Lunch box

Sophia started school last week, and started after school care this Monday. She will have to bring lunch to after school care.
It's always a tough job to prepare nutritional yet tasty lunch box for kids. I will try to write down what she brings and what she eats and see how lunch goes here.

Monday (8/30/2010)
Main: BBQ beef off bamboo skewers
Side: Potato salad
Fruit: green grapes
Snack: strawberry yogurt
drink: water (my kids love water, it's always the best drink for lunch)

Wednesday (9/1/2010)
Main: Pulled pork sandwich
Side: NA
Fruit: NA
Snack: vanilla yogurt
drink: Organic Mango punch

Friday (9/3/2010)
Main: Italian bread and Canadian bacon sandwich
Side: chocolate waffle snack
Fruit: NA
Snack: strawberry yogurt
drink: Organic Mellon punch

Friday (9/10/2010)
Main: Pork dumplings
Side: string cheese
Fruit: grapes
Snack: chocolate gram gold fish
drink: water

Monday (9/13/2010)
Main: Turkey sandwich with honey mustard sauce
Side: string cheese
Fruit: apples
Snack: Goldfish crackers, raisins
drink: water

Monday (9/15/2010)
Main: Chicken wings with white rice
Side: homemade cake roll
Fruit: mandarin oranges
Snack: Yogurt covered raisins
drink: water

Inspiration : Four Simple Goals

This is inspired by blogger, Elsie's idea of creating Four Simple Goals for the remainder of 2010.

Here is mine

1. Balance life
People are always talking about balance personal life and work.
For me I've spent the whole summer at home with kids and my parents. It was the most wonderful time and I probably will never have a chance to do it again if I don't quit my job.
For the rest of the year I will spend more time at home than before I had Lucas, work only 3 days a week. I will try to be patient with all 3 of them, enjoy every minute with them. Thinking about every child will only spend 18 years with me, I feel like I soon will run out of time.
Work is still the same to me, but I will try to dress myself up on the three days that I work, and enjoy the 24 kids free hours a week, just like in the old no-kids days.

2. Eat healthy and live healthy
I still have 3o pounds to lose to get back to pre-3rd-baby weight, not even mention the pre-baby weight. I need to get back my pre-baby eating habit, and workout as much as I can to stay healthy and strong. At the same time I need to cook healthy for the family, encourage kids to excise to gradually establish their healthy life style. Don't wait until it's too late.
3. Keep pumping
Lucas is 4 months now, my goal is to nurse him at least until he's 6 months old, at most 1 year old.
4. Get organized
Our is too messy, crowded with junk every where. I need to clean up, throw away, donate, sell, and organize.

First day of school & 13 years to go

Yesterday was the first day of school for Sophia. It was a big day for her, for me, for all of us. Because she is starting Kindergarten, which makes this truly the first day of 13 years of school.
Everything went very well because we were all prepared. Sophia attended student orientation last week, she spent half day at her school with her classmates and her teacher. She got to know the principal, test drove the classroom and even had quite a long ride on the school bus. As parents we had parent night two days before school. We get to meet her teacher (she is great, been teaching for 37 years), other parents and know more about school rules, curriculum.
Yesterday morning, Sophia got up early, dressed herself, had a good breakfast, and then walked to the bus stop, rode the bus with her favorite doll (previously named Cody, now named Victoria). The first day was a shortened day, a little over an hour. When I pulled up at the pick up spot after school, she was standing in line with other kids, with her name tag hang around her neck, holding her doll, carrying her brand new pink backpack, super cute. Yes, every parent thinks their own children are the cutest of the bunch.

This is no long preschool, this is real school, it goes on everyday. So she went up to the bus this morning, too. I can imagine myself seeing her off everyday at the bus stop in the next 13 years, and then she will fly away. I will try my very best to enjoy Sophia to be around me in the next 13 years.
It's a whole new journey for me as a parent because Sophia is our first child. When Olivia and Lucas start school things will be much easier.

A day at Idlewild (2010 Summer 4)

We spent Sunday at Idlewild park. Sophia and Olivia had lots of fun, Sophia's favorite ride was the Mr Roger's neighborhood trolley ride, Olivia loves the turtle ride.

Ready for school?

We went to Target today to get gift cards for our neighbor girls for their high school graduation party. There were lots of people doing back to school shopping. Sophia is going to kindergarten this fall. I can't wait to see her in school, she grows so fast, I still remember the days that she was a little baby in my arms.

The girl's room

Olivia was moved to Sophia's room before Lucas was born. They both enjoy each other's company so much. I bet they can't sleep separately anymore. It saves me at the same time, because one bedtime story for two girls.

100 days

Lucas was 100 days, he loves to smell at everyone, he cries out loud for milk, he's not able to roll over yet (he is too big), he loves to kick while there is music on. Sophia and Olivia loves to play with him, he is cute as a BIG button.

Summer Camps2 -Music camp

Sophia spent another week at music camp, I can't tell if she really learned anything there, but she sure had fun.