Under The Sea and Princess Fairy {bento}

Tuesday lunch - Octopus turkey sami, carrot fishes, oyster crackers and Dole pure fruit bites.

Weds lunch - Fairy princess sami with cheesy crown, carrot crowns and choco pretzels.

I really should learn how to post from my phone. I find Instagram so easy and fast to use, but then I forget to post it to my blog.

Little Pig Little Pig Let Me In {bento}

Yesterday I woke up with the song "The Three Little Pigs" by Green Jelly. More specifically the deep growl of "little pig little pig let me in", followed by the high pitched squeal..."Not by the hair on my chiny chin chin". I have no idea why, I haven't heard that song in awhile but it inspired the girls lunch!

Houses made from pears...

While making the bentos my girls woke and came downstairs. I started singing in my best growl.."little pig, little pig let me in". They laughed and called me crazy...whatever.

Little pig, little pig using my CuteZCute cutter packed into our Easy Lunchboxes.

My girls have heard this song before thanks to their heavy metal daddy, so they knew right away what I was talking about and wanted to help.

This was their collaboration. Rambo kills the big bad wolf (of course) so the girls made him a grave with his bones sticking out...bwahaha! That's my girls :)

If you have never seen the Green Jelly video or heard the song CLICK HERE to watch it on YouTube video.

Full Of Hearts Bento

Happy Valentine's Day bloggy friends! Today's lunch for my girls is full love in the classic shape that represents love...hearts! They have a salami sami, carrots, pears and of course what Valentine's Day would be complete with out the super yummy conversation hearts!

I used a blank Lunchbox Love note to write my special note. On the reverse the fun fact is "Did you know turtles can breath from their butt". C laughed so hard when she read it she turned beet red...it was fabulous!

Chilly Willy Bento

Today's lunch is inspired by the cold snowy days we have been having in Northeastern PA. The girls and I adore penguins and even more since the movie Mr Poppers Penguins came out. Cutest movie ever! The girls have packed in their Easy Lunchboxes a snowflake sami with a penguin cutout, mini Nilla waffers, penguin carrots and pears.

Panda Bento's

The girls are loving their new "brights" Easy Lunchboxes. Today we have a panda-style fun lunch with a panda turkey sami's with cheesy pandas faces. In the ELB "little dippers" containers they have smore's goldfish. in the extra compartments are bear shaped carrots and purple grapes. Super simple, super fun and only took 15 minutes to make!

Mommy Bento - Taco Leftovers

Sometimes the best lunches are the ones that are super simple. No frills and easy to make. I have a hard time remembering to eat until about 3pm when my stomach is growling and making me nauseous. As all moms know, you think of everything the kids need first and you come last. So when I can throw the nights dinner leftovers into my Easy Lunchboxes container I feel that at least I have accomplished one meal for myself that hopefully, I will remember to take out of the fridge before the girls get out of school.

Ready salad mix is perfect for an easy taco salad. Layer some taco meat, re-fried beans, diced red onions, chopped tomatoes and shredded cheese. I love to add crushed crispy salty tortilla chips to my taco salads. It is just hard to add them to a plate you know you won't eat until the next day. Why? Soggy chips. No one likes soggy chips.

This is where the extra compartments in the ELB comes in handy. It will keep my chips crispy until I am ready to add them to my salad. In the smaller compartment I have two sauce containers. One has taco sauce and one has Thousand Island dressing, that's right....dressing. The BEST taco salad dressing is a mix of taco sauce and Thousand Island dressing. Instead of making my blend I kept them separate because some days I want more zing from the dressing and some days more spice from the sauce. Since it is unknown what direction I will go until I pull my lunch, this was a good solution.

P.S. Did you notice the beautiful hot pink color of the ELB lid? Easy Lunchboxes introduced recently their new "Brights" collection. Awesome colors of Pink, Teal, Yellow and Purple. My girls have already claimed their favorites and of course, ohhh'd and ahhh'd over the new colors. I must say, they are pretty spectacular.

Winky Kitty Bento

Here kitty, kitty kitty! Today's lunch was inspired by a bento blogger buddy Bento Days who posted an adorable "sleepy kitty" bento. She also added an easy tutorial using the CuteZcute cutters. I knew my girls would love a happy kitty lunch so that is what I did today.

Please forgive my picture. Since hubby surprised me with an iPhone at Christmas I have been addicted to Instagram so my first thought when taking a picture is to now grab my phone. My poor DSLR, she has been so neglected...lol It is just so much easier and faster to use the phone to post to Facebook, Twitter, ect. Now I just have to figure out how I can blog from my phone. :)

Easy Lunchboxes Score!!

I am still wicked busy with Sew Fierce Boutique but had to share with my bento followers the most awesome box of goodies that came today! Kelly from Easy Lunchboxes  contacted me with surprising news last week. I was one of the winners in her big giveaway....wahoo!

