The Mommy Bag - by Rhiana

So the other day i noticed my handbag was getting a little heavy. My son is four so we are past the days of diapers, bottles and extra clothes so i no longer carry a diaper bag. I have the next step in the evolution of carrying everything a family needs in "The Mommy Bag." Big enough to carry everything but not quite as big as a diaper bag. So I decided to dump the contents out onto my kitchen counter and see what exactly was weighing my Mommy Bag down. The contents are as follows:

• bottle of water
• 2 hand sanitizers
• disposable camera
• socks
• 2 lip glosses
• lip stick
• cosmetic case (I guess the lip gloss and lipstick made an escape?)
• 3 receipts (the rest reside in my George Costanza wallet, these were just floating around)
• paint stick stirrer (you know just in case someone says "gosh, I could really use a paint stick stirrer")
• waiver of liability
• day planner
• American Flag (you mean you don't all carry around your own personal flags?)
• flash light
• pretzels
• pen
• wallet
• Teddy Grahams
• crayons
• sun block
• diaper wipes
• plastic dish (a play toy...because you just never know when you may need one)
• 2 Cliff Bars
• Kashi Bar (i don't like to be stranded without food)
• gum
• broken pen
• sunglass case
• JoAnn flyer (I NEVER leave home without this flyer!)
• net veggie bag (in case i randomly stop at a roadside veggie stand..)
• $0.14

I hope I am not alone in this.  Everyone has all this randomly floating in the abyss of their Mommy Bag, right?

-Rhiana

Decluttering - by Lauren

We have started to declutter our house in preparation to put it on the market in the next few weeks.  This has been quite the process.  I have always thought that we were very good at purging.  Honestly if it is not bolted down or used within the past few months, we usually get rid of it. Sometimes I even just watch the show Hoarders and immediately go and throw stuff away.  But this process has been eye opening.

First, it showed me that my husband owns nothing.  Nothing.  He could literally pack a backpack with what he owns in our house.  When I pointed it out to him, he was delighted.  The man doesn’t save anything.  He has no attachment to things whatsoever. When he was a teenager his mom told me that she actually grew concerned about him beacuse he used to clean out his room and give his stuff away.  Apparently he has always been like this.  So this means that I, along with the 3 year old, am responsible for the clutter in the house.  I guess mostly me.  I have a huge problem throwing things away that I see as sentimental. And unfortunately I see everything as sentimental. 

EJ’s baby box is actually a giant storage container and that doesn’t even account for the artwork I have kept or his three baby books.  Mike likes to point out that this is slightly ridiculous since he was 7 months old when he came home. I have even saved my own cards, photos, letters, articles, pictures I drew as a kid, and even my scrapbooks.  The “sentimental” stuff filled three large storage containers last night and I am not even done.  But I just cannot part with it.  Everything in those boxes brings back a memory.  It makes me smile as I remember some small moment of my childhood. What Mike sees as trash, I see as precious and irreplaceable. It is ridiculous and it does take up a lot of room.  But as I get older, I am realizing that life does go by really fast and my memory of things is getting fuzzier and fuzzier.  

I started to save these things for EJ so that one day he can smile as he remembers something from his childhood that he loved.  I have his first pair of shoes, his first toy, his favorite baby books, his first baseball hat.  It is endless. Yesterday I showed Mike a scrapbook I made of all of EJ’s announcements, holiday cards, and birthday invites.  He smiled politely and said, “I am sure he will love this when he is 30.”  I sensed sarcasm. 

But someday I will give him all this “clutter” and we can go through it together remembering all of his firsts. Or he will be like Mike and throw it all away saying, “Mom, why did you save all this junk??” I will take my chances.

-Lauren

Birthday Boy - by Lauren

My favorite birthday party as a kid was a tea party my parents had for me when I was about eight. I had a handful of friends over and we dressed up in our mother’s clothing, had tea and sandwiches, and acted like little adults.  It was small and simple but I can still remember how much I loved that party.  I never had huge, extravagant or most of the time even themed parties.  I don’t remember fancy cakes or party favors but I do remember getting to choose whatever I wanted for dinner and getting to eat chocolate cake. I also remember that the people that mattered most were there and that I felt special. 

EJ’s first party I was obsessed.  I wanted a theme with invites, a cake, balloons and favors that matched. Everything had to be perfect and he was just 1!  He had no idea! My husband did his best to remind me that not only would he not remember it but these details will not be as important to him.  So, for his second birthday I tried to scale it down a bit. But still found myself running around matching cups and plates and up all night stuffing favors. 

