt is from J C Penny's. They always have decent clearance and their work clothing in plus sizes is rocking now.
The pants are also J C Penny's I believe. If I haven't mentioned before, my basic black flats are from Payless.







Happy Spring! My jewelry today was inspired by our new season. I also have some great photos for you to view of those as well.

My necklace was a Christmas gift from my mother, so I cant say where its from. The ring however is from a Celtic fair that comes every year to my town near St. Patrick's day. I've had this ring since last year when I asked my husband if I could get a right hand ring. I meant to make it my signature piece, but it gets caught on things. That is very challenging as a parent. So, now its just worn on occasion, like many of my other rings.

Life List

Ive thought a little bit about my life list today. I have considered this blog some as well. I really want to make something out of this. Im not sure how or even what exactly, but its becoming a part of me. I am trying to think how I can incorporate it into my life list. I have also been thinking about how I can make a mark on this world. What will be people remember about me? Who will they say I was? What did I do? Our goal should be to change our world.

Day Fifteen: TGIF

Thank God it is Friday. No matter how long the work week is, Friday makes everything feel a little better. I'm also really excited about showing off my son and I's lunch from today.

*Our* Lunch

My son's lunch

Yum, yum... St Patrick's day has never been so tasty! I really think my bentos turned out well today. I lacked a lot of the cool supplies that would have made it easier.

my lunch

Notice how my son had a cute little leprechaun. The face is an open face sandwich made with bologna and swiss and cheddar cheese.I used peanut butter as glue so the candy would not move around as his lunch made its way to preschool. I also used the orange peel as colorful bowl for our "pot o' gold". Cheese puffs and oranges made up the extra gold and small cheese clovers were added as decoration.

If you have never made a bento before, I encourage you to experiment! You can get plenty of ideas on Pinterest. You can also look  here on my blog on day 8 & 9, and day 1.

My Outfit
It was dress down day again! I was also supposed to wear orange! I choose to wear something more on the coral side, but close enough. Im sure you have noticed several of the same shirts in different colors over the past two weeks. These are my go to blouses right now, but I promise to venture a little more as we finish up the final two weeks of this theme. 

From the top: gold drop necklace, coral 3/4 sleeve blouse, gold watch, jeans, gold toe brown shoes.

 I totally loved my hair today! The side pony worked beautifully and my curls stayed nice though most of the days. I apologize for not having any close ups today. My "photographer" was not available today. I will still share where to get the style.

My shirt is Lane Bryant. They are still available in lots of great colors. Like I mentioned in my wardrobe basics list, you should have at least three colored blouses to work with. The jeans are also Lane Bryant. I find they have a nice jeans in my size. Old navy is also a place you can order plus size jeans, they usually have a more affordable option. The necklace came from a "teen" store in the mall. Don't steer away from those store just because you have curves! I find the best jewelry and accessories that keep me looking fresh. The watch is Lane Bryant as well. If you have a wider wrist, you are in luck. All of Lane Bryant's bracelets account for that. The watch was adjustable to give me just the right fit. Last but not least are the shoes. Cap toe shoes are all the rage right now. If you have wide feet you still have several options. Lane Bryant (where I got mine), Woman Within, Roaman's, and many online retailers offer wide widths.

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I don't have a list of basics for today. As far as fashion and beauty goes, I think we have covered most of it. One day when we are on a different theme we may do basics in other areas. I wanted to remind my readers that I'm hoping to do "My Julia Project" next month on my blog. I hope to keep everything exciting by having a new theme monthly. So, if your looking to hear my thoughts on something, just let me know!

Today's Lesson From Kindergarten
To say goodbye this evening, let's take a lesson from Kindergarten music class. 
"Happy things are gonna happen... Happy things can happen to you!"   

Days Eight and Nine: Miss me?

I missed you! I apologize that there is two days in one this evening. Internet issues caused a small bump in my plans for writing last night. I promise to make up for it. I will include Friday's and today's outfit in this post, as well as my lunch from Friday.

So much has happened since Friday it seems like a world of time has passed. It was casual Friday, so I was lucky. I got into my slightly smaller, per-pregnancy jeans!

