It's Been a While…..

Wow! It has been a really long time since I have sat down in front of the computer to throw out my thoughts… We have been on the move - AGAIN! Since my last post, we moved 3 states Westward. Luckily, this time we have stayed put in one place for over two years. It has been really nice to actually stay in the same home and have our kids attend the same school more than one grade. Our oldest in the happiest of all though, poor thing was so tired of making new friends every year. Being "stationary" for some time has also allowed me to do a little reflecting on what I want to do with life. Our youngest is now in kindergarten and I thought it was time for me to get back into the game of working. I had been a stay-at-home mom for 9 years and now my days were going to be filled with an empty house waiting for my babies to come home from school. Well, what did I do - but enroll back in college to earn a second degree!! It sounds crazy, but I am really loving this decision. I decided to go back to school while our youngest was in pre-K and she attended the pre-K on my college campus, so it was perfect! I am now in my 3rd semester of Nursing School. While life is hectic, wait…who am I kidding - I have NO LIFE now! It may be hectic, full of late sleepless nights studying cardiac, fluids & electrolytes, medications, working on nursing care plans, but it is so fulfilling. If all goes well and as planned, I will graduate in May with my RN. My plan is to continue my education to obtain my MSN while working in the hospital and possibly attain my NP license down the road. It is a lot to accomplish, but I'm motivated to do it for my family and for all my future patients. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks???? It's never too late to accomplish your dreams (whether the dreams are life-long or something newly acquired) - I'm proof of that! I turn 41 in just 6 days….ladies and gentlemen, it is NEVER too late to go back to school and accomplish something for yourself. Curious to see if there is anyone else out there that has decided to go back to school or change a career late in life. It seems common in the healthcare industry, the majority of my class is filled with moms in their 30's and 40's going back to school.

Alexander Christmas 2012

Photo Shoot of my precious nephew....

Alexander Christmas 2012

WHAT ARE YOUR KIDS HAVING FOR LUNCH?

Well, I'll tell you mine hasn't been having the best of lunches, that's for sure!!  We just recently moved from one state to another and foolishly I have been assuming my child was being fed a decent lunch.  Our last school had terrific wholesome and (yummy for kids too) hot lunches daily with a choice of a cold salad bar or cold sandwiches if they didn't like the hot lunch being offered that day. 

My son switched schools in the middle of November (only there for a week when Winter Break began and returned to school on January 3rd (his birthday).  I decided to meet him at school and surprise him for a birthday lunch date!  I sat down next to him and this is what I find on his lunch plate.......

The school should really be ashamed!!  When our kids act up towards the end of the day....they wonder why?????  Well, it is from all of the sugar they are serving!  How is an Uncrustable, applesauce, chocolate milk and Rice Krispie Treat considered a healthy lunch?  I thought all schools these days were required to serve a better lunch to our kids. Obviously, I thought wrong.......

I posted this to my facebook page and most of my friends that commented, commented that their schools had MUCH better food choices and they too were appalled.  One suggested filing a complaint to school board to make the schools offer better choices....well, my cousin (she is an attorney) suggested not even going there....  She said there is a BUNCH of red tape, lots of headache and in the end they probably wouldn't change anything.

So......we are packing lunches from here on out............  Sometimes, I run out of good ideas for variety and I would love to hear your ideas.  I also just ran across an awesome website with some really great lunch boxes.  I plan to purchase one since we will be "brown-bagging" it!!!

Check out this terrific site for fabulous lunch boxes........BENTO BOXES

I would love to hear your thoughts on school lunches and whether you send your kids to school with lunch from home or if they eat the school lunch.  I would also love to hear any ideas of what you send with your kids to school.