Two Thumbs Up

We had the easiest dinner tonight, and it was delicious!  It is a crock pot recipe.  Yay for the crock pot!  With school starting back and all the extracurricular activities that go along with that, you need to pull out your crock pot and give this a try during the week or even on Sunday night when you are too dang tired to cook!  I almost felt guilty it was so easy.  Well, not really.

French Dip Sandwiches

• 2 lb chuck pot roast, trimmed
• 1 packet of onion soup mix
• 1 can of beef broth
• 1 package of Swiss cheese
• 1 package of hoagie rolls

Combine beef broth and onion soup mix in the crock pot.  Add roast.  Cook on low for 8 hours.  Remove roast from crock pot and shred with two forks.  Open rolls and place on a cookie sheet.  Layer with shredded beef and then cheese slices.  Cover loosely with foil and heat at 375 for 15 min.  Serve with au jus for dipping.

Serve with chips or a green side of your choosing.  We chose to fore go the healthy route tonight and settled on salt and vinegar chips. 


And how did my guys like it?  Well, let's ask my resident picky eater, Will.

He dips.

He tastes.

He likes it!  He likes it!

So there ya have it, folks.  If Will likes it, your kids are going to love it!

A Peek at Our Week 2011: Week 34

Saturday, August 20

On Friday morning, Brent asked if I would be game to sneak in one more trip to the lake before soccer season starts.  Except for Labor Day weekend, from next weekend through October, our Saturdays will belong to the children's activities.  So we made a quick trip to the lake to try out the new knee board.  Jack and Will loved it!  I have no pictures because I was either driving the boat or in the water helping Will get started.  I'll try to get a pic of our little daredevils next time.

 

Sunday, August 21

A trip to the lake isn't complete without s'mores.  I'm sure that years from now when I'm reminiscing about their childhoods, I'll always equate summer with water and s'mores!
 

Monday, August 22

It was back to school night at Jack's school.  I love back to school night!  I love meeting Jack's teacher, sitting at his desk and viewing the classroom from his perspective, and hearing about all the fun activities they have in store for the year.  I dropped the boys off at Brent's office for a dinner date with Daddy.  Jack must be going through a growth spurt because he has a voracious appetite recently.  He ate his entire cheeseburger (the size I would normally eat) and fries!

 

Tuesday, August 23

We finally celebrated Brent's birthday with cake tonight...almost a month after the actual birthday!  Jack was out of town on his birthday, then the 3 of us went to Mimi's, then Will was out of town...you get the picture.  Brent got his birthday present (new smart phone) at the end of June, so I guess I can say we've been celebrating his birthday for 2 months now.  I'm sticking with that story!  Happy Birthday, Daddy!  And many, many more!

Wednesday, August 24

I ran a 5k on July 4th, and that was the last time I've broken out in a (exercise-induced) sweat.  I don't know why I take these exercise vacations because it is so hard to get reconditioned again.  But sweat and tone I must, so it's back to the gym where my Active teacher was so surprised and excited to see me today!

Thursday, August 25

Super Star Student Award

Presented to: Jack

For: A fabulous job completing summer work!

Date: August 25, 2011

From: Mrs. G

I really feel that I earned about 40% of that certificate.  What with all the encouraging, pleading, imploring, and harassing I had to do to get him to finish that work.

Friday, August 26

We spent the evening with good friends tonight.  It is always fun when we get together.  The children play wonderfully together, the food is fantastic, the beverages are flowing, good music is playing in the background, and the conversation is lively.  After dinner, we sent the kids out on the deck to enjoy a chocolate ice cream treat for dessert.  Will tried to stay clean, but came in with a white shirt covered in chocolate.  I asked if any of the treat made it to his mouth!  The shirt did come clean in the wash later that night, so all's well that ends well.

So What Did You Learn Today?

Typically, Jack is very stingy with the details of his school day.  What did you do today?  Nothing.  What did you learn today?  Nothing.  What was your favorite thing that happened today?  I don't know.

