Packing Veggie Kid Lunches

Packing healthy, fresh lunches for Sprout and Bird has become much easier now that I have a few years of practice under my belt. The more I read about the standard school lunch, the happier I am that we send the kids lunches with them every day. Inspired by Vegan Lunchbox, we got Sprout a Laptop Lunchbox and started planning all kinds of fun meals. The boxes work great--the kids love them, and the carriers provide some insulation. Some lunches have gone over better than others with the kids, but what I've ultimately learned as that I need to take my own advice and keep things simple. What I mostly do now is things that the kids can "put together" themselves. Don't overthink it. Use fresh, whole foods. I try to choose nutrient dense foods and always have something fresh. I'll put a big glob of peanut butter or hummus in one of the smaller containers, and then do 2 things they can dip in in the big containers--usually a veggie and something whole grain. The other small container gets some dried fruit or applesauce. Or I'll do whole grain crackers in one, slices of cheese in another, a veggie and a fruit. The kids each have favorites, and as with most things, letting them have a say, or even help with preparation and/or packing, helps a lot. I was surprised to find out that kohlrabi sticks were one of Sprout's favorite veggies, and that they thought that cream cheese cranberry sandwiches sounded good. Here are a few of our favorites to mix and match:

• Whole grain pita wedges
• Whole grain crackers
• Kohlrabi sticks
• Carrot sticks
• Cucumber Slices
  
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Edmame
• Celery
• Dried Cranberries
• Raisins
• Peanut butter
• Hummus
• Cream Lunches
• Almonds
• Cheese

I'll include a knife for spreading or encourage them to make their own sandwiches with the "ingredients" that I pack. They love making their own "ants on a log" (especially with cream cheese and cranberries). I will also occasionally pack a hot lunch for them in a thermos--a baked potato with black beans on top, soup, etc. along with a whole piece of fruit. I will include a square of dark chocolate as a treat every now and then. I've also learned that they actually eat more if I keep portion sizes small. They don't have much time to eat and Bird especially would get overwhelmed by how much food I used to pack, and hardly eat a thing. You'll figure out what works for your kiddo. I used to send an organic juice pouch with them but frugality and packaging concerns have led us to include a bottle of water instead. (Sigg's tiniest bottles will squeeze into the Laptop Lunch carrier with the lunchbox if you really try, trust me!) I hope this helps you with some simple ideas to help make your child's lunch healthier and easier for the whole family.

Meal Planning

I have been trying to get back-to-basics with healthy eating and frugal cooking, for the benefit of the whole family. The thing that has kept me on track for a few weeks now has also helped to get the kids eating more of our different meals is to have a weekly schedule. Each night of the week is someone's night, with Friday being pizza night. (I still love Whole Foods' pre-made whole wheat crust On the weekends we can finish up leftovers, make a big pot of soup, or have a family favorite like veggie lasagna or field roast. Other leftovers go to lunches for Beo and I.

To make things simple, I compiled a list of main dish options and options for sides, and each week I have everyone choose their menu for their night, and put together a shopping list. The kids not only are more willing to eat their menu, veggies and all, but seem more willing to eat on other nights as well, as though they have a sense of fairness about it all. The kids have been helping out with dinner more too, setting the table, peeling potatoes (they're pretty good!), breaking cauliflower into florets, etc. As I've said before, I think having the kids partcipate in meal prep really helps them to be more open to eating the meal. So, our menu for the coming week:

Monday (Beo): Cauliflower and Potato Tian (Simple Vegetarian Pleasures) and Spinach Salad

Tuesday (Me): Potato Curry with CousCous and Mixed Greens Salad

Wenesday (Sprout): Homemade Mac&Cheese with Lentils and Steamed Carrots

Thursday (Bird): Cannelini Beans and Lemon Cauliflower (both Emeril Green recipes)

Friday: Pizza

Beo has been making bread again, so we often have fresh bread (or pitas/roti) in addition to what's been planned. We sometimes have a little salad or a second steamed veggie as well, but when it's a dish like the tian or curry, it usually is a meal to itself. This plan has helped take the stress out of planning meals for me, has kept us to a tighter shopping list, made it easier for me to plan my day Weight Watchers point-wise, and has made the dinner table a more relaxed and enjoyable place.

