This morning, I walked to the grocery store before breakfast. If you know me, then you know how out of character that is. I did have a cup of coffee first though, very important. What I learned was pretty fun. I ran into the boys down the block walking the mile and a half to their school which I didn't know they did. My brain immediately began to figure the distance from our house to the girls' school... 5 miles? 6? no, too far but how fun. I greeted another neighbor walking to the bus, that was fun. I had an in depth conversation with the nice lady cashier about the gloomy weather to come but still how exciting weather is and that was fun. Maybe I can be a morning person after all? This all happened because I needed a few things for their lunches, like berries, summer sausage, mushrooms, cheese, and kiwis. Okay, so I needed almost everything for their lunches but it sure was a nice morning stroll.

Last week of school! I love the last week of school, almost as much as I love the last week of summer, and almost as much as I love that I finally made the onigiri I said I would. I'm using up the last of my mini foods like mini corn dogs and mini brats and even pulled out the old mini monkey containers for some shelled sunflower seeds. I forgot to add the chive blossoms but I still like it. Two more days, then summer!!!

Today, I go for my very first mammogram. After my mom's bout with breast cancer, I decided to take it seriously. It made me think of my girls and the women they are becoming, each unique in their own way. It is a wild thing to observe and learn from nearly every day. I don't know how this relates to this bento but it does. They, like the chive flowers, are blossoming. 

I really like organizing things, almost to the point of distraction but having children mostly cured me of that. I mostly accept the chaos of my house as long as I can still do things like this bento where everything mostly fits. Also, because I rarely show the closed boxes, I included a picture of those too. The black and red one I've had since I began making these and actually ordered from Japan. Most of those original ones have broken or been lost by now but this one just keeps hanging on. 

So maybe it's not the Japanese items I planned yesterday but the red bean paste bear buns suffice. There's leftover made-up-home-made-cheesy-chili-mac-and-cheese, frozen strawberries, and some edamame. That's it for the week. This Sunday, maybe I'll actually prepare the Onigiri and tamagoyaki ahead of time. Okay, back to binge watching The Gilmore Girls. 

Nissa keeps reminding me that bentos are fun and meaningful to her. So, last night, we made this one together! Well, the pasta and cauliflower were leftover from dinner, the edamame were pulled from the freezer, and the eggs were boiled, peeled, and placed in molds last night. We put it together today. Nissa added seasoning salt and Parmesan cheese to the noodles, I added roasted garlic salt to the cauliflower, and we worked together to design the whole thing. Hoping she'll keep up the excitement for the both of us. Tonight, I think we'll make some soba noodles, tamagoyaki, and Onigiri. Yep, we can do this!

I would love to claim I created these buns but I can't. United Noodle has them in the frozen section. I didn't even find them, the girls did! They squealed, lol. They are red bean paste filled buns. Thank you oh bear bun creator for making their lunches super cute and super easy!! I added a few edamame beans, a couple of pork dumplings, some sesame rice sticks, and freeze dried strawberries too. Fun bento day!

That means it's the end of our school week! Both girls home Thursday and Friday for the first time, except, of course, they're doing state testing those two days this week so one will go in one day and one the other. But, only a few hours each day so not too bad. Leftovers again! This time, it's leftover beef stroganoff, some thyme decorations, dried fruit, imitation crab, and finally, some dried peas. Here's to almost Friday like but really Wednesday almost week!

As I finished these Bentos, I saw there was no decoration. I was going to leave them naked, but I just couldn't do it. I had to add something, so I went out to the garden and found some basil leaves. There, much better! Leftover homemade hamburger hot dish with basil leaves, orange slices, and a mixture of sunflower seeds and roasted soybeans complete these Bentos.

Yay, I believe we've done it! We've found a home! Here are their lunches for Monday, third day of school. They each also have a thermos of chicken noodle soup:

Flowers for success! Nissa loves it! No tears! Well, except for a moment when she forgot her lunch but Annie reassured her that I'd bring it after she texted me to be sure. Here are their lunches for a successful second day:

We have begun again. Both girls have now attended three different schools and this new year, will hopefully mark the last change. No more tears, lots more smiles. Here are their first day lunches back together at the same school again:

I never published this picture but it must have been from around Chinese New Year because of the moon cake. Dumplings, soy beans, oranges, and grapes are all pretty standard though. Well, here it is anyway, the lost and found bento. 

Leftovers make lunch so much easier. I think everything is self explanatory here. I've noticed over the years that round carrot chips or carrots cut with cutters tend to get eaten more than carrot sticks. It's only Nissa today, Annie's off school and raring to go do something. 

It's today, it's today! Finally, halloween is here. I told Nissa that this was the last halloween bento and she asked why. "Because today is halloween", I said. "You can just keep making them", she told me and I giggled. I suppose I could, but I won't. It'll be all leaves and thanksgiving after this. So in this lunch there's a Nutella ghost sandwich, two little quail egg ghosts, soba & carrot noodles, and a special treat, a Frankenstein Kit Kat bar. I don't put candy in their lunches often but halloween requires it! Her snack is the same it's been all week but she says she still likes it. She also has a thermos of chicken little soup to warm her up on this cold day. Happy Halloween Nissa!

Nissa doesn't care for the pumpkin puffs or the zBar so her lunch is smaller. As much as I worried about if she has enough food, Norby reminded me that the pie in and of itself is a full meal for Nissa. Guten appetit kleines mädchen!

It's almost the big day! Costumes are chosen but not done. Plans are made but not confirmed. Excitement is coming but not quite here, well maybe a little but not completely. Here is Annie's last halloween bento of 2013 and, because I love these lids, a picture of the lunch closed too. It has another homemade veggie pot pie with a piece of cornmeal battered fried fish that Norby cooked up last night, soooo yummy. She also has popcorn, pumpkin puffs, cinnamon apple sauce, and a halloween minty chocolate zBar. Skull head approves.

Nissa has the exact same lunch so as I described it to them, Nissa asked why I would put a kitty in a halloween lunch. I guess at halloween I need to be more specific. It's a cat Nissa, a cat to which she replied, "ohhhhhhhhh", silly kid. She also gets a snack for their afternoon snack time which I don't usually photo but I kind of liked this one today!

Bats come out at dusk so I should probably change the title but one of Annie's favorite episodes of Who is Midnight so I think I'll leave it. She's getting a home made veggie pot pie with soy sauce/sesame oil dressed soba & carrot noodles with a few pumpkin puffs. On the other side are some more roasted pumpkin and bat sweet potatoes, pumpkin puffs and apple bites with a Nutella bath. Oh halloween, you come and go so fast nowadays.

Just for fun...