It drives me crazy!   Because there has to be at least one little thing that happened today that you can share with your mother, who is very interested in what is happening in your world.  And I know Jack didn't spend 7 hours at school and not learn at least one new fact, or if he didn't, that's a problem that I need to know about.

So Brent instituted a new rule: every night at the dinner table, Jack will share with us one thing that he learned that day.  Just one little fact.

And I am loving it!  It's fun to get a little glimpse into his day, and I find it so interesting to hear what details or facts that Jack chooses to share with us.
 
This is what Jack learned last week:

MONDAY:  Bacteria are made of a single cell.  A virus is not made of a cell.

TUESDAY:  Benjamin Franklin was an important man in our country.  He signed the Declaration of Independence and invented eye glasses.

WEDNESDAY:  How to write my capital letters better.

THURSDAY:  There are such things as noise pollution and light pollution. Sea turtles are affected by light pollution, especially white, blue and pink lights.  That's why you're not supposed to shine lights around baby turtles while they are trying to get back to the ocean.

FRIDAY:  That "country" has a U in it.  (Country was one of his spelling words...he made a 100 on the test!)


Seeing a return on our tuition dollars!  It's money well spent.

 

101 in 1001: Goal 72 (Part 2)

Goal 72: Try a new recipe 1x/week for 8 weeks

April 16, 2011: Chicken Piccata with Lemon, Capers, and Artichoke Hearts: Highly Recommend

 

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Brent requested Chicken Piccata for dinner, and since I had never made it before, I went looking for a recipe.  This Chicken Piccata recipe from Food Network sounded good and looked quick & easy to make, plus I have a hard time passing up any recipe with artichokes.  I made the recipe exactly as written except for 2 minor changes.  I used the thinly sliced chicken breasts instead of trying to pound regular breasts, and I served my chicken piccata over angel hair pasta instead of the brown rice & lima beans.  It was delicious!  However, next time I'll cut the amount of fresh lemon juice in half (from 2 lemons to 1), because it was just a tad too tart.  Not so tart that we didn't enjoy it, though.  This dish came together so easily that it is very doable for a weekday dinner, and will definitely be added to our regular rotation.  Because I knew Will would balk at the capers, I pulled 2 breasts out of the pan for the boys before adding the artichokes and capers.  I served them the chicken with a side of buttered pasta.  We all loved it and everyone had clean plates.  An A+ recipe in my cookbook!


May 22, 2011: Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin: Highly Recommend

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I stumbled across this recipe on several blogs, and since I already had the Montreal Steak Seasoning and a half a package of bacon I needed to use, I thought I would give it a try.  It could not have been easier!  I trimmed the silver skin off the tenderloin, then liberally sprinkled the steak seasoning all over and patted it in with my hands.  Half a package of bacon covered the tenderloin perfectly.  I baked the tenderloin for 25 minutes, but next time I would bake a little longer (maybe 28).  Then I broiled it for 5 minutes, but next time I'll broil it for 3 minutes on each side.  The tenderloin smelled so good coming out of the oven!  All of us enjoyed the tenderloin, and there is enough left to have for dinner another night this week.  Yay!  I love those kind of recipes.  This recipe is very quick and easy to prepare, so easy that it will become one of our regular weeknight dinner recipes.  Give it a try.


July 20, 2011: Peach Enchiladas: Highly Recommend

sorry for the poor picture quality! 

One of the highlights of the July issue of Southern Living was all of the recipes using fresh peaches.  The Peach Enchiladas recipe sounded really good and quick enough to do for a weeknight dessert.   I halved the recipe because we didn't need 16 servings.  The peach enchiladas were delicious!  Everyone loved them... on a scale of 1 to 10, Jack gave the enchiladas a 20!  It really is a great summertime dessert.  Next time, I will add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and they will be perfect!


