We had a great weekend... spent the whole weekend with Sarah and her kids at her house while our husbands took Scuba lessons. She has these plates... they are sectioned off like hospital plates and the kids just love them. Well last night we went to Target and there they were, in all their plastic and prefab glory. So I got some... I mean afterall Cyan had such a great time with it, and she doesn't have any other plastic dishes really, so I thought, what the heck.

The little things really do make life. They just do. She came home today, and I had put out her purple sectioned plate with edmame, cut up organic strawberries, crackers and cheese, and a whole wheat sandwich cut with a Pampered Chef cut and seal. Btw this is one of the TWO pampered chef things I own. I don't use gadgets, but the cut and seal sandwiches go RIGHT into that hole in the middle of the bottom of the sectioned plates. I haven't seen my kid that happy in forever... she was thanking me, and she has said 5 times since she got lunch that this is the best lunch ever. Yes she is grateful, and yes she is cute, but this is even above that. She is truly excited.

I realised that since Alex is older and VERY into gadgets and things like this, when Cyan came along I went on the side of caution and NEVER got her things like this. She had glass cups at the age of 2 1/2 which she was fully able to drink out of herself. I never had plastic, or even stored things in plastic becuase of the leaching into the food etc. And for the first time I think I took it a little too far. There are very special memories of childhood I have because of things that were not good for us. Great stories that many "organic" mom would flinch at now were my crowning glories of childhood. Not saying I am going out to get my kids waterbeds to blow up with air (**** that was fun, but terribly dangerous) but a few little things that they think are wonderful will stick in their heads. More along the lines of the tiny boxes of cereal that my mom would get when we went camping. It was all crap, not even food. But we LOVED it. It is something I will remember for the rest of my life. Marshmallows in my cocoa on cold summer mornings, staying home because of the first snow, and sugar cereal when we went camping.

I am sure my kids will pick their own, but in that moment of buying those plates, it was a conscience effort to make one. And it worked. And I will do it again. I love how much she loved it.

Val

So sweet! And she said thank you!

Oh, are they plastic, or melamine? Isn't melamine basically okay? You have to handwash it, or not put it in the microwave- but isn't it okay? Are you talking about sectioned plates, or the mini cafeteria trays? Target sells those, too, in the spring. They are so cute, and really, I ought to get some, eventually, since I've caved to TV ( kitchen is hot as heck- I don't even want to be in it.)

I know the cognate of melamine that goes on floors is considered "green."

Hey, if you want to be perfect, MS has from scratch marshmallows- it's sugar, flavoring, and ? I can't remember- I want to say corn syrup. She sanded some with colored sugar, to make pink flowers. Others she jsut cut up into squares, and floated in hot chocolate.

I have not done this, but it is an ambition.

She is lucky to have a mom who cares so much about her.

ari

So, I was thinking about this today. My DS (6) begged me for a gumball machine from a garage sale the other day. By the time we got it home, I had forgotten about it. I was thinking of putting it in my neighbor's garage sale. Then I remembered with fondness the gumball machine my brother had, and how great that was. We probably only actually had gumballs in it a couple of times, but it was so cool to us.

Maybe I could find some organic gumballs????

Or put something else in it. I know they have Organic Malt Balls, or Organic M&M's... Organic juice sweetened jelly beans are a fav around here.

You dont necessarily have to create the memory you cherished. Just one that your kids will... KWIM?

I bet he will adore it, whatever goes in it. :heart:

Val

Yeah, actually, I was thinking of putting almonds in it when I bought it. Then I thought that since he had forgotten about it, I'd just sell it. But they really will love it.

Here they are with a wonderful salad from my garden (complete with pea flowers, violas, and borage), a half an avacado, a sandwich, some chips, and the funnest goblet ever from a friends birthday party yesterday. They both ate every bite. Believe it or not they eat better when they eat on them. They want to fill up every spot, and so they eat a larger variety. Crazy, but true.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y299/bluerosemama/IMG_6382.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y299/bluerosemama/IMG_6378.jpg

That is beautiful. Forget the kids, I want one for me (goblet included). Does she eat the salad with or without dressing? Is there something sprinkled on that avocado? Sorry for all the questions.

Now I wish I had planted peas, just for the blossoms, LOL. All we have this year are tomatoes and cucumbers. They are growing like crazy!

She eats the salad with raspberry vinagrette... :) She is the only one in the family aside from me that eats this many flowers... the others get one as a token but that is all they eat. On the avo half is Lawrey's Season salt. They just eat it with a spoon.

Isn't that goblet awesome??

Val

I totally agree that there are some things that are forbidden that jsut have to be experienced.
I hate plastic, but I know, with the activity here that sometimes it is a godsend.

There are other things too we allow that aren't especially crunchy, but life is about living. I just want to try and positively live as best as I can. A few desserts, video games, movies or fast food if the need occurs is jsut a part of our culture. Moderation is key for everything.

Umm, yeah,,,,
I have these three children here in ----. They claim they are being held hostage without their real lunches- they claim that really, they get on a bus to ------ for lunch. Really.

Gorgeous. :heart:

ari

My little guys rioted for the dinner on trays, just like in your pictures. I bought them today- they are SOOOO HAPPY.

Although, lordy, what is borage? And really, you can eat pea flowers? and violas? Where on earth did you learn this?

For that matter, I'm eating dinner from littlegirl's lovely lavendar tray- grilled chicken, rice, garden cukes and sauteed eggplant ( cukes and eggplants from the neighbor's garden)

Bwilliant. thimply bwilliant.

ari