Lazy Lunch

When I was young my mother was a stay-at-home mom. She would pack us our lunches every morning. I remember getting "Kerns Necter", bologna sandwiches (that I hated) and sliced apples that were brown by the time I got to them at noon. When JR. High came I was more then SICK of meat sandwiches and begged my mom for something different. Together we came up with putting cheese and salsa on bread, and then heating it up in the microwave. I don't know WHAT I was thinking, but apparently I liked it then.

(side note: why was it ok to leave mayo in a sandwich getting warm and rotten? And why weren't we all sick from it?)

It was a rare treat when we would be able to eat the schools lunch. So seldom in fact it only happened once a year. Our birthday!

On the other hand, Lars would tell you that he had to pack his own lunch. He would get up at 6am when he was in Kindergarten just to do it himself before school. And if he wanted a "meat" sandwich he would have to slap 2 pieces of bread around his own hand and take a bite!! Then walk to school up hill (both ways), in the snow (he grew up in CA), barefooted...yada, yada, yada!

When Sydney started this first year at school, Lars and I discussed how we should deal with the whole school lunch thing. And now that the year is almost over, I can't even tell you what our consensus was. But I do have to admit that I've opted to let "Lunch Lady" provide meals for my kid...more then once.

There were a few times when Keira was first born. Syd's birthday. Twice she asked and I told her sure...IF she wanted to pay for it. Which she promptly scurried up stairs and empty her $$ stash. And there were the 3 days I was gone in CA and Daddy was Mr. Mom.

Well, with the week I've had (synopsis: sick, cough, hack, trip to DR, antibiotics, nasal spray, stomach pain, metallic taste in my mouth...) I was happy to dig up change from the back of Larry's "junk drawer" to provide Syd with a warm lunch. After showing Sydney her lunch consisted of coins in a Ziploc bag she spread a HUGE smile on her face and said:

S- "Did you put in extra for ice cream? Because last time there wasn't. And everyone eats ice cream after lunch."
Me- "Well, I guess Dad can spare another quarter."

Me- "Do you want me to check what the food is for today?"
S- "No, they announce it over the morning announcements. And even if the kids are loud it's ok...I LIKE TO BE SURPRISED!"

(well as long as it's not called "surprise meat")