August 18, 2011: Jambalaya Stuffed Chicken: Highly Recommend

I recently joined E-mealz, an online weekly menu planner.  You pay $5.00/month to get weekly meal plans and shopping lists.  The best part is that they base your meal plans on what is on sale that week!  I usually use about 4-5 of the meal ideas each week and then add in 2-3 of our family's favorite meals to complete the weekly menu.  One of the dinners was Jambalaya Stuffed Chicken, and with Brent's Louisiana roots this one caught my attention. 

Jambalaya Stuffed Chicken

• 8-12 strips bacon
• 1 c finely chopped onion
• 1 rib celery, chopped fine
• 1 1/2 c dry stuffing mix
• 1/2 t Cajun seasonings
• 1 1/2 lb boneless chicken breasts, halved and pounded thin
• toothpicks

In a skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat, turning often, until half-cooked/limp.  Drain on paper towel.  Drain out 1/2 the grease.  Add onion and celery to skillet and saute 3 minutes at medium heat.  Stir in stuffing mix, Cajun seasonings, and toss.

On a work surface, lay out each piece of chicken over 2 slices of bacon placed side by side.  Top chicken with a mound of stuffing mix and roll up to wrap in bacon.  Secure with toothpicks.  Place in casserole dish and cover with aluminum foil.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until done.

This recipe is a good addition to the weeknight dinner rotation, so quick and easy.  And the bonus is that everyone at my table ate it, even Will after I scraped the stuffing off of his chicken--crazy kid!  Add a green side and you have a meal.


Well, I'm not sure if this is a successful completion of the goal or not.  I was supposed to try 1 new recipe a week for 8 weeks, and considering I started this in February, I clearly fell short of the time requirement.  Actually, I can't remember why I set up the 8 week time frame.  Knowing how I am, I should have set the goal up as "try a new recipe every month for a year".  That would have been more realistic.  Oh Well.  I did find some delicious new recipes that my family loves and have now become family favorites, so at least that part was a success!

Goal 72: Try a new recipe 1x/week for 8 weeks: COMPLETE

101 in 1001: Goal 72 (Part 1)

Goal 72: Try a new recipe 1x/week for 8 weeks

February 25, 2011:  Pioneer Woman's Chicken Spaghetti:  Recommend

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For my birthday, Mom and Dad gave me the Pioneer Woman's cookbook.  Jack thought Gramma and Granddaddy gave me the cookbook because they loved the recipes I fixed for Christmas and wanted me to cook more.  Isn't he sweet!  As I was looking through it, Brent saw this recipe and thought that it looked good and wanted me to make it.  I love her cookbook because of the step by step pictures and directions...it is perfect for the cooking-isn't-second-nature cook like me!  I followed the Pioneer Woman's Chicken Spaghetti recipe exactly.  It was delicious; it reminded me of Chicken Tetrazzini, which is one of Brent's favorites, so it got a thumbs up from both of us.  Jack turned his nose up at it, and Will picked the chicken out to eat, so one thumb down and one sideways from the kid critics.  This recipe makes enough to feed an army, so I split it into 2 8x8 casseroles and have an extra in the freezer now!


March 9, 2011:  Lemon Garlic Shrimp and Grits:  Highly Recommend

For this dish, I combined two different recipes.  I made it my own, dawg!  And Wow!, it was fan-tas-tic!  Not only is it delicious, but it is quick and easy, too.  A perfect recipe in my book.

Lemon Garlic Shrimp and Grits

Grits:

• 4 1/4 cups chicken stock
• 3/4 cup whipping cream (I used half & half because it is what I had)
• 6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) butter
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup corn grits (real grits, not the instant kind)

Shrimp:

• 1 1/4 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
• juice of half a lemon
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper

For grits:  Bring chicken stock, whipping cream, butter and garlic to boil in heavy large saucepan.  Gradually whisk in corn grits.  Return to boil, whisking constantly.  Reduce heat to low.  Simmer uncovered until grits thicken, whisking often, about 20 minutes.