From the top: turquoise and silver dangle earrings, purple 3/4 sleeve button down, dark wash jeans, silver toe- black flats.

 I really love the dark wash jeans. They are the most formal color of jeans. This makes them perfect for a casual day at work. I tried to class up my look with a button down shirt and a stylish pair of flats. I also tried a new hair style on Friday! Im getting so bored of the same old, same old. Here is a close up. Notice the braid in the front. The rest was pulled back into a basic ponytail.

 As you may remember, Fridays are bento lunch days. I'm saddened to say that my son's lunch turned out way better than mine. The theme Friday was "under the sea".

Another product review! Goldfish bread

I have to admit that the shape of the bread screams "fun," but after tasting it I was disappointed. The bread is very sweet which makes it no good for the meat and cheese type of sandwich. It may be alright for a PB&J or other sweet type sandwich. The bread is also a bit dry and doesn't hold together well when you take the two slices apart. Basically, I don't plan to buy Goldfish bread again. I'll stick to fishy crackers rather than fish bread!

Saturday was a whole new story. I was hoping to bring my son to the park, so my outfit choice was ultra casual. Saturdays are also my no make up or hair washing days, so I already look rough. My hair is usually the most challenge issue. Today I did another altered pony.

I really think the twist distracted from the fact my hair was greasy! Pony tails are always easy to do. I love to try new variations of the style

My outfit mixes the classic t-shirt and jeans look. Jeans and a t-shirt do not need to be boring!

From the bottom: converse style brown and pink herringbone sneakers, dark wash jeans, "Wild about education" t-shirt, brown vest with lace detail, multicolor dangle earrings.

I wish you could see the lace detail in the vest, its the best part of the whole outfit. It makes the vest girly and fun. The shirt comes from my many years working in the education field. Any t-shirt would work with this outfit really, I just pulled the first one out that I could find. I rarely wear t-shirts, so they are hidden in my drawer.

My random acts of kindness went well. Friday's was good. I gave a whole box of jeans to a friend. Today's was a lot smaller. I made something special for my father in law with dinner. Doing something for someone doesn't have to be big, it doesn't even have to cost money. Sometimes words are the best random act of kindness you can give!

Day One: Life, Lunch, and Fashion

I'm back in action! You know its going to be an interesting day when it starts with a breakfast of Oreos and diet Dr. Pepper! I have been MIA for far too long and it is about time I get back to my intentions. You can learn a lot about a woman by how she dresses everyday. From her career to her style, clothing is window into someones personality. You can also learn a lot about someone by what they eat for lunch!

With this in mind, I'm introducing my new series "Life, Lunch, and Fashion." For one month you will follow me on my daily wardrobe journey and my work week lunch selections. As the title reveals, you will learn a little bit about my life in general as well!

Happy Dr. Seuss day! It was requested by the school I work at that we wear red today, so I obliged. This morning I wished I had a more fun collection of red clothing, but this was all I could do with the available choices.  

Red 3/4 sleeve knit blouse with leather and sequins around the sleeves and on the neckline. Basic black pants and shiny black flats. Finished off with a side bun and small diamond and ruby hoops. 

Thanks to my wonderful mother my lunch also fit today's holiday. Fridays are always bento box lunch days. My kids go to "baby school" that day, so I usually just pack a fun lunch for my self as well.

Cat in the Hat bologna and cheese sandwich with a banana and strawberry hat. Sides include colored Goldfish, raspberries, and juju fish.

It was a wonderful lunch and for the most part pretty healthy too. This lunch was partially inspired by a pin on Pinterest. Check it out here: 14 Dr. Seuss ideas  

I am so very glad that it is the weekend! After a long week of work and little sleep (two sick munchkins can do that to you), I'm ready for some slower paced days. Since I decided to revamp my blog Ive been working on cataloging my wardrobe so it will be easier to plan clothing in advance. I dont want to have a one of those "Just throw it on" days. Although, I'm sure that is in my near future! I'm also working extra hard on my brand new job! I'm so excited to announce that I am now apart of the Growing Up in the Valley family. Check out this great new family magazine for the Roanoke Valley here: Growing Up in the Valley

Until next time, remember the story of Yertle the Turtle!