Confession...

So, I've been trying my hand at consistent, somewhat creative lunches this entire week.  I took daily photos and everyday when I had time to upload them, some form of embarrassment or insecurity came over me, so I just didn't.  It just so happened that a dear friend of mine placed a post on her blog about the very thing I was dealing with.  The title was 'Inspired or Overwhelmed?'  In the post she laid out her feelings in regards to blogs similar to this (blogs intended to inspire ideas and creativity) and the way that as an observer, it's so easy to take yourself from being inspired to feeling like what you're doing is not good enough in any given aspect of life.

As I mentioned before, I wanted to add the creative lunch element to this blog after being inspired by others and really thinking I could easily do the same thing.  However, once I began, I started to second guess myself, my meals, my creativity, etc.  As I snapped pictures and thought of placing them up for the world to see, I began to question what I was feeding my kids.  This may be a good thing (as in motivating me to add more healthy choices) and it may just be my insecurities of having the world judge what is on the plate and in the tummies of my 2 year olds.  

I began to wonder if it was ok that my kids eat the same basic food repeatedly and if I should continue to give in when they continually request the same item day in and day out.  And, I began to question the level of 'professionalism' in the photos...were the plates clean of water spots and when I slid the bananas into place they left smudges...can I really post it? I began to feel insecure that what I had to present was not perfect.

Not perfect...that's really what it comes down to.  I started this recipe blog originally for all of us moms who are not perfect.  I snapped photos of food I had made sitting on paper plates rather than perfectly staged with the right background and perfect lighting.  So, I have decided that is what I am going to continue to do.  This blog is all about not being perfect. 

There are days when my pantry is lacking vegetable options...and that's ok!  There are days where we run late at the grocery store and get home an hour past lunch time as I scrounge to make a meal in record time for 2 hungry toddlers.  It's barely creative...and that's ok!

So without shame, I lay out what we ate this week with no long explanations or excuses.

• Cucumber & carrot slices
• Strwaberrys
• Bisquick garlic cheese biscuit (the recipe is on the box, but not on this blog...it was not a family favorite :)
• Dinosaur chicken

• Grilled cheese (cut with DynoBytes Sandwich Crust Cutter)
• Turkey lunch meat roll
• Grapes
• Mini Marshmallows

• Apple slices
• Hard boiled egg
• Girlled cheese (cut with the Lunch Punch Puzzle Shape Sandwich Cutters (Set of 4)
• Pirates Booty

• Pirates Booty
• Nilla Waffers Mini
• Peanut Butter Snadwich (cut with Lunch Punch Animal Shape Sandwich Cutters (Set of 4)
• Banana smiley face with mini chocolate chip eyeballs

By the way...I found the divided plates at our local grocery store this week for $1!!  I only got 4 and they are out now :(  I'm hoping some more come in soon because they are great!