For shrimp: Season shrimp with salt and pepper.  Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the shrimp, garlic and Old Bay seasoning, and cook, tossing, until the shrimp are pink, 3 to 4 minutes.  Remove from the heat and add 2 tablespoons water, the lemon juice and Italian seasoning; stir to coat the shrimp with the sauce and season with salt and pepper.

Divide the grits among shallow bowls, spoon the shrimp and sauce over the grits, and top with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

It was delicious!  Will had two servings, which is a resounding endorsement for any recipe.  When Will asked for a third serving (unheard of!) and there was no more left, I promised him that I would make this again soon.  This one is definitely a keeper!


March 17, 2011:  Shepherd's Pie:  Highly Recommend

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For St. Patrick's Day, Jack wanted to have an Irish dinner.  Since corned beef and cabbage didn't excite me, I thought I would give Shepherd's Pie a shot.  I have never made Shepherd's Pie before, and when I mentioned my plans to Brent, he said that Shepherd's Pie was one of his favorite meals growing up and surprisingly, his elementary school cafeteria made a good one.  I never knew this about him!  Ha, how's that for learning something new about the one ya love! 

I found this recipe for Shepherd's Pie and it sounded wonderful.  Bacon, caramelized onions, Guinness beer...how could it not be good?!?!  It did not disappoint, it was soooo goood!  We all loved it!  I followed the recipe exactly and it went together easily.  The only con is that it takes a bit of time to prepare; the recipe says 2 hr 10 min total time, and I would say that is pretty acurate.  So this couldn't be a spur of the moment, weekday dinner.  On the upside, I split the recipe into 2 small casseroles, so I have another Shepherd's Pie waiting in the freezer. 

Brent said this recipe was better than the one he remembered from his childhood.  WHEW!  How embarrassing would it have been to be bested by the lunch lady?!?!


March 23, 2011:  Blackened Shrimp Alfredo:  Probably Won't Make Again

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Brent and I were in the mood for blackened shrimp for dinner tonight.  I did a search and found this recipe that sounded good.  One of the things I liked about the recipe was that I already had all of the ingredients on hand except for the shrimp.  It was easy and quick to prepare which is a must for my weekday dinners.  Jack didn't like it, Will ate the shrimp but picked at the pasta, Brent enjoyed it, but I thought that it was just okay.  My complaint is that the shrimp really weren't blackened, kinda disappointing when we were in the mood for blackened shrimp.

**This post is getting a bit long, so check back tomorrow for the recipes from weeks 5-8.**

A Peek at Our Week 2011: Week 33

Saturday, August 13

It was our last day at Mimi's house, and we were loading up the car to come home.  Mom noticed all of the boys gathered around the DS, 4 boys ranging in age from 1-8.  It won't be long before Harrison (2 1/2) has his own DS; he is already very adept at working the smart phone.  I believe the electronics gene can be found on the Y chromosome.

  

Sunday, August 14

Jack starts school tomorrow.  We are so excited because he will have his kindergarten teacher, Mrs. G, again!  She moved back to second grade after teaching two years of kindergarten and we feel so lucky to be in her class for a second time.  We thought Mrs. G needed a little happy for her desk on the first day.  Welcome back, it's gonna be a great year!

  

Monday, August 15

It seems like it was just yesterday...  

First day of second grade, and we are so proud of him.

 

Tuesday, August 16

Will is spending a few days with Gramma and Granddaddy ALL. BY. HIMSELF.  Each of them looks forward to their own special week during the summer.  When Gramma asked Will what he wanted to do when he came to visit, he replied "Go to the zoo!"  But of course!  Will has also enjoyed lots of play time with Brady.  He'll be so sad when it's time to come home.

 

Wednesday, August 17

Baby bird is back in the nest.  He looks thrilled, no?  We, on the other hand, are happy to have him home.  Jack and our good buddies next door were waiting in the front yard when we pulled into the driveway.  They were jumping up & down and waving & cheering.  What a great welcome home!

