Bento Prodigy

Last night my daughter BEGGED me to let her make her own bento lunch for today. I usually do something special on Fridays, but I was a little stressed out last night so I was all for her making her lunch. I got the ingredients out for her and helped put peanut butter on the bread, but she did the jelly on the other piece of bread and everything else. Seriously! She's 5 and she did a darned good job!

9/30: Dori's Bento- Butterfly PB&J, edamame, pieces of cheese, yogurt raisins in yellow striped container, blueberries in chick container, red rice flower, koala cookies. She used edible markers to decorate the butterfly, cheese, & flower and adorned the bento with a mini bow & plastic flower.
Posted at Allergy-Free Vintage Cookery

I had planned an Illini Homecoming themed bento, but I will be making I sugar cookies today instead.

Check out the new meme at Bento Blog Network. If you bento you should participate!

It's Hip to be Square Bento

9/29: It's Hip to be Square- Cheese Ravioli w/ nori faces & hats/bow picks, edamame, blueberries, squares of co-jack cheese, and rainbow leather candy cut in squares
Posted at Allergy-Free Vintage Cookery

Elmo Bento

9/28: Elmo Loves You- Red rice face w/ tortilla & nori eyes, cheese nose, and nori mouth, thinly sliced hot dog, & Elmo <3 You out of Provolone painted red. More lunch in another container. This container is a to-go container left over from a burger w/ no bun from BK.


 

Mom of Two Teens

My son turned 13 today. Yup...he shares an exact birthday with Google!

I took him to Steak-n-Shake this evening for a bday shake. I asked for extra cherries because it was his birthday. The cup came with a birthday greeting written on it! It made him VERY happy! (He was already quite happy because we were out spending his birthday money on toys!) I now am the mom of two teenagers!

In honor of her brother's birthday, my daughter got a bento with his name on it.

9/27: Parker's Birthday- PB&J sammich w/ Parker spelled in cheese, red rice hearts, blueberries, edamame, trail mix, & fruit snacks

Quick & Lazy

9/26: Fishy- PB&J goldfish sammich, edamame, canteloupe, goldfish crackers, & shark fruit snacks Cue: The Lazy Song (Yes, I've done this theme before and will do it again...especially on a Monday morning when my brain isn't functional yet!)

Bento Supplies for Sale!

I've made several purchases of bento supplies from Japan and other places and am selling off duplicates and extras. Check the items out HERE.

Have a great day!

Soccer Bento

My daughter has soccer tonight, which was my inspiration for today's bento.

9/23: Soccer- PB&J (thin) bagel w/ Provolone soccer ball on top, cantaloupe, mini Oreos, edamame (in blue cup/divider turned on it's side) w/ letters SOCCER out of sour rainbow candy leather on top.

Apple Orchard Field Trip Bento

Today I chaperoned my daughter's class trip to the local apple orchard. We had to back a lunch for both of us, so I filled our new Lock & Lock boxes with various apple themed items.

9/22: Apple Orchard-Box 1: carrots w/ apple pick, hard boiled eggs (regular half'd & quail...were supposed to be dyed green to be green apples, but they turned out blue so I put the cheese apple on top), apple sammiches (pnut btter, raisins, choc chips) Box 2: salad w/ tomatoes cut to be apples w/ almond stem & pick leaves Box 3: fruit snack, PB&J sammich w/ cheese apple (Provolone colored w/ food coloring), edamame, Babybel apple, and cantaloupe w/ apple pick

Don't forget to enter my Bento Supply Giveaway posted below!

Rant & Rave

The updates to Facebook are BAD! Everyone is up in arms over it. Normally I find good in each change, but this new top stories and such is yuck!!!!!!! So many people are complaining, so I hope FB listens!!!

Now for something GOOD! Here is Saturday night's halftime show that I found posted on YouTube. We enjoyed the Legends of Rock Show quite a bit. My son is performing somewhere in the video, but I can't ID him!

Chicks Bento

Yesterday I sent a hard boiled quail egg in my daughter's lunch and she *LOVED* it. She told me that she wanted 3 chick quail eggs today (she came up with the theme), but I settled on 2 eggs + a mama sandwich.

9/21: Chicks- PB&J sammich w/ cheese on top (momma bird), hard boiled quail egg chicks, edamame, cantelope
Don't forget to enter my bento supply giveaway here.

Transportation Bento Giveaway CLOSED

It's time for my first giveaway of the fall and it's something from ME! For those of you who follow my blog regularly, you know that I got a box of bento supplies from Japan last week. Two of the things I got had a transportation theme~ picks & a cutter.