This week we will celebrate EJ’s third birthday.  I am working hard to focus less on the favors and decorations (and even happily handing that off to someone else!) and more on how we will celebrate his three short but amazing years. How we celebrate EJ.  I want him to have great memories of his birthdays but I know those memories will be less about the gifts, the bounce house or having it at Kite Tails (although he will love that!) and more about how many people who truly love him were there and how special he felt.

Last week, he was looking at the photo books I made for him of his 1^st and 2^nd birthday and I noticed that what he was commenting on was who was there.  “There’s Grandpa, Mommy!” “There’s Auntie Kat!”  “Who is that baby, Mommy?”  He loved looking at all the people that he loves there on his day.  He never mentioned the gifts, the cake or the favors.  It is so easy to get wrapped up in wanting the very best for him; a fun place, the cutest decorations, the coolest cake.  Easy to focus on making the details of the day perfect and forgetting about what he will remember.

My goal now is very simple.  Every year on EJ’s birthday, I want him to feel loved, celebrated and as special as I did every year with just my parents, my sister and my chocolate cake.  Because thirty years from now that will be what he remembers…

 -Lauren

A 'sweet' teacher thank you - by Aimee

Last week we celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week at my sons' school.  We wanted to give a small token of 'thanks' to their teachers but didn't want it to be too expensive or too complicated - we had a total of 9 teachers to shop for!  So I did what I know how to do best:  go to Google and Pinterest looking for ideas.  It was hard to choose from all the great ideas but with the end of the year coming up, I know I'll have more gifts to make soon. 

I originally saw the idea here and just changed it up a little bit.  I printed tags off the computer and had the boys sign their names.  We filled the bags with berry treats - tea, candy, and fruit snacks.  You could also use candles or lotions - anything with a berry theme.  The boys were very excited to deliver to their teachers!

Quick, easy, inexpensive and thoughtful - a recipe for a great gift!

-Aimee

Running - by Lauren

Last week, I dusted off my running shoes, found my old workout clothes and strapped on my Walkman (yes, my Walkman.  I lost my iPod).  It was the first time I had been out for a run in months and the last step in my quest to regain my old self.  Like a lot of moms, and even dads for that matter, I had been wrapped up in being a parent for the last two years.  So much so that I began to lose myself.  I stopped eating right, stopped working out, stopped making myself a priority.  But a few months ago I woke up and began to make some big changes.  I had felt stuck and had to find ways to “unstick” myself.

I just recently decided to go back to work.  EJ loves school and is doing great.  It seemed like the perfect time to go back to my career.  I was lucky enough to find a full-time job with great vacation and great hours in a family friendly environment.  I changed the way we all eat in our house and began taking yoga.  I started writing more, taking time for myself and planning more nights out with friends and my husband.  Going back to work has allowed us to start planning more for our future and look into where we finally want to settle. There are a lot of great changes happening for us and a lot of excitement for what is to come.  Everyone in the house, including me, is happier, less stressed and the overall mood has improved. All of these changes have reminded me of the importance of trying to find some balance in life without losing yourself completely.

Balance. That word took on a whole new meaning once I became a mother. I truly admire those mothers who say that they have achieved perfect balance in their lives. I personally do not know any. I feel like it would be the equivalent to seeing a unicorn. But I'm sure they are out there. For most parents it is an ongoing process and one that I continue to work on. 

Running was really the last piece in that puzzle.  I have never been a good runner.  When I ran cross-country in high school, I always came in dead last.  My dad would joke that it would get dark out on the course before I would even make it in.  But I never quit.  One season our team members had all quit or were injured before the last race of the year.  We needed five to compete as a team and it was just my sister and I left.  Our coach said we could end the season but we wanted to see it through.  So regardless of coming in last, we kept training. 

Yesterday as I was struggling up a hill (not a pretty site) I thought of how much running and motherhood have in common for me.  I am not the best at either.  Some days I feel like I come in dead last.  But I love the feeling I get and I am determined to get better; to keep training.  I love the challenge of an uphill and the great feeling of coasting once you make it downhill.  I love the rewards and the feelings of accomplishment.  I love knowing that I am still capable of pushing through the tough times, giving it all I have, and even coming out a better person on the other side. But I especially love how they have both helped me feel unstuck and like myself once again.  So if you see me out running, sweat pouring down my face, Sports Walkman strapped to my arm (circa 1989), swearing under my breathe as I struggle to make a mile without dying on the side of the road, know that I am actually the happiest I ever been….