 

Thursday, August 18

It has begun.  All of the afternoon extracurricular activities.  Jack's activities this fall include soccer, swimming, Cub Scouts, and Odyssey of the Mind.  Will is going to be busy with Phonics, Play Ball, a science class and soccer.  Jack's first soccer practice was today, and it was Daddy's first practice as head coach.  When Jack got into the car after practice, I asked him if he had fun, to which he enthusiastically answered "Yes!"  Two thumbs up for Dad!

Friday, August 19

Will has a couple of more weeks before preschool starts, so we are enjoying a little one-on-one time.  It was Candy Land this morning...blessings and curses!  He was winning game after game , "I'm good at this game!", and having a great time, until Karma got him.  Mommy drew an ice cream cone, Will got stuck in licorice, and suddenly the game isn't quite so fun anymore.  Another lesson about being a good sport.  Will beat me in the final game so all is right again in Candy Land world!

 

The First Week of Second Grade

It has been a good first week as a second grader for Jack.  A few days before school, we found out that Jack was going to have Mrs. G, his kindergarten teacher, for second grade.  We were so excited because we love Mrs. G and we knew that she loves Jack. 

This first week of school has been about settling back into the school routine and review of first grade material.  Each afternoon I'll ask Jack what he learned at school today and he says nothing new.  Brent teases that he is going to call the principal and ask for this week's tuition money back since Jack isn't learning anything at school.  Maybe next week they'll have homework and we can see our tuition dollars at work.  Let the complaining begin!

Second grade has a new library privilege:  they get to check out two books each week, one fiction and one nonfiction book.  Jack was excited about his two books and by the time he got home that afternoon he had already read through half of the fiction book.  We have already christened the new white shirts.  On Wednesday, Jack came home with pizza stains on his shoulder.  How in the world do you get pizza on your shoulder?!?!  Your friend Bobby rubs you with pizza.  Well, okay.

We are all trying to adjust to the new school routine...the early mornings, the long days...I'm back to my morning coffee...Will wakes up asking where Jack is.   But it is good to be back in a routine and we are excited about what the new school year has in store!

 

A Peek at Our Week 2011: Week 32

Saturday, August 6

Our friends invited us to join them for an afternoon on the boat at Lake Lanier.  Of course, we're not gonna turn down that invitation.  Unfortunately, I forgot my camera (argh!) and missed some wonderful photo ops, like Jack and Paul covering each other with mud on the beach.  It was everywhere...hair, swim suits, bodies, boat!  But I did get a picture of the aftermath...and this was after we rinsed the swim suit off before getting back into the car.  Any bets on whether or not this swim suit will ever be white again?  I'm guessing zero to none.

P.S.  Happy 45th Anniversary to my parents!  45 years, what a wonderful example for Brent & me! 

Sunday, August 7

What I'm loving lately is this wonderful cranberry almond granola made by Big Sky Bread Company.  Big Sky Bread Co is in Birmingham, where Brent and I met in graduate school 17 years ago (gasp!  Has it really been that many years?!?!).  We loved the six years that we lived in Birmingham, and even 11 years later, I still miss Birmingham from time to time.

Monday, August 8

We're making progress, people.  The painting is done and the new carpet went in today!  Yay!  Brent and I moved the bed back into the room tonight and it nearly killed me.   Bruise on my arm and the husband called me a wimp.  Well, actually he said, "Come on, muscles!", which I know is code for wimp.  So add that to the list of things I won't do again: 1) paint master bedroom, 2) move ginormous bed.

Tuesday, August 9

We are all about the Smurfs around here.  We have seen the cartoons, the movie, and now we are collecting the figurines.  I usually don't encourage the collecting of the silly Happy Meal toys, but I remember collecting the little Smurf figures when I was a little girl, so I'm a bit sentimental.  And we're willing to trade a Hefty, Jokey, Panicky, or Grumpy for a Papa Smurf or Smurfette.  Anybody else collecting?

