Cute Lunchbox Love Notes

I found these adorable printables on Tip Junkie I thought it might be fun to add some of these to our lunches and I may use them for my Hubby too.  When Lane started Kindergarten I put a family photo in his lunchbox on the first day of school, it was a fun way for me to let him know I loved him and missed him.  I'm such a baby when it comes to letting my boys out of my sight, so Lane had hardly been away from me when he went to school.  Of course HE didn't even give me a little backward glance or shed even one tear when I LEFT HIM with a STRANGER...aka his teacher.  Okay need to move on, obviously I have a obsession little issue with my kids.  Back to lunches now. 

Since Lane is unable to eat school lunch, and we always pack a lunch for him. He is such a funny boy when it comes to his lunches...PB&J suit him just fine almost everyday.  That just sounds terrible to me, the same lunch everyday.  I try to mix it up a little.  One of the best ideas I've had was to get a copy of the schools lunch menu, I can copy some of the lunches pretty easily or just get ideas.  Lane LOVES for me to bring him a copy of the days hot lunch.  It is just a simple thing to make him feel like he fits into the lunchroom crowd.  I'm lucky he feels different when he does eat gluten it sure does make it easier for him to want to avoid it. 

Our favorite packed lunches are:

1. PB&J (on Udi's Gluten free bread)
2. Tuna fish with mayo & relish on chips or crackers (BBQ chips are really good)
3. Lunch meat, cheese, and Gluten free crackers (we roll it or cube it kind of like the lunchables idea)
4. Leftover Pizza (when we have pizza I always make enough for him to take some to lunch the next day)
5. Turkey sandwich (on Udi's Gluten free bread of course)
6. Soup (we really like homemade chicken noodle soup)

I've tried leftovers in cute little boxes and he just isn't having it.  Now Levi is a completely different kid when it comes to his lunches...he's like me LOTS of variety.  I'm not sure how I'll manage when I have to make him lunches.  At least that isn't for a few more years...

What do you do to make you kids' lunches special?

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Playdough

Levi all of a sudden decided he wanted to play with playdough, I have luckily been able to avoid it since going Gluten-free but yesterday he saw our box of playdough stuff and repeatedly asked to play with it.  I really felt bad having to tell him no it's not gluten-free.  He kept asking for gluten-free playdough, so I though maybe I could find something I could make.  Then I saw this and thought I actually have all these things already, no going to the store to find outrageously priced gluten-free flours.  If you can't have nuts you can substitute sunbutter, you may have to adjust the powdered sugar, but it is super easy to play around with.  Have lots of fun!

Peanut Butter Playdough

- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 cups powdered sugar

Mix ingredients in a bowl and you’re done!

Store in an airtight container or plastic baggie with air sucked out of the bag.

(Quick tip: Spray your 1/2 cup with oil before measuring your honey and the honey will pour much easier.)

 Recipe found on Make and Takes

My goals for 2011

The reasons for starting this blog are:

1. To better my health.  Over the years I have struggled with my health, not only with the aspect of my weight but with just feeling plain lousy.  So my goal is to be able to complete the annual Women's Fitness Celebration 5k in September.  And continue learning about being Gluten-free!
2. To be a better Wife.  I love my husband and for the most part we have a great marriage.  I could be a better listener...I don't listen to him much and then end up, after my way fails, do it his way!  I am a good wife in the sense that I will say I was wrong and you were right, why didn't I listen to you in the first place!  I want him to be happy, I know I will be happier and the kids would be happier if he was happier, so that's what I plan to do.
3. To be a better Mother.  I LOVE being a mother that said I lose my temper and get annoyed way to easily with the kids.  I want to spend more quality time with my kids just being in the moment with them.  I know time is fleeting and it won't be long before, my time with them in our home is up.
4. To be a better Homemaker.  I want a clean, well organized, and beautiful home.  I don't keep the house in the order I want it in, and then I get irritated when it is in shambles.  So my goal is to put it in order and keep it that way...boy I have a lot of work ahead of me.  I also want to make healthier meals for my family, not only will this help get me in shape but it will also help with us being gluten-free.
5. To be a more frugal shopper.  I already shop sales and stock up using coupons but...I seem to not be able to pass up a good deal.  My husband has told me many times "how many good deals can we afford", again with the not listening.  I know I need to make a budget and stick to it, no matter what the good deals are!

So I hope know that I can accomplish this list as long as I put my mind to it!  So here's looking at a great 2011!!

About Us

My name is Racheal and I want to make my life better!!   I married my best-friend Greg in 1999.  I want to be a better wife mostly because I want to stay married and I think you need to always work on a marriage or it will fall apart.  I am a stay-at-home Mom with a 2-year-old son Levi, a 7-year-old son Lane, a 17-year-old step-son Cody, and  19-year-old step-daughter Becky.  I LOVE being a Mother, we struggled with infertility for several years before we finally had our Lane.   I want my kids to remember the fun stuff and that I was a good mother.  We live on 3 acres in a small town in Idaho, my husband is a “cowboy”…I’m not!  We recently have discovered a need to be Gluten-free so that is a big part of our life now.  I’m trying to navigate through life and food all the while making sure my little boys and I don’t get sick!  I’ve tried lots of different recipes and I’m still learning my way around a gluten-free kitchen.   I wish my home was always clean and organized, as you will see it’s not!  I enjoy a good deal…that’s not really true, I get so excited I shake while I’m checking out.  Yes, after a year of using coupons I still get that!  So here I am in all my glory…well not quite all my glory I wouldn’t want that posted on the internet!  I want to use this blog as a way to not only improve myself but my family’s well-being as well.  So lets toast to a new and better ME!