I did open these items and I took out 1/2 the of the duplicate picks. I am giving away the other 5 picks and the bread cutter as pictured below. The picks are 1.3" long and include a bullet train, airplane, train, fire engine and patrol car. The bread cutter is 4.14" x 4" and will can cut out a patrol car, ship, truck and train. I tested out the cutter today and it made cute little sandwiches. You can see the bento I created with them in the previous post.

These bento supplies will be given away to one of my lucky readers. This giveaway will run through 11:59pm CST on Monday, September 26th. The winner will be chosen via random.org and notified on September 27th and will have 48 hours to contact me.



Entry Rules

• You must do the mandatory entry
• Leave your email address with your mandatory entry if it's not available in your profile
• Each entry needs to be a separate comment (remember to do multiple comments on those indicated as multiple entries!)
  
• US addresses only

Mandatory Entry

• Become a public follower via Google Friend Connect of the brand new Bento Blog Network, a new site that I just created. Go to that site to follow, but come back here and leave a comment saying you did so.

Additional Entries

• 3 entries for becoming an email subscriber of Bento Blog Network. Subscription link on sidebar. Make sure you verify the subscription.
• 2 entries for posting one of the Bento Blog Network buttons on the sidebar of your blog.
• 1 entry for being a public follower of Diana Rambles (this blog) via Google Friend Connect.
• 2 entries for subscribing to my Diana Rambles (this blog) Feedburner. Make sure you verify the subscription.
• 1 entry for being a public follower of my Custom Blog Designs blog via Google Friend connect.
• 2 entries for subscribing to my Custom Blog Designs Feedburner. Make sure you verify the subscription. Find is near the top of my left sidebar at Custom Blog Designs.
• 1 entry for following me via Twitter @FreeStyleMama.
  
• 1 entry (up to 10 each day...must be at least 2 hours apart) for tweeting about this giveaway on Twitter. Feel free to copy the following~ Enter to #win #Bento Lunch Supplies from Diana Rambles #giveaway #contest ends Sept 26th @FreeStyleMama http://tinyurl.com/DRbento1 Please leave the link to your tweet in the comment. (You get the tweet link by clicking on the '4 mins ago' time)
  

That is a bunch of entry possibilities. The more times you enter, the better chance you have of winning I will publish each comment when the entry has been verified. **MAKE sure you follow the rules or the entry will be DQ'd!!**

Transportation Bento

9/20: Transportation- 3 mini vehicle sammiches w/ edible marker detailing, hard boiled quail egg girl driving truck, cantaloupe  almonds, Boston Baked Beans (she didn't eat these!), mini Oreos (halfed), edamame, transportation picks. When I picked my daughter up from school I found out that a fire truck & fire fighters visited the school today. I guess I created the right bento! Giveaway posted here!

Simple Kitty Bento

I had bigger plans for today's bento, but it was cool & overcast this morning and my daughter didn't want to get out of bed after our very busy weekend! I had to use my time to get her up and dressed!

9/19: Kitty Cat- Kitty PB&J sammich (decorated with bologna & nori), cantaloupe w/ kitty pick, edamame, & yogurt raisins (in container)
Bento Supply Giveaway posted here!

Design Block

I have attempted to makeover this blog 3 times. I've picked out 3 different digital kits and started to put together a new design with each. Nothing has moved me. I'm looking around for yet another digital kit to try out...and NOTHING is appealing to me. I've tried orange & blue, bright retro, and bold floral. Ick, ick, ick! I plan on adding some more photos to my header, which is a change...but I wonder if I need more of a change. Possibly a new blog template all together. I want to get these changes in place so that I can start up giveaways again. I have a bento giveaway (from me) ready to begin and two 18" doll clothing/accessory giveaways in the works. So I need to get a move on and try to break through this designers block!!!!

Time to go!!

Super excited about tonight's game. It's a GORGEOUS day in Illinois and the game down in Champaign tonight should be no exception. My childhood team is playing our current team. The point spread is too close to call, which should make for a GREAT game. I'm wearing my ASU hat with my Marching Illini shirt. The Marching Illini play the visiting team's fight song, which I will stand up and clap for (and hopefully not get boo'd...lol!) It will remind me of all the fun we had at the 1987 Rose Bowl (where newcomers ASU beat Michigan) and games growing up. Bummed that my dad's & uncle's (who graduated from Illinois in 1948) health is not good enough to travel to the game, but hopefully they will be watching the game on TV in AZ. It will be SUPER late by the time we get home, but it will be FUN!!!!