 -Lauren

Make Your Own Play Dough - by Rhiana

This week in our Spring into Art class we took a little departure from our Spring theme art to create some monsters!  We made some colorful monsters with paint and we also sculpted monsters from homemade play dough.  I'm excited to share this recipe with all of you since your little ones can help you with the entire process!  Unlike many play dough recipes, this one does not need to be cooked!  And the best part- they can customize their own colors!

Materials:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ½ cup salt
• 2 tablespoons cream of tartar
• up to 2 cups of boiling water (I grabbed water from the Keurig)
• food coloring

Method:

• Mix the flour, oil, salt, and cream of tartar in a large mixing bowl
• Add the boiling water
• Stir continuously until combined and sticky
• Add food coloring
• Take out of the bowl and knead vigorously.  If the dough is still sticky keep adding flour and kneading it until it is no longer sticky and the right consistency.
• To turn your play dough into a monster, simply add any embellishments you have around the house!

Store it in a ziplock or tupperware so it doesn’t dry out.

I hope you have fun making this with your little ones and they have fun creating with this fun medium!

-Rhiana

It's Golf Season! - by Lauren

Yesterday marked the official start of golf season in our house.  There may have been frost on the greens in the morning but my husband and his friends were out of the house at 6am to get in their 18 holes.  For those of you who now lose your husbands to golf on the weekends, here are the top signs (in our house) that golf season has begun:

1. My husband starts making tee times in a hushed whisper, huddled into various corners of our house.  He does this with as much secrecy and care as if he was calling a mistress and always looks startled and guilty when discovered.

2. Every weekend I begin to hear, “Do I need to go to this birthday party?”  “If I need to be gone one day, should it be Saturday or Sunday?” “How late can we be to this event/party?” “How about I just meet you there?”

3. When doing laundry, score sheets, beer bottle caps and tees begin to fall out of pockets or turn up in the dryer.

4. On any given Saturday or Sunday, he can be seen napping at 4pm in the recliner.  When questioned, he will tell me that golf is exhausting and that he is not a young guy anymore. I will try not to roll my eyes…

5. My husband is far from a complainer but I will begin to hear numerous complaints such as:

“I think I got windburn today.”

“I think I pulled something…”

“Walking 18 holes is exhausting.”

“Running the day before golf is a not a great idea.”

“It was too hot (too cold, too windy, too rainy…)”

“I got too much sun.”

6. He looks like he has been assigned a weekend uniform of khaki shorts and a polo shirt.

7. Not only will I hear stories about golf (how he did, who chocked on the 9^th hole and sometimes even some amusing stories), but he will begin to watch every golf event on TV.  Throughout the house, I will now hear the whisper of the golf announcer followed by the quiet, polite clapping of the crowd. 

-Lauren

How to Earn a Dime - by Aimee

Although we try to not make our home very money-focused, the kids certainly know that 'stuff' costs money and the shiny coins in their piggy banks will someday allow them to buy something.  Pennies found on the ground and quarters from the tooth fairy are treasured so I knew the idea of earning some money would go over well.  I know a lot of parents start having their kids earn an allowance for doing chores but we decided to take a different angle.  One thing we just can't seem to work into our daily routine is brushing the kid's teeth in the morning and I know it's important!  It's part of our nighttime routine but just seems to get over-looked on the way out the door to school.

So, I created a 'dime sheet' to hopefully work this into our day.  Each of the boys have a sheet which are hanging on a bulletin board in the hallway for us all to see.  Usually during breakfast or while packing up their back-packs, one of us looks at the sheet and quickly announces  "It's time to brush teeth and earn a dime!" to which the boys respond by running to the bathroom and brushing!  They then get to color in one dime on their sheet.  We've told them they can save up their dimes to use at their school's store or to buy a lemonade or pick something out at the dollar store. 

I know it may seem more like a bribe but for the health of their teeth, I'm willing to do it! 

-Aimee

Spring Bird Crafts - by Rhiana

This week in our Spring Into Arts class we learned a little about birds.  We made our own bird nests with paper bowls, shredded paper, yarn, twigs and other natural materials.  We also used glue.  Lots and lots of glue!  Glue is a great material for sensory experience.  It is messy fun that doesn’t stain!  