The Apron Strings

The introduction of Sarah Palin into the current political mess has sparked a flood of talk about feminism in America. Frankly, I haven't heard a single political comment about Palin and feminism that I agree with. I heard an article on NPR about Palin a few months ago, and she struck me as a strong, powerful woman. Still, I was shocked at McCain's choice of a running mate with so little experience. I cringed at what seemed obvious: He was gunning for Clinton supporters. There have been so many cringe-worthy moments since that initial announcement.
One thing that's driving me crazy is the people saying that they are going to vote for Palin because the "talking heads" are saying she shouldn't run for Vice President because she's a mom. Moms are great, they say. Moms can do anything. Well trust me, I know that most Moms are superheroes. Even Palin has donned this pitbull-with-lipstick-hockey-mom image with pride. But frankly, I have a real problem with the "I'm a mom just like you." line of thought. I want an individual who isn't all that much like me, frankly. I have some major ideas about government, but do I think I'm qualified to run the country? Heck no. And frankly I cringe at the fact that these self professed "feminists" say they are voting for Palin because the powers-that-be say she can't do it, or because Palin is a Mom. Shouldn't we empowered women be intelligent enough to realize when someone is chosen based on their gender? Palin may be a strong woman, but the idea that she is qualified for VP is outrageous. Shouldn't we expect more from our politicians than this?

Amidst all of the gender talk, I keep hearing the term "Apron Strings". They say Palin is tying on the apron strings with pride. (Some say this against Palin, some for Palin.) They play clips of conservative analysts accusing Hillary of "hiding behind the apron strings". Outside of politics, people accuse people who stay close to their mother's as "holding on to" the apron strings. I recently became the proud owner of an apron, so maybe that's what made these comments stick out to me. What does that mean, apron strings? In context, people seem to think it represents feminine, stay-at-home, dinner-on-the-table womanhood. Are strong women "hiding" their strength behind femininty? If so, apron strings are the wrong way to go about portraying this. As I was tying on my apron the other day, I realized something. Apron strings are designed to cross in back, and tie in front. Why? Because while we women are going about our business, there is no one standing around waiting to help us out. There is no one there to tie the strings of our aprons so we can keep our dresses clean. No, we tie our apron strings ourselves, and get down to the business of doing all of the hard work that--while behind the scenes--is so crucial to keeping everything running as it should.

My youngest started school last week. I have been a proud stay-at-home-mom (SAHM) for nearly seven years now, so this was a huge change. People kept telling me I would have "so much time" now, but I couldn't believe it. Indeed, I seem just as busy now as I was before. I still have two non-profits to Direct, a gardening business to co-operate, a house to keep, 3 dogs to care for, and 2 kids that now not only need much more of my attention when they are here, but need to be shuttled back and forth to school and have all sorts of new needs because of school. People used to tell me I was a superwoman, and I shook my head. But now I look back and wonder how I managed it all. I don't often pat my own back, but I'm doing it now in hopes that some of my readers will acknowledge their own superhero status as well, and wear their self-tied aprons with pride.

Sweet retro apron by Pretty Industries--ampirlot on Etsy.com.

Spring Craft Time

Bird is getting to the age where she has a bit more interest and patience for "real" crafts. Yesterday, a unique shop on State Street in Madison lured us in again. Anthology, a newer boutique near the Children's Museum end of State Street, combines unique handcrafted art for sale with a few do-it-yourself art projects. The window's bright colors, vintage fabrics, and creativity caught our eye. The shop was filled with bags, cards, magnets, colorful unique quilts, beautiful papers, books, handcrafted toys, jewelry, and other delights. I spotted many items made from salvaged fabrics and papers. I picked up a handmade fabric coffee cozy for when I forget my reusable mugs. A table near the back offered materials and instructions to make your own tissue paper flowers for an insanely reasonable fee. Sprout picked out a "wallet" (change purse) made of an old capri sun juice packet. Bird and I couldn't resist this cute kit from "Artgirlz". We've never been so quick to finish a project! We started on it shortly after getting home yesterday, and finished it up this morning. Bird was more than willing to attempt some sewing as we appliqued a big "E" on the front (yes it's true, "Bird" is not her given name); and happily strung beads despite a frustration here and there. I think the thought of the finished project made it worth it for her. I can't believe we didn't have a single meltdown, as she's been more prone to tantrums lately. There's a little flower garden started on the other side of the bag, but Bird was so overcome with the present success of the bag that she wanted to call it quits for now. I'm totally fine with that. It's nice to have a project that looks so great and was so easy to do. This allowed Bird to be creative and still have an incredible finished piece, so we'll be looking for similar projects. Overall, I think this was a big success, and I hope we'll be doing more crafting like it in the future. Anthology will be a good source. I highly recommend that you check it out if you're in the area!