Look at all this amazing loot! I can not wait to use all this fun stuff tomorrow. A bigger plus is now hubby has his own bag. We refused to use the girls pink or purple one and was iffy about using my burgundy one. Apparently it still "looked like a girl bag"..lol

Thank you Kelly and Easy Lunchboxes!!

Cooking With Trader Joe's Cookbook & Easy Lunchboxes

It's finally here! The Cooking with Trader Joe's Cookbook featuring Easy Lunchboxes!! Even if you are not a regular reader of my blog, you undoubtedly have seen me mention Easy Lunchboxes aka ELB. Well the super fabulous Kelly Lester and the publishers of the popular Cooking with Trader Joe's Cookbook series teamed up to create a cookbook all about delicious recipes packed inside ELB's. 

This cookbook is chalk full of recipes for kids and adults, fun facts and Kelly's tips. Each recipe is better than the last and the photography and page layouts make you want to read on. I love pictures with my recipes so I really like that every recipe in this book has a picture of what it looks like packed into the Easy Lunchbox containers.

Because the ingredients for these recipes can be found at Trader Joe's, you can totally browse the isles book in hand and create your meals. The contributors of this book are everyday moms and dads. No celebrity uber chef wrote this cookbook so there are no impossible recipes to follow, and no ingredients you have never heard of. Just fast and tasty recipes, simply made. Included in the cookbook are plenty of recipes for the Vegan, Gluten Free and Vegetarian lifestyles.

I look forward to getting my hands on a hard copy and you can get your Cooking with Trader Joe's Cookbook, Easy Lunchboxes right now on Amazon. This is a must have cookbook for your kitchen and would make a perfect gift!

Easy Lunchboxes Mini Dippers {bento}

Sept 7th - Crown sami using my LunchPunch, carrots and hummus, 

apple slices and mini cranberry orange muffins

If you have followed my bento journey over the past few years you have undoubtedly seen me mention my love for Easy Lunchboxes. One container, several compartments and easy on/off lid are just a few features I love about them. Well guess what!!! ELB has just launched their "Mini Dippers"! 

Sept 10th - LunchPunch Flower sami, carrots with hummus,

veggie chips or pretzel thins.

Isn't it fabulous! The perfect size container to fit right inside the lunchbox. I snagged mine from my friend Kelly the owner of Easy Lunchboxes. That's right she's my friend, you can be jealous now..lol I am so in love with my Mini Dippers. No more trying to find the right size container that will work and then being frustrated when I fail. Not only do I know they work everytime, but they come from a company I trust.

Sept 11th - LunchPunch cupcake sami's, strawberry yogurt with sprinkles,

decorated apple and baby carrots or tomatoes.

You can buy your own Mini Dippers today. Click over to Easy Lunchboxes and place your order!

Want to see more amazing lunches/bentos using Mini Dippers? You have to stop by these fabulous blogs and trust me, it is totally worth it!

* Keeley McGuire : Lunch Made Easy: Dip It, Dunk It - Mini Dippers!

* A Boy & His Lunch : "Come Sail Away" Bento

* Bobbi's Bentos: Powerpuff Lunch

* Bobbi's Bentos : Pandas and Peanut Butter

* Bentobloggy : #263 Salami Sandwich and Grapes

* Biting The Hand That Feeds You : "Chips Ahoy" Bento

* The Adventures of Happyvballgirl : Lunches With Flower Power

* iPackLunch : Don't Get Saucy With Me..Mini Dippers Are in!!

* Bento For Kidlet : Make Your Own Pizza Lunch

* What's In Your Lunch Bags? : Dinosaurs On A Space Ship

* What's In Your Lunch Bags? : Doctor Who..Who Do You Think?

* Mamabelly's Lunches With Love : Choo Choo and the New Easy Lunchboxes Mini Dippers

* What The Girls Are Having : Day 263

* Beneficial Bento : New Mini Dippers Are Here!

This Weeks Bentos

C's lunch Aug 30th - Turkey star sami with cheesy butterflies. Red grape and strawberry kabobs and baby carrots.

M's lunch Aug 30th - PB&J sami's on Orowheat Sandwich Thins (cut in half and stacked) and cheesy cherry blossoms. Fruit kabobs, baby carrots and sun chips.

Sept 4th - We got our new Easy Lunchboxes coolers! I wanted to decorate them but the girls were to excited and wanted to use the NOW! So packed in our Easy Lunchbox containers are.....

..salami sami's on Orowheat Sandwich Thins, baby carrots with garlic hummus (hummus is inside the Dora container), blueberries and veggie chips!

Yumm!!!

Sept 5th - Salami and cheese kabobs, baby carrots, and blueberries. C had veggie chips and M had pretzel thins.

Sept 6th - Today C stayed home sick (poor baby girl) so M was on her own. She had packed in her Easy Lunchbox container a Salami sami, baby carrots, Sargento cheese stick, Cheez-It's and mini orange and cranberry muffins.