 

We also made a Momma Bird and a Baby Bird with plastic Easter Eggs, feathers and google eyes.  They looked fantastic!  One of the things we learned is that once the Momma Bird lays her eggs she doesn’t leave her nest until they hatch.  This means that the Daddy Bird has to gather all the food.  

 
We decided to help the Daddy Birds by making some simple bird feeders.  Here is how we made them:

Materials:
Pipe cleaner
Cheerios 
Beads

First you make a loop at the top by bending the pipe cleaner in a circle shape.  Then give it a twist to secure the loop.

Then you add a couple of beads to add some visual interest.

Then add lots of cheerios.  You simply slip them onto the pipe cleaner.  This is great for little ones to do.  It works their fine motor skills and it is a great quiet time activity.  My classes were very quiet as all the little ones were busy adding Cheerios onto the pipe cleaner!

You want to save a little room on the bottom to add a couple of beads.  The beads help keep the Cheerios from falling off the bottom.  Once you add a couple of beads double over the pipe cleaner and give it a twist to keep the beads from falling off.

I can’t wait to hear next week if any Daddy Birds paid a visit to the bird feeders!

- Rhiana

Adding to our 'Toolbox' - by Aimee

Like many of us grown-ups, my 7 year old son is often filled with disappointment when Sunday night rolls around.  After a fun weekend with the family and lots of play-time, Monday morning is right around the corner and it's a whole 5 days of school before 'home-time' starts again.  We've realized that part of this frustration comes from him not getting done everything that was on his 'to-do' list.  I never really gave that much thought - he's only 7, what could he possibly need to get done??!!  But apparently even little ones have 'to-do' lists that must be addressed for them to feel settled and accomplished.

When April vacation was starting, I began getting nervous that his return the following Monday would be miserable.  If he has a hard time after just 2 days off, what would it be like after 9!  So I tried out a new tool.  We decided to map out the week with the things that were already scheduled, the name of the person who would be caring for he and his brother each day, and a list of things we would like to accomplish.  As the week went on, we filled in more items, crossed some out, and moved things around.  I showed it to him each day and reminded him of our plan and asked if there was anything he wanted to add.  (Do you notice the one thing he wrote in??!!)

I'm happy to say that we had a wonderful Sunday night and Monday morning.  I'm not sure if it was because of this tool or the stars just aligned but the night and morning were flawless!  As my kids get older I'm realizing that just little tools like this can help them be more at peace and comfortable with our crazy life and if they're happier, I'm happier!

-Aimee

The Pizza Guy - by Lauren

The other night EJ asked me what we were having for dinner.

“Pizza!  We are having pizza!”

EJ: “The pizza guy is coming?”

Me: “No! Mommy is making pizza!”

EJ: “So is the pizza guy coming?”

My son’s inability to grasp the concept of me cooking made me think that perhaps I need to start cooking more often.  We recently began an effort in our house to eat fresh and organic foods and get rid of the processed.  I have seen a difference in all of our eating habits and I am continuing to eliminate things with too many ingredients to simplify our diets.  But it is definitely time to up my cooking.

A little over a year ago I bought a crock pot.  I was skeptical. Along with my fear of having something plugged in all day while I am not home, I was not convinced that I could make a great meal in a slow cooker. But after my first attempt, I was sold.  I am now convinced that you can make anything in a crock pot and I even made an Ethiopian dish! This whole “throw it all in, turn it on and just wait” concept is amazing.  Hard to believe something like a crock pot could make me so happy but sadly it did.

Well, it is time to break that crock pot back out and say goodbye to the pizza guy. The best recipes that I have found for slow cookers were on the blog A Year of Slow Cooking.  This recipe is one of our favorites and it is what I will be using this week to replace pizza night:

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/02/chicken-parmesan-crockpot-recipe.html

The Ingredients:

--2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

--1/2 cup bread crumbs

--1/4 cup parmesan cheese

--1/2 t Italian Seasoning

--1/4 t black pepper

--1/4 t kosher salt

--1 T olive oil

--1 beaten egg

--sliced mozzarella cheese

--favorite jarred marinara sauce

The Directions:

--spread the 1 T of olive oil into the bottom of your crock pot stoneware insert

--whip the egg with a fork in a separate bowl

--mix the bread crumbs with the seasonings and the parmesan cheese in another separate dish

--dip the chicken into the egg, then into the bread crumb mixture, coating both sides with crumbs, cheese and seasonings

--place the chicken breast pieces in the bottom of the crock

--layer 2-3 slices of mozzarella cheese on top

--cover with entire jar of marinara sauce

--close lid and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4. If your chicken is still frozen, it will take longer.