 

Wednesday, August 10

Mom, the boys and I headed down to Mimi's new home today.  On our way, we stopped by Alligator Alley to see the gators.  Very BIG gators,15-20 foot gators.  The one seen here isn't the largest...Big Daddy pulled himself out of the water for a little snack shortly after.  The little snack was a rack of ribs.  We may have said "Choot 'Em Choot 'Em" a time or two.

Thursday, August 11

We went to the Foley Alabama Railroad Museum today.  There is a little train for the children to ride, a museum filled with pictures and artifacts from the early railroad days, a real train for the children to climb and explore, and a fabulous model train display.  And it was all free!  Will still gets excited about riding the kiddie trains, but Jack is aging out of the enjoyment...he was just a bit embarrassed, but a good sport to ride along with his brother.  And kudos to Mimi for crawling into that tiny little car.  That's what love for your great-grandsons will make you do!

Friday, August 12

One of the fun things about going to Foley is to go to Sweet Home Farms to pick out our favorite cheeses.  Jack selected feta cheese, organic pears and banana jam.  Will chose the montabella cheese and honey roasted cashews.  I couldn't resist the tuscany, gouda, and bayside blue cheeses.  There's a chicken coop a short distance from the store and Will wanted some feathers.  I told him to ask the man in the store if that would be okay.  So Will went back into the store and when he asked if he could have some chicken feathers, the man said "Well, did you ask the chickens?"  "Yes, they said it would be alright."  We all left happy with cheese and (turkey) feathers.

A Peek at Our Week 2011: Week 31

Saturday, July 30

The dessert came with 4 spoons, but only 2 people enjoyed the flan.  Ya gotta be quick 'round here, 'cause ya blink and it's gone!

Sunday, July 31

We finally finished painting the master bedroom today!  The boys have been fantastic all weekend while Brent and I painted, so we decided to head to the pool and enjoy what was left of the day.  Jack wants to learn how to do a flip off the diving board and Brent was helping him get a "feel" for what a flip is like.

 

Monday, August 1

This summer, I was invited by my next door neighbor to join with a small group of ladies in studying the parable of The Prodigal Son in a bible study titled The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller.  It has been a good study with great discussions.  Very convicting, my book is marked up with points I need to apply to my life.

   

Tuesday, August 2

Today, we discovered the wonder that is Gigi's Cupcakes, the most amazing cupcakes!  Jack had the Key Lime Pie cupcake and Will had the Midnight Magic Chocolate Chip cupcake.  I was good and didn't order one, although the Mimosa cupcake was screaming my name from the bakery case...I heard it!  I did, however, sample what little was left of the boys' cupcakes; after all, we just can't let those delicacies go to waste.  I think this is just the beginning of a delicious friendship with Gigi.

Wednesday, August 3

I love library days!  I could spend hours (and have) just walking up and down the aisles browsing.  Jack and Will turned in their summer reading logs, too.  Their reward was gift certificates to Chick-fil-A, Arby's, and Chipotle Grill, plus they got to pick out a new book.  Very nice!  The librarian at this library runs a tight ship.  Although the summer reading program ended on Monday, I thought I read that we had until Friday to turn in our logs.  Well, she reminded me several times that the deadline was Monday but she would extend me a grace period.  Well, thanks because if not I was gonna have to jump over this desk and wring your neck while my boys swiped their gift cards.  Don't mess with Mama Bear!

Thursday, August 4

While the boys were at camp and at a play date, I ran errands.  All day long.  But I got alot crossed off my To Do list.  One item was buying new backpacks and lunch bags.  Jack has joined the ranks of the big boys and didn't want any cartoon characters (sniff), just a red backpack and lunch bag.  I couldn't find a red backpack anywhere here, so I ordered a red and gray one off of Land's End.  Will chose a Super Mario Bros. backpack and a Green Lantern lunch bag.  We've had such a great summer that I'm not ready for school to start...

