When I pack the kids’ lunch boxes, I try to use as many reusable containers as possible, but sometimes it’s impossible to avoid plastic wrap or the occasional plastic sandwich bag, which would just get tossed out at school. As an avid recycler, BPA-avoider, organic lover, water conserver, hand-me-down taker and giver, donater, compact fluorescent bulb and reusable shopping bag user, vegetarian, and anything else we can easily do in our day-to-day to lessen our family’s carbon footprint, this really bugged me. A quick google search later, I found snackTaxi — the cutest little reusable sandwich and snack bags! And what do you know, they even have a princess fabric, which I’m certain will only make Flora’s sandwiches taste better. I also found reusable bulk food/produce bags — recycling the plastic ones after every single shopping trip is such a waste, and I had been just putting loose fruit and veggies sans bags in my cart, but now I can coral them with these. Check out Nubius Organics for other “green” products and ideas. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
Archive for the ‘Food’ Category
For a Better Planet
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010Spaghetti Dinner
Sunday, February 14th, 2010
We’re a little burnt out on pizza, so we made Spaghetti and “Meat”balls (with Spinach) for dinner instead. The kids had fun slurping up the pasta and had super saucy faces by the end of the meal.
Breakfast Hearts
Sunday, February 14th, 2010
Marty made heart-shaped pancakes (and added chocolate chips for the kids) for breakfast this morning — yummy!
V-Day Cupcakes
Friday, February 12th, 2010
The kids missed out on their Valentine’s Day parties at school — Charley caught a tummy bug and had to stay home — but we still made cupcakes and valentines to share with friends. Flora picked the cupcake colors (pink cupcakes with pink and purple frosting), I picked the decorations (conversation hearts), and Charley just licked the frosting clean. And it will come as no surprise that Flora picked Disney Princess valentines with pencils and Charley picked Toy Story valentines with lollipops.
And since they had to miss out on the fruits of our labor, we made four special heart shaped cupcakes just for us.
Gimme a Bite
Wednesday, February 10th, 2010
This is how wide Charley opens his mouth when he wants a bite of something, or when he sees his medicine coming — loves the medicine.
A Perfect Day for Banana Fork
Wednesday, February 10th, 2010
Starbucks
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
Sugar Sprinkle Sparkle Donuts at Starbucks with a window seat for people watching and truck spotting.
The Ariel Cake
Sunday, January 17th, 2010
We had a little girly dance party to officially celebrate Flora’s fourth birthday this weekend. Thank goodness her Aunt Tracy and Uncle Chuck came up from New Jersey to help with the festivities — even little parties are a lot of work! We transformed the play room into a dance floor — complete with a disco ball, lights, foil fringe curtains, and hanging decorations. Some of the kids rocked 80’s-inspired outfits, and they all cut a rug dancing to Flora’s Mix Birthday Soundtrack — twenty-one of her favorite songs. We ended the evening with homemade pizzas, cake, ice cream and presents. Flora chose to have an Ariel cake, which proved a little challenging for her parents, but we think we pulled it off. Here it is in the making.
Kris Kringles
Sunday, December 20th, 2009
Snowed in and looking to keep the kids busy, we decided to make Michelle’s grandmother’s Kris Kringle cutout cookies (see recipe in comments). They turned out delicious, although not as delicious as Grandma Dorothy’s. I think she used a little magic in hers.
Yum, Yum, Dim Sum
Saturday, November 28th, 2009
After swimming all morning, we had a dim sum lunch at New China Pearl in Woburn — the dumplings and scallion pancakes were yum yum!
Gobble. Gobble.
Thursday, November 26th, 2009
Some of the Swan clan made it up for Turkey Day to indulge in Marty’s Thanksgiving fare: roast turkey with 9-hour gravy, mashed potatoes, butternut squash, mushroom stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. When I asked Flora to tell what she was thankful for this Thanksgiving, she said, “turkey!” Charley didn’t answer, but he seemed pretty thankful for the pumpkin pie and ice cream for dessert. Happy turkey day everyone!
BIG Cookie
Sunday, November 22nd, 2009
Honk!
Sunday, October 11th, 2009
This morning we met friends Gina, David, Dobbin, and Kate for brunch at Full Moon Restaurant in Cambridge. It’s super kid-friendly with buckets of toys at the tables, drawing paper table cloths and crayons, and a play area with train table, kitchenette, books, and tons of toys. While waiting for our food, we ran into Jennifer and Violet of the Affleck-Garner family, and Flora played trains with Violet while I chatted up Jennifer (Ben sat at the table with baby Serafina.) Seriously. After eating, we played at the newly remodeled Cambridge Commons playground and waited for the Honk Festival parade to come by. The kids loved looking at all the costumes and dancing to the funky music.