ASU vs. UI Bento

I try to do a special bento on Fridays that usually requires more prep. Today's bento was inspired by my childhood football team (Arizona State) here in IL to play University of Illinois tomorrow. I printed out mini banners that were attached to toothpicks and covered with packing tape. Football shaped jam sammich is surrounded by strawberries & edamame decorated with carrot notes + colorful music picks. The music notes represent my son who is a member of the Marching Illini, which is why we go to the games!

I will be wearing my ASU hat along with my Marching Illini mom shirt. Seems like divided loyalty, but I'll be rooting for the band. LOL! I actually think that ASU is going to win, but am hopeful that Illinois pulls off an upset!

I have decided to have a bento supply giveaway soon. I just need to get the blog redesigned first. Busy weekend ahead, so I am unsure WHEN I'll get those together!
Update: Giveaway posted here!

Twisty Pasta Bento

9/15: Twisty Pasta Tree- Veggie Twisty Pasta w/ sprinkled Parmesan on a celery trunk, strawberries, edamame grass w/ rainbow Nerds flowers.
Update: Giveaway posted here!

Butterfly Bento

I got all those great new supplies yesterday and didn't use them because my daughter requested butterfly! Those cookie cutters/dough cutters from her Playdo bucket are really coming in handy!

9/14: Butterfly- PB&J Butterfly decorated with flower carrots & fruit snack pieces, green beans, strawberries, and the rest of the fruit snacks

Great Bento Day!

This morning started out with a Duck & Berry Bento for my daughter.

Strawberry jam on wheat sammich w/ American cheese ducks, strawberries, edamame, almonds, strawberry yogurt raisins, + strawberry yogurt drink (not pictured)

Then I went to the PO and picked up 2 packages that arrived from Japan via Ebay. Look at all this awesome stuff! I plan on selling off duplicate picks, as I only need one of each type! I have 2 containers to sell too!

Then I spend some time this afternoon cleaning out a cabinet in our kitchen to store all our bento supplies. They've been cluttering up the counter and now they have a home...including the lunch boxes. I also cleaned out a cabinet in our dining room to store the baking supplies that used to be in the kitchen cabinet. There is room at the bottom of the cabinet for some craft supplies for my daughter. She always seems to have stuff spread out on the table and counter. I now have my (paper) scrapbook supplies out on my counter to be shifted to a closet downstairs. They are heavy so I will have to get help from DH this evening. I've got some small piles on the dining room table to organize, but overall I am very happy with what I accomplished!

Buses & Bentos

Yesterday was my daughter's turn to bring snack to Kindergarten. When I've helped out at the school several of the kids have asked when I was going to make a fun lunch for them, so I decided they needed a fun snack. Since they've been talking about shapes I found this hands-on snack that was perfect!

I spread whipped cream cheese (that I colored with yellow food coloring) on a cracker and put it on a mini paper plate along with a few piece of Chex cereal and 2 mini Oreos. The kids got to put on the windows & wheels and then they gobbled it all up. I didn't think that all would like the cream cheese, but no one batted an eye at it. We ended snack with singing The Wheels on the Bus.

After school my daughter asked to play with Play-Do and she created this cute bento!

Harvest Moon Festival Bento

I got the idea for this bento from Bobo.

9/12: Autumn Moon Festival- Moon Cake- Round sammich with jam on the inside and pnut butter on outside with a design on it, edamame, strawberries, large Provolone moon with bologna "jade" rabbit.

My new favorite snack idea from this blog (music!). It's thick sliced apple, pnut butter, choc chips, & raisins. We had friends over to watch the Bears game yesterday and I ended up cutting up all 6 apples I had on hand to make these. (some without raisins!) You can get 2 out of each apple. I am picking up sugar free choc chips today so that I can make a lower carb version!

New Look Coming Soon!

I am getting very tired of this summer theme...hot weather seems to be a thing of the past and we are deep into school & extracurricular activities...so it's time for a change. I tried to come up with an orange & blue design (Illini colors) last weekend but it just wasn't coming together. I've picked out a digital kit that I like and I hope to update this look of this blog soon. I also plan on doing some features/giveaways of 18" doll related clothes & accessories!

Nyan Cat Bento

You all know what Nyan Cat is, right? It's a flying cat made of a poptart that poops rainbows.