Serve with your favorite pasta. I LOVE using the new vegetable pasta from Ronzoni.  I am all about tricking my kid (and husband) into eating vegetables…

Lauren Jordan is a part-time stay at home mom.  She has been married for 7 years and is the mom of a very energetic, hilarious almost 3-year old boy!  She hopes to some day get a full night of sleep.

The Many Uses of a Snack Bag - by Aimee

What in the world is a snack bag??!!  That's what I said a year and a half ago when I received a message from a local mom who made 'snack bags' and asked if I would be interested in selling them at Kite Tails.  But I soon fell in love with these simple, cute little bags and have found so many uses for them!  I'm proud to have been the first store to carry norajane snack bags and I thought I'd share with you just a few of the ways we use them at our house!

Game cartridges














Legos

Meds

Sunscreen












...cosmetics, jewelry, camera, and snacks of course!  My little ones bring them to school almost everyday with their snacks; the bags are easy for them to open and close and provide a little extra padding!  Last year we gave them as gifts to my son's teachers - he picked out the pattern he wanted for each teacher and then helped me fill them with little wrapped candies and drink mixes.

Have you found a unique use for one of norajane's snack bags?? 

Mention this post and receive a free admission to Kite Tails with your next in-store snack bag purchase!

Happy snacking!
-Aimee

A Winter Get-Away - by Aimee

A friend reminded me today that I never shared with all of you the details of our trip to VT last month.  My younger brother lives in Stowe, VT and works at the mountain so we try to get up there at least once each winter to ski.  With the mild winter this year, the skiing wasn't too great so we found something new to try:  The Pump House Indoor Water Park at Jay Peak!

Jay Peak is a ski resort about an hour north of Stowe (we get to Stowe in 4-5 hours depending on how many potty breaks we take!).  I'm not much of a skiier so I can't say much about the actual mountain and resort but it's well worth the drive for the water park!  My brother did a little research and found some coupons that allowed 6 of us to get in for just under $100!  Since we were there 'off-season' it was pretty quiet and the lines and crowds were small.

The Pump House has just about everything you'd want in an indoor water park:  kids area, hot tub, lazy river, water slides, climbing wall and basketball hoops pool, surf/wave pool, food and drinks!  I spent most of the day in the hot tub with my little guy while my older one hit the water slides and surf pool!  There were plenty of life guards on duty and the attendants at the surf pool did a great job helping the kids (and adults!) learn to boogie-board and surf.

This is definitely a family-destination that is worth the trip.  The kids area is great for little ones and there's enough excitement for older kids and adults.  I went for the restful version and enjoyed watching my kids have fun while sipping a cocktail!

-Aimee

Liquid Sidewalk Chalk - by Rhiana

Today at Kite Tails we had a great time making liquid sidewalk chalk!  It is a super easy and inexpensive craft that is fun to make and play with outdoors!  

Here is the recipe:

• 1 cup of cornstarch (there are probably 3 cups to a box)
• 1 cup of water
• Food Coloring

You just combine the water and the food coloring and stir.  Then pour the mixture into egg cartons (you can also use muffin tins or plastic cups) and add the food coloring.  The more color you add the more saturated the color.  If you are making this for just a few kids one batch is plenty.  I doubled the batch and it was enough for 15 kids to have fun with some left over.  Then give the kids some paint brushes and watch what they create!

It was so much fun to watch the kids explore color and a new media at Kite Tails this morning!  They made quite a beautiful mural together on the outdoor chalkboard!

Rhiana

PS- if when first applied the chalk looks really faint, don’t worry, once it starts to dry the color looks much brighter and much more like the chalk we are used to seeing!

The 3 Year-Old Teenager - by Lauren

I once wrote a post on my blog about how toddlers were very similar to drunk college kids.  They pee the bed, love you one moment and then hate you the next, and can trash a room in less than five minutes; I found the similarities to be amazing.  As EJ approaches three, I am now amazed at how similar he is to a sullen teenager.  Moody, smart-mouthed, defiant; I feel like we skipped right to 16.

Like most stages during this parenting journey, I am once again caught off-guard and unprepared. My sweet natured child was quickly replaced with a cranky, overly dramatic teenager and I didn’t get the memo soon enough.