It is the first week of school so my lunches have not been wildly creative as my bentos in the past. We are still trying to find our groove but the most important thing to me is that when their boxes return home, they are empty. And they always are :)

The Last One Gets On The Bus {back to school}

Yesterday my baby girl got on the school bus with her sister *sniff sniff* 

She is starting Kindergarten and C is in 1st. I have not been truly all alone in 7 years so yesterday after they got on the bus, I actually felt almost abandoned. I knew I would cry, and I did. I have every year since C was in Preschool, but I did not think I would feel so lonely. M has always been my sidekick, my buddy, my lunch date. The one I snuggle with on the couch after C would go off to school. 

I didn't realize how much M and I do together until after she was gone...and it was only the first day! I think once I find my new routine and "independence" i'll be okay. As for my girls, they are perfect. They loved the first day of school and were even more excited about day #2.

C & M getting ready to board the bus with the neighbor girls. The four girls became so close this summer, they love each other like sisters.

A new school year means bento lunches are back! I kept it simple, but it still sent a message. My girls are my heart so I found it fitting to make them heart sami's. Also packed in our Easy Lunchboxes is baby carrots, purple grapes and pretzel thins. The girls are excited because I told them I just ordered new two new ELB Coolers for them. One in Pink and in in Purple, their favorite colors!

  

Lunchbox Love by Say Please Review & Giveaway

Did you ever get a special surprise note in your lunch from your mom? Maybe a simple piece of paper or a picture of a heart drawn on a napkin? Do you place little love notes in your children's lunches or maybe even your hubby?

I admit I sporadically do for my oldest daughter C but not as often as I would like. Sometimes we are rushing to make sure we do not miss the bus and I forget. Sometimes I just do not know what to say besides the usual "I love you" or "have a great day". This coming school year I am ready thanks to Lunchbox Love!

Say Please is a fabulous company that "believes words are important, especially positive words." I could not agree more! With their wonderful Lunchbox Love note cards you share your love and words of encouragement with your children. These eco friendly cards made from recycled material are as big as a business card and fit perfectly in any lunchbox, backpack or binder.

One side has an encouraging message, flip it over and you have a fun fact! Did you know a crocodile cannot stick out this tongue! Or that a turtle can breathe through his butt! Wow! These are just a few things my girls and I laughed over while exploring our new Lunchbox Love cards. C is so excited to start school and to find these awesome cards in her lunch. She is really looking forward to sharing them with her friends.

"Positive words can change a person's day, a life and eventually the world".

These cards from Say Please are not just for kids, they also have Lunchbox Love For Your Girl Friends, For Your Co Workers, For Those You Appreciate, and for Loved Ones. Do your kids go away to camp during the summer? Why not secretly pack away some Lunchbox Love for Camp cards inside their pillowcase, in a sock, a book, anywhere they will find a special surprise from you.

Each Lunchbox Love for Kids packet or volume contains 9 or 10 double printed cards along with 2 or 3 cards that are blank on one side so you can write you own personal message and then a fun fact on the reverse. That is 12 cards total. Now the Love for Kids has 32 volumes! 12 cards times 32 volumes....well you get my drift, that is a lot of love, inspiration and encouragement you are sharing with your kids.

Would you like to share these fabulous cards with your kids for FREE!

Say Please is offering one lucky winner Lunchbox Love for Kids Vol 1 &2!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I was contacted via email bu Say Please about writing a review and hosting a giveaway. I received the previously mentioned product free of charge to review. I received no monitory compensation. All comments and opinions expressed are mine and mine alone and are unbiased.

I Made It Myself Bento

Since the last day of school on June 1st we have been running and I am not sure exactly why. I thought summer vacation meant relaxing, sleeping in, not making plans just flying by the seat of your pants. Well apparently this is true if your a child, for parents, summer vacation means constant movement.

Yesterday I decided there would be no running around, no playdates, nothing. I am working on some new dresses for my shop and needed to put aside the time to do it. My girls are so fabulous and getting really self sufficient. C as the older sister loves to make M toast and pour her milk. While I work they play wonderfully together and have become slightly addicted to the old school Mario Brother's. You know, the original version from the 80's! I downloaded it to our Wii and they just love it!

So while I worked and they played Mario Brother's and soon lunch crept up on us. They came into my work room and ask if they could make their own bento's. A little hesitant about the mess that was about to be made, I said okay and let them have full reign over my neatly organized bento stash. A few minutes later they came to me with their creations!

Packed in their Easy Lunchboxes they made their own shaped and colored sami's. C did a patriotic star with flag markings and M did a crown lunch punch and a mosaic color pattern. They used only one pick each (which surprised me) and then filled the extra compartments with yummies. I have to say I am pretty impressed with my girls. They are growing up so fast and becoming fiercely independent. What happen to my babies?