Ebullience

My daughter, she is ebullient. Bird has always been a spirited child, but she just never ceases to amaze me. With the spring thaw, her spirits have been rising with each inch of grass that's revealed degree by degree. For days now, she'll point out the window saying "Look, look!" as if there was some incredible wonder out our own back door. When we ask what she sees, she says: "Grass!", and she's truly thrilled, just glowing.

The other day, she heard an NPR DJ say "Obama", and said: "Mommy, they said Obama!" and I said: "Who is Obama?" Bird started singing "Yes-we-can, Yes-we-can, oh Yes-we-can!" So I asked her, "We can what?" She stopped and said she didn't know, so I told her that that song about Obama was saying that Yes, we can make the world a better place. Well that just set her off into her own version:

Yes-we-can make the world a better place! Yes-we-can give food to puppies and kitties! Yes-we-can make the wars stop and the soldiers stop fighting! Yes-we-can see a robin because it's almost spring! Yes-we-can stop global warming! Yes-we-can turn off lights to help!

How can you not just adore this kid? You can't not adore her, that's all there is too it. She is just full of joy and love, and is all about spreading it around. You rarely see this kid without a smile on her face. Just now, I hear her saying: "Wow, this is so amazing! This is just SO beautiful..." so I peek in her room, and she's looking out the window. "What is it, Bird?", I asked. "The world." said she.

We could all learn a lesson from my Bird. I know I'm blessed to have the opportunity every day.

Envirosax

I am a reusable bag freak. I just love all of the different styles and options. I have to be careful not to undo the good of reusing bags by buying too many sustainable bags! We've all seen the string bags, recycled plastic bags, and insulated bags out there. But can reusing bags be chic? Oh yes, yes indeed. If you want to go a bit more chic with your reusable bags than the inside out plastic bag with "Reusable Bag" markered in (which I still love), ehere's another option. I came across these incredible bags at a great little shop in Madison on State Street: Pop Deluxe. These bags are theoretically easy to roll up (I confess, I haven't tried yet) ala those little umbrellas, and stow away in your purse/car/backpack. The material is very much like those lightweight umbrellas--a polyester fabric. Don't want to go polyester? Spend the money on their new Organic line, made from either a bamboo, linen, or hemp blend. The Envirosax Website explains that the company was started by a family in Australia, which lives sustainably on their bit of Queensland. Their green living includes use of a solar water heater, rainwater tanks for their garden and orchard, and recycling sewage system. While the bags are made in China, the company assures that fair trade standards are met at their factories. These little lightweight bags are designed to hold the same amount as two shopping bags. Checking out the site,I found that they have a new line for kids, to encourage them to get into the reusable bag habit as well. Yeah, I can support this company! Sprout would love these cool bags to tote his snowpants back and forth to school, stow his show-and-tell in, and Bird will sock away her many treasures. These are a great way to call attention to the fact that "Green is the new Black". Check them out! Choose your favorite one of save a bit of money and stock up by buying a series. Right now they're even offering a shower timer with full-series orders, so you can have some help saving water too. This is a super fun way to be green.

Chickpeas and Spinach Stew

'Tis the season for spinach recipes! I picked up a beautiful two pound bag of big green leaves at the Farmer's Market this weekend. It was gone before we knew it. Spinach is so incredibly versatile and nutritious, and it's one of the easiest foods for us to get local and organic. I received this recipe in my "Green Guide" e-mail yesterday and decided to give it a try. This is modified only very slightly. This is a quick and easy dinner that plates nicely and is very satisfying. Made with bulk rice and beans, it's also inexpensive--especially if you don't burn the first batch of rice. Not that I did.

Chickpeas and Spinach Stew

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tablespoon crushed dried rosemary
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1 cup veggie stock
3 cups cooked chickpeas
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
12 ounces fresh greenmarket spinach
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 cups cooked brown rice
Plain Yogurt

Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and spices and cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes. Cover pot, lower heat and simmer 7 to 10 minutes. Add chicken stock, canned chickpeas and tomato; cover and cook 10 minutes at medium-high. Add spinach, cover for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and serve over brown rice, Top with a dollop of plain yogurt, and a sprinkle of spices.

I originally followed the directions to cook for another 10 minutes after adding the spinach, but I think it would have been nicer to let the spinach retain more of it's natural brightness and bite. The chicklets ate a modified version--brown rice, chickpeas, yogurt, and cumin. They had baby carrots on the side for their veggie. It was a big hit. Leftovers were great too. Enjoy cooking local as more variety becomes available!

Bird's Nests

The birds all but disappeared this winter. Despite our food stock for them, our goldfinches, sparrows, and house finches were seldom visitors. This week, as Spring arrives (again), we've finally been graced with sweet songs from some of our favorites. Today there was a cheeky little house finch, singing his heart out from a sapling in our front yard. I watched as he flew down to our garden and tore a few pieces of newspaper from a piece of mulch in our garden. He inspired me to provide some more material for our guests.

