Follow up on my school menu post!

Someone sent me this in relation to my  "Who's brilliant idea was it?"post. ( http://mrsnj91.blogspot.com/2012/09/whos-brilliant-idea-was-it.html ) As a mom who currently packs a lunch for my 2nd grader and a teenager who comes home hungry because she isn't eating in school, I thought I would share.....

Complaints Mount Against Michelle Obama’s New Lunch Menu

"In Wisconsin, high school athletes are complaining about not getting enough to eat each day, due to the skimpy new school lunch menu mandated by the United States Department of Agriculture and First Lady Michelle Obama.

The story we published earlier this week on that subject is unfortunately not unique. Students across the country are complaining about the new school lunch regulations.
Perhaps the real motive is to starve students into slimming down. Just ask students in Pierre, South Dakota who, too, are in an all-out revolt. 

"I know a lot of my friends who are just drinking a jug of milk for their lunch. And they are not getting a proper meal," middle school student Samantha Gortmaker told Keloland.com.
Despite the fact that the new regulations have increased the cost of a lunch 20 to 25 cents per plate, it’s not pleasing students. 

Some are throwing away their vegetables while others are adapting to the rules by becoming industrious. In New Bedford, Massachusetts, students have created a black market - for chocolate syrup. The kiddie capitalists are smuggling in bottles of it and selling it by the squeeze, according to SouthCoastToday.com. 

Nancy Carvalho, director of food services for New Bedford Public Schools, was quoted as saying that hummus and black bean salads have been tough sells in elementary cafeterias. That means even smaller children are going through the day fighting hunger pains, which can never be considered a good thing. 

One government official tried to put the blame on the students. 

"One thing I think we need to keep in mind as kids say they're still hungry is that many children aren't used to eating fruits and vegetables at home, much less at school. So it's a change in what they are eating. If they are still hungry, it's that they are not eating all the food that's being offered," USDA Deputy Undersecretary Janey Thornton was quoted as saying.
Ms. Thornton just put her finger on the problem. The government is trying to impose a new diet that children are not accustomed to. It’s not reasonable to expect them to either eat what the government deems healthy or go hungry. 

Many will opt to go hungry, and that’s the government’s fault."

Missed opportunities or blessings?

I recently found someone who has been missing for a long time and when I finally found that person, I also found out that she had passed away.  I was mixed with feelings of sadness and anger along with other feelings.  I wasn't sure what I truely wanted of the person I sought other than answers. I suppose I won't be really getting them now.  So was all the mixed up feelings I had because I felt I missed out on something or another reason?  It got me to thinking about it. What REALLY did I want?

I realized that I don't think I was truely upset over missing out on the person I was looking for.  Oh I was  mad and disappointed and sad at being too late but I think it was more so because I missed out getting the answers I wanted and not so much that I missed out on the person who gave them. After all I have lived most of life without her and, well, even without the answers.  I know that sounds mean but the truth is, if all the things in my life were changed, if I knew different people and grew up in a different place or worked in a different job, etc, then I wouldn't be....well...me.  And I kinda like me. I like my life. I like my job.  I like me. I am blessed on who and what I am.  So if those things that made up my life were different, wouldn't it seem logical that so would I be?

I have three beautiful children that fill my life with so much love that my heart seems to burst. I have a strong and caring husband and a nice home.  I like my job and the children I am blessed to work with.  I am a strong person who is not afraid to push up her sleeves and do what must be done.  I am organized and like doing things like running a business and VBS. I am good at it.  I enjoy reading and music and dance.  I am creative and artsy.  I have family and friends who care about me that I have known all my life and some who I have recently gathered.  All of which I believe shaped me into who I am. I have fond memories of playing outside and watching movies with friends and family vacations and visits to my great grandparents house in the summer and laying on the hammock watching clouds go by while eating watermelon and gatherings with family who mean everything to me.  If the people who touched my life the way they did and still do where not here or different, would I be this same person?  Would I have the blessings I have in my life?

I got a surprise in my searching. I found another person I didn't even know I would need to find and who knows where that will led.  Another person to add to my list of people who have or will change my life? Where it leads, I know not. Life is an adventure is about all I can say! It is never boring and always changing!  I had a another missing person found 14 years ago and am blessed he found us so I can only assume that this new adventure will hold the same possibilities. Who knows.