Well that is the theme of today's bento. I made a 2nd one of just the cat for my son too.

homemade PB&J uncrustable w/ pink icing & sprinkles for body of cat, Provolone head, legs, & tail (supposed to be grey, but turned out black), sour rainbow Extreme candy, cantaloupe stars, edamame, & strawberries

Goldfish Bento

Pepperidge Farms Goldfish shaped bread with Pnut Bttr & Strawberry, seastar cantaloupe w/ seastar pick, goldfish crackers, edamame, strawberry yogurt raisins

Wanna start making your own bento lunches? Then sign up for this great giveaway for bento supplies from BentoMonsters!  http://bentomonsters.blogspot.com/2011/09/giveaway.html

Kai Lan Bento

Pnut Bttr & Strawberry jam sammich w/ nori hair sprinkle stars for bows and cheese & nori for Kai Lan's eyes, edamame, grapes cut in 1/2, Kai Lan fruit snack, and cheese hearts w/ Chinese character for Friend. I got the idea of doing a Chinese character because my daughter has Mandarin class at school today!

Tuesday Bento

The honeymoon period for Kindergarten seems to be over. I have to say I am happy that my daughter isn't coming in and waking us up every morning at 6:30 asking if it's time for school, but it's starting to get to the point where she wants to lay in bed til the last minute. You'd think she's a teen! LOL!

Anyway, this morning she asked me what her bento was for the day and I said it's kind of flowery. She told me that I already did one like that. Oh my, I have totally shot myself in the foot with raising the bar. I explained that they won't always be different and that we will use some of the same ideas over and over. Here it is~

Pnut Bttr & Strawberry jam sammich topped w/ fruit leather flowers, edamame, flower shaped cheese cut outs, blueberries, peach ring (supposed to be a flower) w/ container of strawberry yogurt raisins for the middle of the flower. The rest of the week should have my daughter more excited!

Weekend Recap

I have to say that this weekend seemed super long because it started out HOTTER THAN HOT and ended CHILLY!

Friday night my daughter started soccer. Even though the heat index was over 100, she was all smiles as she ran around out there with all the other Kindergarteners. She had a few friends from pre-school and a few from her class now playing. Here is a pic of her tagging someone during a drill.

I was cowering under an umbrella and some parent came and sat in my shade. LOL!

The football game was SOOOO hot on Saturday! The temp measured 128 degrees down on the field. This is probably one of the hottest games ever at Memorial Stadium and there were lines of people needing first aid. The crowds were way down with the heat and we were allowed to move down to seats in the shade. We were under the overhang and couldn't see the jumbo-tron. The camera zoomed in on a few of the sousaphones in the stands and he saw himself on TV. He was made the telecast on Big 10 Network, but we didn't see it at all. We just had people say they saw him when the camera zoomed in. Pretty cool for your first game as a freshman. The camera LOVES sousaphones, so I predict he will get on camera again. Here are a few of my fav pics from the day.

Even though it was super hot, we had so much pride seeing our son in the band and meeting other band parents. By the time we got home on Saturday night we just crashed! Next week's game is at 11am, so that makes for a super early wake-up!

The cold front moved through after the game and the rest of the weekend was quite delightful. We laid low on Sunday and rested up. My sis & her family came to dinner. This morning we met up with family & friends at the local Labor Day parade and the kiddos had a lot of fun gathering candy. We had long pants & coats on, which was a far cry from Saturday! We were chilly as we walked the dog this evening. Lows are supposed to be in the 40s tonight. Seems like autumn is here, so no wonder the weekend seemed so long!

I must go rest up because Tuesday starts a busy week!! Hope you had a restful weekend!

Today's the Day!

We've looked forward to this day for a LONG time! Today my son makes his debut in the University of Illinois Marching Illini. We are so excited to be part of the fun and to see him perform in such a prestigious band. We have been rewarded with 2 season tickets, so we will be making the trek to Memorial Stadium in Champaign to enjoy the day. (Well as much as you can enjoy when the temperature is 97 degrees and you burn to a crisp quite easily!) Here is his band portrait that was taken last week. Needless to say, we will be purchasing a large print.

Jolesch Photography

Isn't he a good looking kid? You'll probably be hearing me brag on him all season long...and probably posting more photos. In fact, you will probably get sick of me posting about it. I know my FB friends are! LOL! If the Illini make it to a bowl game, we plan on following along. So all I can say is ILL-INI!!

And if you aren't convinced I am proud, check out my new custom Marching ILLINI Mom polo I had made. DH got Dad polos. We wore our orange ones yesterday and will wear our white ones to the game today. I had a few adorable outfits for my daughter created too that I will share during the season.