The kids and I gathered up some used scrap paper, and yarn ends, and set to snipping them into beak-friendly pieces. Four inches is the reccomended length for thread, yarn, etc. While searching for that handy fact, I saw this great article on building a nesting materials site for birds, in Wonder Time. I actually subscribe to this magazine but rarely find time to read it. They suggest using a mesh onion bag to hold the materials. We packed our yarn and paper into an onion bag, pet the dogs for a little more material to add, then the kids snipped small holes around the bag for the birds to be able to poke around in. We tied it together with a piece of yarn at the top, then hung it in a small tree near our feeder.

This was a nice little Earth Day project for the kids--free and simple, and I plan to have it be an ongoing project as we come up with things like dryer lint that we can add to our nesting collection. The kids were thrilled, and are anxiously waiting at the window to see if we get any takers. I'll keep you updated on whether we have success on the bird's end!

Veggie Kids

Our household is one of "Virtual" vegetarians. In our case, this means that in principle, we don't eat meat. However we do make exceptions where we feel that not eating something is actually less ethical. (We'll eat a dish that's served to us rather than it going to waste is the bottom line.) Rather than get into the difficulties of helping the kids to understand the ethics behind that particular dietary choice, I thought I'd focus on the tips I've learned as a veggie momma. I hope that these will help mommas of any food choice help their kids to make healthy choices.

First there are the health aspects. I'm proud to say that we've had two very open minded pediatricians who haven't batted an eyelash at the fact that we eat veg. (At Sprout's 4 year old well-child visit, the pediatrician asked Sprout if he liked turkey, and Sprout very sternly said: "We do not eat turkey!" Both of these docs know that kids (and grown ups) can get all of the nutrients that they need from a plant based whole foods diet. Most Americans get far more protein than they need. Our kids get plenty in milk/soymilk, beans, and even whole grains, nuts, and vegetables. A quick google search will give you plenty of information on veggie kids and nutrition.

Does that mean your kid has to be a non-picky eater? Nope, you've just got to work with their likes to figure out what will work. Most kids love quesadillas. Made on a whole wheat tortilla with black beans and shredded carrots mixed in, you've got a well-balanced meal. Try stirring peas or beans into (whole grain) mac and cheese. Offering dips of any kind can encourage kids to try new things. I can't count how many foods I've finally gotten the kids to eat by offering to let them dip it in ketchup. (Just make sure you're using organic ketchup--high in all the good nutrients, no HFCS.) The kids love pan-fried tofu in any shape as long as there's a healthy side of ketchup!

Still no luck? Try letting your child help choose meals or partcipate in preparation. Offer to let your child choose the side vegetable. Make pizzas on whole wheat pitas, and let your child choose their toppings, spread the sauce, sprinkle the cheese. Try a kids cookbook like one of Mollie Katzen's--Salad People and Pretend Soup are both big hits at our place. It takes a bit more time, but it helps the kids get excited about their food. I couldn't believe it when Sprout loved "Green Spaghetti"--he wouldn't touch pesto before! Even just letting the kids have a couple of turns stirring a bowl can give them a sense of ownership and pride that will encourage them to try something new. Similarly, offering the kids free snack choices can be empowering and help them make healthy decisions. Sprout and Bird know that they are welcome to raisins and baby carrots most anytime, and they take advantage of that! Other favorite (but limited) snack choices include almonds, PB& Celery, string cheese, and yogurt. Sometimes choices can make things complicated (Sprout will only drink soymilk now, while Bird prefers cow's milk) so be sure to offer things where you'll be happy with any choice.

Make food fun! I occasionally have time to be as creative as Vegan Lunchbox, as evidenced here by my polenta dinosaur in a marinara volcano, spouting parmesan steam in a broccoli forest, but more often than not it's about making everyday food creative. Make mashed sweet potatos into a mountain, with a plain-yogurt stream. Make a veggie smiley face on a bagel, or just out of plain veggies on a plate. Even names can make a big difference. When I first made Mollie Katzen's "Carrot Mushroom Loaf", I didn't tell the kids what it was. I let them name it, and they loved it so much they called it "Second Thanksgiving". They didn't even notice the 'dreaded' mushrooms throughout. We also have "Green Goddess Quiche", and tacking "Magic" on to many things is enough to do the trick. Tofu dogs wrapped in a tortilla become "Perritos"--you get the idea. Think "Ants on a Log"!