“What Mom??”

“Mom, go away! Go over there!”

“I said no!”

“I am going to my room!” (Door shuts in our faces)

The theme to most of my posts is “I am not totally sure of what I am doing here”. And believe me this stage is no exception.  He was smart at two but they get scary smart at three.  Scary.  I even sense fear in Mike. We now say no, take a step back and hold our collective breath for the dramatic reaction.  It also doesn’t help that Mike and I find almost everything amusing and fight most of the time to keep from laughing. Sometimes I think he must be practicing for an audition.  He is clearly up for the role of “angry, unreasonable, but very short, teenager #1.”

I will say this stage has forced us to take a harder look at discipline.  Up until now, we have had days or moments but no real “issues”. With three it seems like the whole year may be an issue.  I posted on Facebook about approaching three and one mother replied that she had to get more flexible with her parenting.  I thought that was great advice.  Pick your battles; go with the flow a little better.  Unfortunately for me, the word flexible has never been used to describe me.  You will never hear a family member or friend say, “Boy that Lauren is such a flexible person.” So this is bad news for me all around.

I am once again confronted with facing my weaknesses head on in an effort to become a better parent.  I am beginning to realize that parenting is more about how we react as parents and less about how they act as kids. I cannot say that I have always been perfect with my reactions but I can say that I have seen vast improvement with myself as a parent and as a person.  Being challenged daily with handling situations better, communicating better and always reacting positively has made me feel like I have grown more in the past two and half years than I have in the previous thirty.

And so I look to three as yet another challenge and one I feel very up to. Maybe it is the fact that my child now finally sleeps in his own bed and through the night (see my post on co-sleeping for a good example of what not to do) or maybe it is just pure naïve stupidity, but I think we will all get through this year, however long it may feel, unscathed.  Wish us luck…

Lauren Jordan is a part-time stay at home mom.  She has been married for 7 years and is the mom of a very energetic, hilarious almost 3-year old boy!  She hopes to some day get a full night of sleep.

Dinner Time! - by Aimee

And this is what happens when I'm left in charge of dinner!  I open the fridge and find a roll of cookie dough -  dinner is served!  Oh, come on!  We've all had those days!

Fun with Food - by Shannon

I must start this off by letting you know I have a new obsession.....Pinterest.  I am completely hooked.  I am one who has always loved to create "notebooks" of ideas, dream boards of hopes for the future..etc.  I am also one who tends to let those things pile up and get stuck in my craft room...which has sadly been re-named my "crap room". So....when I found out about pinterest, I was in awe. :)  And how cool that not only did I have a place to store fun ideas that I liked, but I could see what "everyone else" liked, and get even more great ideas!!!!!   And best of all...it's on the computer (or even your phone!)...well, we all know in this day and age, we most likely won't lose that!

So....now on to the topic of this post: Fun with Food!

I have been EXTREMELY lucky that my three little munchkins (as I typically refer to them) have always loved to eat...and eat, and eat, and eat!  I can honestly say that the only baby food that I ever got a nose turned up to was green beans. I made about 75% of their baby food and really tried out everything on them. These munchkins seriously ate everything and anything that you would give them.  I was (and still am) amazed at just how much they would eat, and the variety.  So many of my friends, or parents I have known from my years of teaching, have had to struggle with picky eaters.  I am SO grateful at how lucky we have been in this area.  It is really only recently that Ethan has decided to be picky about certain things....but I can not complain at all because broccoli and strawberries are two of his favorite foods! 

I am obsessed with cute food....always have been.  So, with this lovely Pinterest I mentioned earlier, the ideas for cute foods for my munchkins are simply endless!! (I have to remind myself to look at other stuff!!)  I thought that I would share a few photos of my attempts at cute food :)  For those of you with picky eaters, maybe changing things up might help them try something new....even if it is just a bite!  I certainly can't take credit for all of my creations, I have been inspired by the hundreds of ideas I stare at each day :)  But I do enjoy taking a creative license and making my own spin on it. I am surprised at how little time one simple thing like using a cookie cutter to make cute cucumbers actually takes....trust me, my three munchkins are very demanding and I certainly do not have time to prepare gourmet meals...I just try to make things fun.  If they are having fun, then hopefully I am too :)

Enjoy...and be creative!!!  :)

~Shannon :)



Shannon Smitherman: Former Kindergarten teacher, now stay at home mom of triplets Emma, Ava and Ethan who were born in the summer of 2008.