 

Friday, August 5

It has been so hot here that it is just too hot to play outside for any length of time.  I did have the kids outside playing hide & seek with their friends, but it only lasted about 15 minutes before everyone was red-faced and sweaty.  So when they weren't in camp (which is mostly outside) this week, they have been playing alot of Wii and BeyBlades.  Just trying to survive the heat.

A Friday Funny (or PSA for the Men)

Five Deadly Terms Used by a Woman

1) FINE:  This is the word women use to end an argument when she knows she is RIGHT and YOU need to SHUT UP.

2) NOTHING:  means SOMETHING and you need to be worried.

3) GO AHEAD:   This is a dare, not permission, DO NOT DO IT.

4) WHATEVER:  A woman's way of saying SCREW YOU.

5) THAT'S OK:  She is thinking long and hard on HOW & WHEN you will pay for your mistake.

 So True... 

Happy Weekend! 

Out of the Mouth of Will: The Lizard Edition

This is our conversation on the way home from camp today:

Me:  So what did you learn about today?

Will: Chameleons.

Me: Oh!

Will: And lizards.

Me: A chameleon is a type of lizard, right?

Will: Yes.

Me:  And what do chameleons do?

Will:  They camouflage.

Me:  That's right!

Will:  I'm a smart man!  I'm a ladies lovin' man!  I'm gonna get all the girls in real life, right Ma?

And I said the only thing I could say, "YES!"


Heaven, help me with this one!

The Recycling Nazis

This week Jack and Will are attending a "Lizards, Frogs & Snakes, Oh My!" camp at our local nature center.  As you might suspect, the nature center is Nazi-like when it comes to a big proponent of the 3 Rs of recycling: reduce, reuse, & recycle.  One of the main points they indoctrinate teach the children is to use reusable plastic containers for their snacks and lunches instead of the earth-destroying, polar bear killing, rain-forest deforesting, ozone layer depleting disposable plastic baggies.

Now before I come off sounding too anti-environmental, I want to say that I do appreciate their efforts in educating our children about being good stewards of the earth.  At home, we teach the boys about taking care of the environment...hey! we even have a compost pile, but we are a lit-tle weak on the recycling part, despite Jack's constant encouragement (although there is the constant moaning from him about having to haul the recycling bin to the curb every Thursday.  This recycling is not for the faint of heart!).  In fact, today he was explaining to me how some empty boxes we have in the garage could be made into some wonderful furniture for our deck.  And the mental image of pieced-together cardboard furniture sitting out on Brent's beautiful Ipe deck had me chuckingly (mentally, of course)!

Anyway.

This is not our first camp at ye ol' nature center.  Oh No!  Mama here is wise to their ways; I know their disdain for the earth-destroying, polar bear killing, rain-forest deforesting, ozone layer depleting disposable baggies.  So on Monday, I packed all of his snack and lunch in environmentally friendly, polar bear loving tupperware containers. 

 (after camp, of course!)

And my sympathies went out to all of the unsuspecting, first time mommies who loaded up Junior's lunch bag with those terrible sandwich and snack baggies.  Rookie mistake!  

When I picked Jack up from camp on Monday, he told me that his counselor had congratulated him on all of his reusable containers.  Jack said, "Keep up the good work, Mom!"  Yay me.

Today, Jack said that they are having a recycling contest and he got 15 points for having no disposable containers!  "I'll be in the top ten at the end of the week!  I'll get a prize!"  

Prize?  Did someone say prize?!?!  What is this prize, of which you speak?  Cause if they are giving away gift certificates for a free hot stone massage, I'm all over this recycling thing!  

But I'm highly suspicious that the prize is a $10 discount coupon for the video:  "Humans, Why They Are Baaaadddddd for the Earth!!!"  Hmmmm....maybe I should "throw" the contest and sneak a non-organic whole milk plastic container in his lunch bag tomorrow.

But then again, he really does love polar bears....