Lastly, don't give up. Repetition can go a long way. Encourage a "try it" bite of everything, but don't push too hard. (Easier said than done, I know, and there are plenty of time food goes uneaten on Sprout and Bird's plates.) Eventually, your child may find a new favorite in a previously shunned meal. I hope I've offered a few new tips for Moms of little veggies and picky eaters.

Ostara

Happy Ostara (a bit late) to all. I hope everyone had a nice Spring celebration. Things have been busy here and as they settled down I found myself dealing with a bit of depression again. Ah well, life goes on! We managed to do a few Ostara activities. We made little nest treats for a sweet activity. An outdoor egg hunt turned out to be a disaster (two children in tears, baskets blowing away) but what do we expect with 27 degree weather and flurries in April? Spring made a brief appearance but appears to be feeling a bit shy! Our Ostara treats came from Sweet Earth Chocolates this year. I highly reccomend them! Their customer service was great, shipping was exceptionally fast, and the goods are GOOD! We tried all of the different "eggs" (mint crunch, peanut butter crunch, dark and milk chocolate, and the bunnies. Their chocolate is fair trade and organic, and they have a number of vegan options. Be sure to check them out the next time you're in the market for sweets. (I see they have Mother's Day specials on their website today!) They made a lovely basket, joined by a small amount of precious Surf Sweets Organic Jelly Beans. Bird's Ostara cardigan got finished in a nick of time. Luckily I'd made my own shawl last year, so no worries there. I hope Spring is showing it's face wherever you are this week. Happy Ostara!

Hanna's Dream

My regular readers will know that I do my best to reign in my love of kids clothes. That's true, but I know a great source for sustainable, stylish kids clothes when I see one! I've had the chance to work with the owner of Hanna's Dream a bit this year. (Within my budget, I promise!) She is a real delight and has a great site. Hanna's Dream has everything from baby clothes to blankets to toys to adult clothing. Much of what they carry is hard-to-find European brands. There are lots of lovely natural organic color grown cotton pieces, but there are also fun and funky pieces as well. Their prices are very competitive and they're often offering great deals such as free-shipping or a percent off a certain brand, in addition to a daily special. Right now the site is offering 20% off all of their Lapsaky line for kids. They even offer used clothing occasionally. How cool is that? Take a look! I'll be adding a permanent link if you want to check back in the future.

Threadless T-Shirts

This is one of those completely-off-my-normal-beaten-path things. I recently discovered Threadless.com through Groovy Green. This is a website that lets designers submit ideas for t-shirts, and some get printed and are available for purchase. The t-shirt designs are so independent and different. I have enjoyed just flipping through the various submissions. I'm a sucker for tees but have way too many. The kids on the other hand, could use a couple of new ones. I love that these designs really let them march to their own drummer. (A few of their favorites along with some of mine are pictured above.) The original post on Groovy Green pointed out some cool Eco-submissions. The tees aren't organic but they're printed mostly on American Apparel-not necessarily the savoriest company, but at least sweat free. Threadless is having a $10 sale right now, so check it out!

Tough Talk-Shopping Addictions

I've mentioned my love of kids clothes in the past. I probably haven't been real candid about how out of control that "love" has gotten in the past. It's not real fun to talk about, but here goes.
A couple of years ago, I truly became a shopping addict, going way out my comfort zone in terms of what I was buying and how much I was spending. I spent a couple thousand dollars on a big name brand clothing company, buying clothes that didn't fit our lifestyle from a company I didn't want to support. This wasn't "me" at all. I always swore that my kids would wear plain t-shirts, hand tie-dyed of course, and hand-me-down jeans. By the time I realized how bad I'd gotten, Bird had over 30 outfits. Halfway through my "recovery", Beo walked into Bird's closet, saw her nine pairs of shoes, and got more serious about my problem. I know he worried about me, but with me being in control of the finances, and having all sorts of great justifications, I'm sure he felt reluctant to get too wrapped up in it.

What is it that made me so crazy about these clothes? It was so out of control. Sometimes when there was a big sale rumored, I'd drive over 100 miles to hit both store in our area. I would buy something, then end up feeling terrible about it, and sell it in a storm of guilt. For a while, I made myself feel better by looking at how I wasn't as bad as "the others". In one of my online recovery groups there were women hiding huge boxes of clothes in their attics, lying to their husbands, secretly spending savings and maxing out credit cards, and even going into bankrupcy, all for these clothes. We talked about how having our kids so well dressed somehow validated our lives as Stay-at-Home-Moms. There were work-for-pay Moms too though, and I think they thought the same thing-that having well dressed kids meant that they were good Moms even though they couldn't stay-at-home. There may have been some of that "Good Mom" validation for me, but I think a big part of it was that I just plain loved the clothes, and how good the kids looked in them. I loved getting something lovely and new in the mail, washing it, hanging it in the closet. I loved going through the many outfits. At the core though, it wasn't healthy. I think it's okay to have a guilty pleasure, but when it starts making you compromise your values, live outside your means, and make questionable judgements, it's time to step back. A lot of times I'd catch myself shopping when I was going through a depressed period, or stress. Buying something made me feel better. Finally, about this time last year, I got fed up with myself and called it quits. I've only made one purchase from "them" since. That doesn't mean it's been smooth sailing though.