In the end, we cannot change the past. We cannot focus on what ifs and what should have/could have been's.  There is no need for anger or sadness or disappointment as we cannot change a thing.  They are wasted emotions. We can only take what is laid before us and mold that into what is our life and move forward.  Make them all into blessings.

"Every long lost dream led me to where you are
And others who broke my heart they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know it's true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you"

Happy 100th Birthday Aunt Sue!

Where were you?

On a day that will always be forever in our minds, I remember Sept. 11th like it was yesterday.  The morning was sunny and perfect.  Very much like today. An ordinary day.  But the moments that passed were nothing ordinary.

I opened my daycare like normal and I greeted children and parents just like any other day.  One of my daycare parents arrived a little late and said an accident happened and a plane crashed into the World Trade Center in NY.  We talked, I got the kids busy and turned on the tv.  And there my life would change forever.

At that point in time, the other tower was hit and I knew in my soul this was no accident.  Myself and my grandmother sat and stared and listened to piece together what was happening. I am not so sure even the news reporters knew at that moment.

The second that is engraved in my mind is when the 1st tower disappeared. I say disappeared because the news had both towers on camera as the reporter talked and it seemed like I blinked and one was gone.  Just gone.  Even the reporter didn't know.  And we stood and cried because we knew that thousands of people did not make it out of there in time.  That was all they needed was time and it was gone. Just.........disappeared. 

We knew then that the other tower would go....and the reports of other planes crashing were coming in and we sat, watched, glued to the tv and cried.  So much loss.  So much pain.  So many people.  Parents and husbands and children....all gone in one moment.

I wanted to go and pick up Ryan at school.  To gather my family close by and hold them.  But I had to move forward as nothing happened because children depended on me. My family depended on me.  But we still kept the tv on and prayed as we went through the day.

It was like it happened yesterday and yet so long ago.

Where were you that September day?

May the family and friends of all those lost on p-11 be in our minds, thoughts and prayers today.

Who's brilliant idea was it?

Delaney has been coming home with a ton of papers since school started.  All those "You should come to this meeting if you want to be a fabulous craft making room parent" and "Don't send your child in things like flip flops or mommy's cocktail dress or they will be sent home" type of papers.  The kind we glance at, determine they aren't worth the effort to fully read and throw in the trash.  But while digging through all of Delaneys I came across the lunch menu.  And yet another year of them trying to be creative......

I totally get the whole "kids need to eat better" idea.  I mean, at one point in time, Ryans lunches in school consisted of chicken nuggets, tacos or a optional hoagie, fries, chocolate milk and cookies. Parents complained. I totally get the whole Obama-eat-better band wagon.  I couldn't understand why they would shove hoagies at kids when that might possibly be the only meal some got!  What happened to hot turkey with mashed potatoes and a veggie like when I was in school? I wouldn't have eaten that day old waxy looking lunchmeat hoagie either! But seriously, todays lunch menu almost made me chuckle.  Ok. It DID make me chuckle.  I would so love to talk to the person who decided and wrote that one up!

On the wonderful and delicious menu we have lovely kid friendly items like..........

Three bean salad
Hummus Dip and carrots
Baked Beans
Bean Burger
Sweet potato puffs
Zucchini dippers
Fruit is THE one and only dessert each and every single day from now until June
And my personal fav: Sauteed Kale

#1 My kids wouldn't know a zucchini if they tripped over it in the grocery store! And I doubt they would eat it (raw at that) no matter how much someone stuck it in dipping sauce!

#2 Please...tell me how many children actually eat three bean salad.  Cause the other day I gave my daycare kids some basic pasta salad and they looked at me like I had three heads and each one was talking another language!

#3 Sauteed Kale....seriously.  Do I really even have to go there?

#4 And no kid, adults included, would touch that bean burger unless it was last thing on this earth to eat and maybe even then most everyone I know would have doubts on that!!

