I have....

A post I'd like you to read. It's back to packing lunches tomorrow. For now, I've written a post I'd love for you to read, which will help explain where I've been.

Field Trip Lunch

Fancy's going on a field trip with her gifted class. They're studying ancient civilizations, and taking a trip to a museum that focuses on ancient Egypt today. She loves history, so I know she's going to have a good time.

I had a choice on the permission slip: pack a lunch, or order a brown bag lunch from the cafeteria. Guess which I chose.

Whole wheat wrap holding ham and provelone cheese; applesauce with cinnamon sprinkled on top; cucumber rounds; cantaloupe chunks. Orange juice to drink.

100th Lunches!

This is it....my 100th lunchbox post! Two lunches to share with you today: Bay's and Fancy's. Here they are!

Fancy's lunch: Cubed ham on toothpicks, string cheese, and a sweet mini bell pepper; Larabar (Ginger Snap) and three strawberries; blueberry muffin; blueberry pomegranate yogurt. Milk to drink.

Bay's lunch: Natural Peanut Butter & All Fruit Spread on 15-grain bread and string cheese; cut up tomato and a couple of sweet mini bell peppers; natural applesauce; blueberry muffin. Fruit punch to drink.

Fancy's Lunch

Roasted chicken & provelone on 15-grain bread; crackers; strawberries; cheese stick. Fruit punch to drink.

Side note: My next post will be my 100th on this blog! :)

An Early Morning Snapshot of Bay's Lunch

She wanted to take hot lunch today, so I had to make it at the last minute. Here it is, a little dark because there's no natural light right now!

Tomato Soup, crackers, shredded cheddar; strawberries; milk to drink.

Fancy's Lunch

I forgot to set my alarm last night, so I didn't wake up until nearly 6:30 this morning. I had Bay make her own lunch while I stumbled around in my sleepy stupor. I think she packed a peanut butter sandwich, some fruit, some green beans, and ???

She has to get on the bus at 6:45! Who had the bright idea that middle schoolers would be best served by getting up before dawn? Obviously, they don't parent middle schoolers, whoever they might be.

Anyway, Fancy's lunch. I was awake enough by the modest 7:30 that she has to wake up, and I put together a simple, tasty lunch. Here it is...

vanilla Greek yogurt with sliced bananas in it; sliced strawberries and kiwi; babybel cheese rounds; honey-almond granola. Milk to drink.

The Laptop Lunch carrier has enough room for two small ice packs. I'm using both today to make sure everything stays icy cold. Warm milk and warm yogurt just aren't very appetizing, ya know?

Valentine's Day Lunches

This morning, my precious Fancy came downstairs, all groggy and wobbling, and said in a half chipper, half sleepy voice, "Momma! It's Thanksgiving Eve!"

Me: (blink, blink) You mean Valentine's Day Eve?

To which she nodded emphatically, came over and hugged me, and proclaimed, "I bet that NO kids will be playing outside after school tomorrow!"

Me: Why?

Fancy: Because it's Valentine's Day! That's a day you should spend loving on your family!

I just love her sweet soul. I asked her if she'd like to go on a hike through the woods tomorrow after school. She wants to. It's going to be fun.

For lunch, of course I couldn't just pack up boxes as usual. I had to make them festive while keeping the foods wholesome and as whole as possible. Here's what I came up with...

Everyone has basically the same foods. Cubed ham, heart-shaped cheddar, Babybel cheese, TLC Cherry Vanilla cereal bars, strawberries, sweet baby peppers, white asparagus. Bay has grape tomatoes and Army Man has some raspberries. Raspberry Lemonade to drink.

I found free printable cards at About.com and I printed one for each of the girls' lunch boxes.

What's Valentine's Day without a little chocolate? Ghirardelli squares in dark chocolate with mint filling, dark chocolate with raspberry filling, and milk chocolate with caramel filling end these lunches on a sweet note.