I switched my loyalty to a company I believed in, which was a good start. Hanna Andersson is a wonderful company-dedicated to social responsiblity. They believe in being environmentally conscious, and offer organic clothing options as well as Eco-Tex clothing. It's been tough for me not to let the allure of supporting a company I believe in get me back into my old buying habits. I'm definitely improving, in 2006 spending about 1/3 of what I did the previous year, but I'd like to do even better. I've vowed to get half of this years clothes second-hand, returning to my environmental values. I've set a strict budget for myself, allowing myself $40 a month for kids clothes, plus whatever I can get for resale values on last years clothes. To you, it might sound like plenty. To me, I feel like it's barely enough. Today when I noticed that Sprout had outgrown yet another pair of shoes, I immediately thought to order another pair. I had to stop myself to remind myself that one pair of shoes could be enough. As I go through the kids clothes for Spring, I have to ask Beo for help in decision making at every turn, because I'm so scared of making a wrong turn. So far though, I've done well. We're getting ahead instead of behind on our budget goals, and I've resisted many a siren call.

The whole shebang is so unlike me. Some of our friends laughed when I told them about it, back when I decided to get control of the worst of the habits. It's not just that it seemed ridiculous to them that someone like me would get actually "addicted" to something like this. To people who have never felt the compulsion, or the rush of shopping, it's virtually impossible to understand. It's hard for me to admit to all of this. I feel downright ashamed to have let myself get sucked in to something that is so contrary to my values, that feels so superficial. Ultimately though, I have to face my issues to deal with them, so here I am coming out of the closet. I took this picture of Bird's closet to show my recovery board how far I'd come, and how proud I was of how much I had "purged". A year later, the closet is about half as full. I don't want my kids to grow up thinking that they have to have dozens of outfits to be happy. I don't want them to think that that's normal. I want them to feel blessed that they have enough, but I don't want them to feel entitled to more than they need.

Bread and Jam

I'm offering a rare glimpse of my little ones today, just because you all deserve a glimpse of Sprout and Bird's amazing spirit! This was taken while they helped Beo make bread. Today Bird announced that she is changing her career goal from "Train Driver" to "Veterinarian". Maybe she'll be a composer though...

My Little Sprout is 5!

My Little Sprout turned Five today. Five years ago, Five seemed so far away, and so big! Thank goodness that somehow time manages to move us right along with them. He really is a big kid though, so polite, so smart, and such a charmer. Everyone who wished Sprout a Happy Birthday today got a "Happy Birthday!" right back! Unfortunately he didn't have many visitors today, due to getting his first ear infection one day shy of his first birthday.

This was a result of 5 days of this terrible, horrible virus we all have this week (with the exception of Beo-stay strong!). Tonight I finally caved and went to urgent care. I have a sinus infection and bronchitis and appear to be fighting off pneumonia. Tonight I completely lost my voice--completely. I have codiene in me now and am looking forward to passing out. Note: Forgive my slow blog, but it's going to be slow for a while yet. At least it's not a video blog. I'd have to hold up cue cards or something!

With what we had to work with, it was a darn good day. We even had a Carrotosaurus Cake. (Yes, I know it kind of looks like DinoMummy, but though I managed to make a cake from scratch, I didn't have the energy to decorate with the five different tips that the Wilton instructions prescribed!) I do not know why, but Sprout, the notoriusly picky eater requests carrot cakes for his birthday. I think it might just be the cream cheese frosting. My Little One turned five and I survived!

A Sense of Wonder

My Mom is an early childhood professor and involved with early childhood at a national level. Over the past couple of years, she has been co-authoring a book about preschool standards that focuses on nurturing children's natural sense of wonder. This past summer when she and my Dad visited, we set up some photo shoots for the book with Sprout and Bird. At the time it was just fun to get the great shots, but as time has gone by, I've been more aware at what a sense of wonder they really have. Lately I've been amazed at how much joy and learning can be celebrated in the very food they eat.