I know I raised picky eaters.  I am one myself.  I admit it.  As an adult I would venture slightly more into unknown foods more so than I did as a child.  But never in this lifetime would I ever see most children even possibly consider sauteed kale! Who are they kidding?!  Lets be honest, we know that most of those choices are gracing the bottom of a trash can!

Offering good choices to kids are wonderful....if they eat them!  If they pick and most everything isn't eaten but thrown away, it really does defy the purpose.  And some mighty hungry kids are going home with empty bellies!  Is it better for kids to eat something or to make someone in DC feel better?

Take two!

A MUCH better morning!

*sniff sniff*

If you didn't notice the blotchy face of Delaneys 1st day of school shot, just let me show you the 1st one I took.......

 

That pretty much says it all on how the morning went.  She was NOT so happy to be heading off. I didn't even get a bus shot cause she cried so much that Daddy took her to school himself. Guess we will have to try again tomorrow.

1st day of school

Off to highschool........

2nd grade.........

College........

Fill in time!!!

Ok....for those who have been trying to reach me, call me or trying to suck me into the land of Facebook in which I seem to be trying my best to defy (or seriously do not have the mental capacity to learn or the time to figure it out or whatever term you wish to nicely choose), I am going to update here!

Vacation was AWESOME!  Relaxing, fun, exciting, thrilling and above all...COLD! It had to be THE coldest time we have ever spent in TN.  Last year it was so hot that I wished I had more tank tops.  This year I froze my tush off and prayed for sweatshirts and jeans!  It was hitting mid 80s in the afternoon and 50s at night.  Not bad you say? Well when one is used to humidity, which makes 82 degrees feel more like a 90 degree sauna, those temps are c-o-l-d!  Then just as you tried your best to ignore the cold, you go to get lunch in an air conditioned restaurant that was also obviously expecting 90 degrees outside too and froze!  By the time you ate and walked out, 82 low humidity outside felt wonderfully warm and toasty!

Overall though we had a blast.  We went hiking of which we rarely made it to the top but had fun trying and laughing at the end as we gasped for breath on the side of a trail somewhere.  Old men and children passed us by but us ocean level pitiful folks that count speed bumps as the highest point in the state laid in heaps and joking about the old guy in his 80s who actually made it!  It was still fun.

And we went horseback riding and rafting and visited local spots.  We saw a show and bought the CD and all 7 of us got to listen to it allllllllllllllllll the way back to NJ!  Several times. Over and over.  But it was obviously well worth the money paid cause some little person was enjoying it.

We came home to rain and more cold, ran in the house, dropped bags on the floor and grabbed sweat shirts.  What a blessing to finally hit mid 80s and 90 again.  My toes are finally warmed up!

We spent the next week running around like chickens without heads. There were soccer practices and dr appointments and school supply runs and clothes/grocery shopping and last dips in the pool.  I also had three new daycare children start which was insane on my part I guess cause I could hardly find my floor.  Two (siblings) of which did NOT work out and instead of going into the horrific details that still give me nightmares, they started on Thurs and were given notice of last day Friday at pick up.  Oh yeah, that bad and just the cherry to the top of my crazy busy week!

We did end of the summer BBQ with the daycare and last minute icecream runs before....dare I say the words......SCHOOL STARTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep. School officially starts tomorrow. And some very unhappy faces there were too.  Day care kids have slowly been going off one by one as they each start school.  And tomorrow starts our school systems year.

Delaney is not happy.  She would be the happiest child in the world if I home schooled and allowed her to stay home.  Megan is usually happy about seeing her friends but she isn't so much this year as she begins high school and a new building.  And Ryan is off to college tomorrow too. I went from a houseful of crazy and loud kids to everyone gone. 1st day of school if hard on moms too I will have you know. tomorrow I will spend the morning waking people who do not want to get up and throwing pack backs on and shoving them out the door only to find the house awfully quiet. Then I become sad and bake all day long cause it keeps me busy and my little daycare guys help so it keeps them busy and then by the time I am done, the buses are starting to return.

So wish us luck as we begin a new school year and stay tuned for all those fun back to school pictures that my kids just LOVE me taking!!

Delaneys 1st sleepover and last day of summer fun!

 

Moving up day

                                           Trip for some icecream fun!