Bruises and Bows: School: What’s working for me

Since school has started we’ve adjusted and tweaked our routine into a well oiled machine. For the most part, there are fuss-less, stress free, and no rush mornings! This is a big accomplishment since all of us are up, ready, fed and out the door at the same time. We share a car here – so I drop Charles to work, the Audrey to school, then Will to Preschool (on Mon/Wed).

Clothes: I found this hanging shoe rack at IKEA that works SO WELL to organize school clothes… since Audrey is used to the system of having a ‘cubby’ at school – I thought it would make sense to pick out several outfits at the beginning of the week and place them each in their own cubby. Just before bedtime I ask her to look at the cubbies and pick out an outfit for the next day. She feels like she gets to choose, and I of course approve of all the choices in the cubbies. It is a win/win! We have not had one single problem… I was dreading the no uniform situation since we would have massive meltdowns about clothing in the past… But this is like magic!

Breakfast: I make the usual stuff, eggs, toast, pancakes, French toast, egg sandwiches etc.. but Will seems to only like the sweet stuff. Since I’m cooking for Charles, Espy, Audrey and Will… and sometimes myself if I’m lucky…To help combat the short-order-cook syndrome: I did a batch of muffins in advance for the freezer… to use on those mornings that are a bit crunched for time. (*recipe below)

Lunches: After Audrey gets home from school, I immediately unpack her lunchbox from that day and begin packing it for the next day. I prefer doing this in the early afternoon while the kitchen is a mess from dinner prep and most definitely not in the morning rush. She loves it when I buy the cafeteria style rolls from the grocery store and make mini-sandwiches. I also prep all the things needed the same day I grocery shop – I make containers of cucumber slices, wash the grapes, make small baggies of carrots etc..

After school nibble: I often make them smoothies. I get big bags of frozen strawberries and frozen mango…. on grocery shopping day I make individual mixed baggies of the combined fruit and include any other fruit/berries I might have on hand like blueberries, blackberries, banana’s etc.. When making the smoothies, I don’t have to take out a million things and make a big mess, I just dump the baggie into the blender and add milk, plain yogurt and a little sugar since the fruit/yogurt can be tart. The kids love it and it is really healthy but not tooo filling.

Dinner: my kids are starving and will try to snack us out of house and home every afternoon, so I decided to flop snack time and dinner time. I often feed them dinner around 4:30/4:45 so they will eat dinner with their hungriest appetite and then we go out to play (when the weather is cooler)… We come in for an evening snack (if they ask for it) – like homemade ice cream (*see below for recipe) or popcorn and then bath/bed. I find that switching it has made them better dinner eaters since I was preoccupied making dinner during the time they were snacking – I would often realize that they ate themselves full on snacks and junk and had no room for dinner.. so this just makes better sense for us.

School Work Organization: I found these great folders that had built in plastic sleeves, they looked like they would be good to organize stuff, so I bought a few and started using them to put keepsake artwork/schoolwork in when I empty out the backpacks. I am certainly not a ‘keeper’ – I throw away everything, so I thought that having these small folders would be good for me to keep only the very special items in. I have started one for Audrey and Will and I’m tempted to buy 6 more so that all of Audrey’s from elementary would match (*I did get another purple one so I can put her work from KG1 in it)… I’m neurotic like that. Will doesn’t start school for another 2 years, I’m not crazy enough to buy 8 for him right now. ha.

I keep magazine files with all the kids color books, workbooks etc.. in a furniture piece that faces the table.. that is where I’ll keep the school work portfolio so Audrey can look at her old school work and add new stuff in. It is also helpful when they are ‘all up in my bizness’ I can quickly grab an activity and get them working on it.

Apple Cranberry Bran Muffin Recipe: http://therealhousewife.com/blog/apple-cranberry-bran-muffins/

Ingredients:

4 Cups Fiber One Bran Cereal (*I used flakes- less fiber for Will)
1/2 Cup Low-Fat Milk
3 Cups Unsweetened Applesauce
2 tsp Vanilla
2 Whole Eggs
2 Egg Whites
1 1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour (*I didn’t have this so I used all purpose)
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
2 Tbsp Baking Powder
3/4 tsp Salt
2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1 Cup Craisins
2 Apples

In large mixing bowl, combine Fiber One Cereal, Milk, Applesauce, and Vanilla. Set aside for at least 5 minutes or until cereal softens. In a separate bowl, combine Whole Wheat Flour, All Purpose Flour, Sugar, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Salt, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg. Stir to combine.

Add 2 Whole Eggs and 2 Egg Whites to cereal mixture. Mix well to combine and break up cereal.

Peel and dice 2 Apples. Add flour mixture, Craisins, and Apples to cereal mixture. Stir with spoon until completely combined.

Scoop large portions into greased and floured (or paper lined) muffin cups. They will not rise or spread, so fill to the desired size of end product. Should fill about 18 muffin cups. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top.

here are some of my pictures:

The recipe made 18 muffins so I kept a few out and froze the rest. (I just put them in a gallon-size ziploc bag). In the morning I take out however many I need and microwave them until warm. Will LOVES these muffins.

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Homemade Ice Cream: from Our Best Bites

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/09/two-ingredient-ice-cream-no-machine-required/

2 Ingredient Ice Cream
they got the recipe from Eagle Brand

Ingredients
2 cups heavy cream (* 4 cups needed for machine version)
14 oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Instructions
Freezer Method: Omit half and half. Combine sweetened condensed milk and vanilla in large bowl. In a separate bowl, pour 2 cups heavy cream into bowl and whip until soft-medium peaks form. Slowly fold whipped cream into sweetened condensed milk mixture in 3 additions. Fold until well combined. Pour into container and freeze for at least 6 hours or until firm.

Ice Cream Machine: Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. Freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions and place in freezer after to set up if needed.

Add-ins may be added before freezing for both methods. Try fresh fruit, crushed cookies or candies, and different flavored extracts and spices

*we’ve made this ice cream recipe twice now and have tried crushed oreos and then honey/cinnamon/chocolate shavings. both were divine and very creamy/rich. Since Will doesn’t drink milk or like any dairy products for that matter, this (and smoothies) are a great way to sneak in the Calcium without him knowing.

last but not least, I taped up a sign by the door of all the things Audrey needs for school each day for her to look at and double check everything (*in an effort to begin teaching her responsibility)