Breakfast of Champions
Wednesday, October 7th, 2009
Did you know that they make straws out of Oreo cookies? Flora and Charley certainly do.
Donuts With A Difference
Wednesday, October 7th, 2009
Two satisfied customers, not to mention Mom and Dad. And to top off our breakfast of donuts in Medford, we had pizza at Santarpio’s in East Boston for dinner. Yum and yum!
Victorian Fair
Sunday, September 13th, 2009
This weekend was the Victorian Fair in town, so we headed down first thing to stroll along Main Street. Our first stop was inside an ambulance, where we got to see how emergency equipment is used and some really, really big band aids. Next was stocking up on freebees from various booths — popcorn, tootsie rolls, pencils, bubbles, and balloons — and scouting out all the things Flora tried to negotiate buying on the way back to the car. We ended the day with a pizza lunch and ice cream truck ice cream. I bought Charley a really cute Fenway tee by Jeff Caturano from The Arc of East Middlesex booth — all of their items are crafted by artists with disabilities — there is something simply insightful in their work. Check out some of their art here.
View Flora and Charley’s “Melrose Victorian Fair 2009″ photos
Spoon Feeding
Friday, September 11th, 2009
You might not guess from the photos, but Charley is getting pretty good at feeding himself with utensils.
Picnic Lunch
Friday, September 4th, 2009
Marty worked from home today, so we had a picnic lunch together at Lake Quannapowitt in Wakefield. The kids had fun on the playground and eating al fresco, but had the most fun feeding and chasing the ducks.
Bribery
Saturday, August 29th, 2009
A Shirley Temple with a maraschino cherry at the wedding dinner.
A piece of watermelon Trident before the ceremony.
A giant lollipop at the cocktail hour.
Rehearsal Dinner
Friday, August 28th, 2009
Friday evening was the rehearsal and dinner at Fred and Ethel’s Lantern Light Tavern. During the rehearsal, Flower Girl Flora wasn’t up for walking down the aisle solo, so we switched up the procession order and had her walk down with me. Then during dinner, Chuck surprised Tracy with a Barbershop Quartet — Flora didn’t like that very much either. But there was at least one thing she liked, as did “Charley Gilmore” … the chocolate mousse dessert!
Road Trip
Wednesday, August 26th, 2009
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The fam headed to Smithville, New Jersey, for an extra long weekend to celebrate Tracy and Chuck’s nuptials. The shindigs were held on the grounds of the historic village — home to more than sixty shoppes, five restaurants, two gazebos, two arcades, paddle boats, ducks and roosters, an antique carousel, a train, and more — all overlooking Lake Meone. On the way down we stopped at The Brown Stone House for lunch — a retro diner in Hamden, Connecticut.
Little Muffins
Friday, August 7th, 2009
Charley watched the making of, then sampled, the banana chocolate chip muffins Flora and I baked together. Flora did her sampling in the process. I just really wanted an excuse for Flora to wear this adorable apron I got for her at a Mommies Who Shop event, which I now blame for my subsequent addiction to etsy.com — could handmade little girl’s clothes BE any cuter? I do not think so. In Charley news, he’s really getting quite agile with his walking, and can even spin around in a circle!
Cool, Refreshing Drink
Friday, July 31st, 2009
1. Fill cup with ice; 2. Slice one lime into quarters; 3. Squeeze juice of two lime quarters into cup and toss in wedges; 4. Fill glass 1/3 high with cherry juice; 5. Top off glass with 7-Up; 6. Stir and enjoy!
Donuts, Diners, and Dads
Sunday, July 26th, 2009Marty took Flora to Donuts With a Difference this morning in Medford. It’s an old donut joint with a small counter and stools, and the best damn donuts around. Now that’s saying something, because I was always partial to Donuts Delight in Rochester, which sadly closed in 2006. My Dad, who loved counter-life at any “greasy spoon,” used to take me to Donuts Delight on weekend mornings before he worked his second job remodeling. We would always sit at the counter, he would order a fried cake (plain donut) and a cup of coffee, and I would order a flying saucer (a round glazed donut as big as your head, no hole, chocolate frosting, and rainbow sprinkles) and milk. One time I ordered a Kermit the Frog donut — two no-hole, glazed donuts stacked and angled, covered with green frosting on the outside and pink frosting in between, and decorated with frosting face details. No way I finished that. But Donuts With a Difference is as good, if not better than my beloved Donuts Delight. And so, I hope Flora will also have fond memories of she and her Daddy, saddled up to the counter at retro Mom and Pop shops, engaging the wait-staff, and chatting with each other over damn good donuts and delicious diner fare.
Ice Cream Bars
Sunday, July 26th, 2009
Dad has been craving ice cream bars all summer, and he finally found just the ones he was wanting. So after dinner last night, we all had one for dessert. It was so good, I took a bath in it, and then Dad had to give me a real bath on top of that.