This summer was full of wonder in our own backyard. We plant a seed, and months later it provides us with food. Amazing! Bringing the kids into the food preparation brought a new aspect. I was thrilled with the joy they found in combining ingredients to create new things--the wonder of sticky batter transforming into popovers, how good pesto became when the basil was torn from the stem by their own hands.

Fall has brought new wonder as we've visited local farms during their Harvest festivals. I'm entranced by the passion the kids find in picking apples right of the tree, or spotting chickens rooting through the vegetable gardens. They've seen bees at work making honey, and maple syrup tapped from the tree. At one local celebration, a local farmer commented on how good it was for the kids to see where their food comes from. A discussion ensued about how so many kids have no idea where various foods come from--how they don't even know where milk comes from. How many kids are in this position? How many have never seen the stars? I wonder how many parents know where their kids' food comes from, and how many would change their buying habits if they knew. I believe strongly that giving children a sense of the true wonder of organic, local food, makes them healthier in many ways. Nurturing that sense of wonder for them can open up the wonder of it for us as well.

Taking Time

I'm so glad to be back home. I can't remember the last time I was away from home for this long. I don't think I've ever travelled in such an erratic manner for so long. I'm home again, but things are such a blur that I can hardly imagine feeling like "things" are back to normal.

Beo and I had a chance to get away for a night while we were staying with my family in South Dakota. I think it's funny that on the rare occasion that we can get away by ourselves we end up talking about the kids. We usually do though. We had roasted vegetable risotto and pesto-cheese ravioli at a romantic Italian place, and discussed our parenting. We decided that what everything comes down to is taking time to just be with the kids.

Modern life hands us so many opportunities to draw on the hours of our day. We cook, clean, organize, read, travel, shop. I constantly flit to the computer to commiserate with like-minded folk, research, educate myself, and escape. It's so easy to be connected on-line (much easier than in real life, in my opinion) that it's a real draw on my time. The kids are generally relatively happy to play, watch a DVD, color, etc. When they have my full attention we're generally working on a project or running errands.

Last week there was a point where Beo and his Dad took Sprout fishing. Bird and I walked to the lake and bug hunted for my sister's entymology project. We had to just wait on the lakeshore for the boys to come pick us up in the boat. With Bird though, it wasn't "just" waiting. First I realized what a great conversation we were having on our walk. Bird could ask questions uninterrupted and I could actually take the time to answer thoughtfully. She chased a butterfly in the park for a good 5 minutes, never doubting she'd catch it. (It would have been a miracle if she'd caught it, and I finally called her off.) On the lakeshore, I pointed out a snail shell, and when she realized there were more scattered along the beach, the hunt was on. She gathered quite a little collection. It struck me as I watched her quietly explore the water's edge that our lives are usually so hurried. Even just hanging out with both kids, I'm usually so busy just keeping track of them and keeping them from getting eachother too riled up. I'm missing the window to see a much clearer view of who they truly are. You get a child alone, with no agenda--just time, and they Pop into 4-D. There's a magical aspect you don't see in everyday life.

What Beo and I decided during our dinner was this: we'll give the kids the gift of time, which is better than anything we could ever buy them. Monday will be family days. We'll have homemade pizza and watch movies while we eat--something Sprout thinks is the coolest thing in the world. One night a week will be Beo's night to spend 15 minutes with the kids doing whatever the kids want. Each month on the date of the kid's birthdays (or the closest possible morning), they'll get to go out to breakfast with one of us--by themselves. (I saw this tradition in a Parenting magazine, and think it's a great idea.) The kids need to know that we realize what a unique spirit they have, and that we honor it. We'll start out slow with these reminders to give them our time, and take it from there. I'll close now--Beo's making pizza and I'm off to take Sprout to the video store to select our viewing pleasure for this evening. Family night!

