I really should read the news more (it was one of my resolutions, after all), because I know if I was wondering about things like the Middle East or healthcare, I'd spend less time stressing about Garrett's lunch.  That's right...I've spent way too much time thinking about what to pack in a not-yet-5-year-old's lunch...for preschool.  I lead a narrow and shallow life--it's now official.  Buuuuut, this year he goes 4 days and, if my new math is right, that's 4 lunches a week.

Either the apple does not fall far from the tree, or I indulge G, like I do his father, when it comes to food.  Hot meat.  Every meal. (For the record, I mostly do not cook breakfast or lunch, but still).  No sandwiches. No pasta.  No cheese.  This is fine at home, but not incredibly convenient for a boxed lunch.  In previous years, his teachers have assumed our family is vegetarian---which makes me laugh just to type, because, at our house--beef and bacon reign.   They thought this because I sent things like hummus, nuts, and nut butters as protein sources for lunch.  All mothers know that when your child likes a healthy food, you beat it like a dead horse until they act like they'd sooner eat rat poison that let hummus pass their lips.  Of course, I did it anyway and now I'm out of easy options.

So, as I was lazing by the pool this summer, with a cold drink and a cabana boy fanning me.....what was I saying??? Oh yeah, my plan.  My plan revolves around a thermos to keep foods hot.  For the record, I tried to send a hot dog in foil one time and it did not pass the test.  Chicken nuggets, bagel bites, quesadillas, I'm thinking.  For the last week, I've taken a two pronged approach:  1) test thermos to see if it indeed would keep a dog hot (btw, thermoses seem very retro to me.  i'm like mrs brady)... and 2) get the little dictator to agree to some food he might be willing to eat from said thermos.

Prong 1 is going poorly.  The first three days, I filled the thermos with hot water to warm it up and then forgot to fill it with food later. Day 4, I put some hot eggs in from breakfast, but forgot to check on it until dinner.  It was cold. (i'm like mrs brady, without alice)  I was demoralized and lost motivation for day 5.  Tomorrow is a new day.

Prong 2 went something like this:
me:  "Garrett, what do you think you'll take in your lunch this year."
g:  "nothing.  i'm not going."
pause
g:  "ribs"

"I'll trade you my sandwich for your.....beef tips?? pork chops?? new york strip??"

Great.  Ribs.  Totally convenient.  I'll get right on that.  Except, I guess I should quit worrying about it because he still maintains that he's not going.  Should be a great year:)