Monarch Madness

A while back, I posted about finding two monarch caterpillars on the butterfly weed in our new prairie. I wasn't convinced that they were monarchs, because monarch caterpillars are supposed to be on milkweed! I decided to go ahead with our science experiment/miracle (while simultaneously saving our butterfly weed from utter decimation) and bring one inside. (The same one pictured in the previous post, actuall!) I brought in some "ditch milkweed" for it, and when it finished the sprig of butterfly weed we'd brought it in on, it grudgingly started in on the huge milkweed leaf. I could not believe how quickly it ate, or how much it pooped! I've never really thought about caterpillar poop, but for how much they eat, I understand. As soon as it "spun" it's chrysallis, I knew it was a monarch. Their chrysallis is like no other. In my research I learned that they don't actually spin a chrysallis, they just shed their last caterpillar skin and poof--there's the chrysallis. It's incredible. Later in the week, Beo pointed out some native red milkweed to me. It looks very different than what I traditionally think of as milkweed, but it also looked quite a bit like the butterfly weed. Beo did some research and found that sure enough, the plants are closely related and monarchs happily lay their eggs on butterfly weed. It took a little over a week, and the chrysallis turned clear, and then poof again--a butterfly! It really is a magical, amazing, awesome thing. When the monarch first emerges, it's instinct is to cling, and so Sprout and Bird got to experience the magic of having a monarch on their hands. It took it's first drink (while on Sprout's finger) from the big butterfly bush in our front yard. He eventually crawled on to the bush, and about an hour later we saw him take flight for the first time. Amazing, amazing. I can't even explain! We did the whole thing a second time with a second caterpillar. We had well over a dozen caterpillars on our native plants this year. In the weeks since, our butterfly bush, one of the last sources of nectar as fall comes on, has been alive with butterflies of all shapes and sizes. Today when I walked out there was a monarch clinging to a cluster of buds, and I smiled, knowing the likelihood that he went from egg to caterpillar to butterfly in our own yard. We've created a Magical Monarch Machine.

Television Free Week

It's done, we made it! One week with no TV. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it might be. Granted, it was a holiday week and we had my Mom and Dad here to visit with for two of the days. Even then, it wasn't all sunshine and roses. I definitely had to spend more one-on-two time with the kids. In fact, when adding up my time sheet for this week I was shocked to see I only had 7.5 of my 15 hours in--and 4 of those were Holiday hours which I didn't actually work. So I would definitely have to work on finding a way to work more with no TV. The biggest difference, and most significant, was that the kids really played together. ,They played with their toys instead of just dumping them out and forgetting about them. They pretended to take their whole little Dora the Explorer family camping. They dressed up dolls. They did puzzles. I don't remember ever seeing them play so much with their toys, and certainly not without begging them to play for a while, and definitely not together. Bird did develop some nasty habits like pushing or hitting Sprout when he got in her face. Sprout definitely got in her face a bit more. They both have such strong personalities, but for the most part, this week they were able to just hang out. We did lots of outside activities. Beo brought home a kiddie pool and a novelty sprinkler that shoots balls out the top. The kids couldn't have had more fun at a waterpark.

The TV will not stay off, but it will definitely have a lesser role in our house. Having it in the basement makes sure of that. I don't feel guilty letting them watch some TV though. They watch good age appropriate educational stuff, mostly PBS. When they watch Nick Jr. on Saturday mornings (when it's on regular non-cable stations), they have to turn off the TV during commercials. My goal is that the kids won't default to TV anymore when they're bored. They'll keep learning how to play again, and get more Mom time in the process.

Active Parenting

Summer has cast it's lazy haze over the Ecohousehold. More and more days I found myself doing a task and then basking in the glow of the computer monitor. The kids would play for a few minutes, then ask for a snack, then ask to watch TV. I'd turn on the TV for them and head out to leisurely hang our laundry up to dry in the sun. Yesterday the kids watched sooo much TV. Between me still feeling sick and recovering themselves, 5 loads of laundry and other household tasks, they were captive to the magic box all day long. Finally I pulled the plug. Literally. I realized I'd been outside more than them. So I pulled up my boot straps, took apart the whole mess of wires and cords, and hauled it all back down to the basement.

In retrospect, perhaps my decision was a bit hasty. I ran errands with the kids all day to help us along, but we did manage to get through the whole day with no TV. Still, when my netflix DVD came in the mail today, I decided to watch in my laptop. When that didn't work, well.... BRING BACK THE TV! PLEASE! JUST A FEW MORE DAYS, THEN I'LL STOP WATCHING. PLEEEAAASSSSE! And this is why it had to go NOW. I actually watched TV only once or twice a week, but the kids watch it every day. That had to stop.

While we waited for Beo to come home--in that akward time between naps and dinner that TV always fills--I sat down with the kids and we played a simple memory game. OK, I saw it on Supernanny, but here I was putting it to good use. We just set up a few small toys on a stool, the kids closed their eyes, and I took an object away. They opened their eyes and tried to figure out what was missing. They absolutely loved it! I'm going to get a kiddy pool this week (gauranteed to make me watch them like a psychotically paranoid hawk), we'll paint sheets (hang an old white sheet on the clothesline, let the kids paint like crazy, then spray the sheet and kids down with a hose), read books, and just play. I'll be interested to see what kind of effect this has on the behavior of Sprout and Bird. I'm hoping it will be a positive one. If I can just keep my wits about me for a week... A week???