Punching Out and Kissing Up
Have you ever taken Nyquil? I don’t know why anesthetic is necessary for surgery. This stuff won’t just help you get your Zs, it will walk past an armed guard, shoving babies and old ladies out of the way, and boldly snatch those Zs from a laser protected pedestal and bring them to you and cram them down your throat. I was in bed by 9:45 last night for the first time since I was twelve and wore a size 34 A bra. I’m thirty-one and wear a size…
Oh.
Poor Pea Daddy was woken up at least eight times by Lulu coughing and Gigi shouting that she lost her pillow. Had I been even remotely conscious, I would’ve helped out, but instead I having a nightmare about John Mayer giving me a tattoo. Yeee. To say I owe Pea Daddy is to say Bruce Jenner has had a little work done.
I slept through my alarm, skipped my workout and made every attempt to punch out my cold this morning with the most spinach to ever be stuffed into a smoothie.
- ~3 c. spinach
- 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
- ice
- almond milk
- stevia
- frozen peaches
- frozen mango
This was fantastic! I really did feel energized afterwards too.
Lulu, on the other hand, was showing the effects of sick and drugged parents.
Mismatched clothing? Unkempt hair? Shoveling in carbs? Check, check and check.
When we returned from preschool carpooling, I decided to let the girls have a little fun with their lunch. My friend Deb gave me some of these Lunch Punches that her sister-in-law distributes.
Essentially they are special “cookie cutters” made specifically for cutting into your kids’ sandwiches. Gigi chose a butterfly…
…and a veggie sandwich,
whereas Lulu chose PB&J…
…and some dolphins.
I almost wished we ate tuna fish for a second for the sheer irony of having a dolphin-shaped tuna sandwich (what kind of vegan am I to say such a thing?) !
Any fear I had that my kids wouldn’t eat their crusts was easily dismissed.
The Lunch Punches cut through the bread more easily than regular cookie cutters because the sides are taller and specifically made for kid bribery.
They should make baseball, (root) beer and Blazer logo shaped Lunch Punches for Pea Daddy.
After we had punched everything humanly possible (playdoh, carpet, playdoh stuck in the carpet) and non-humanly possible (little sister’s faces, cat food, cats), I told my inner Kate Gosselin to “suck it” even more by taking on the messiest way to suck up to Pea Daddy for his caretaking last night. Keep it clean, Mama Pea…
We did NOT keep it clean.
We made Frozen Chocolate Covered Bananas!
It is the simplest dessert ever and just so happens to be Pea Daddy’s favorite, with bananas,
melted chocolate,
and peanuts.
You simply peel and slice your bananas, dip them in chocolate,
transfer to wax paper,
sprinkle with nuts
and freeze.
If you want it to feel like you are doing it at my house, sing eight verses of “Banana Phone,”
and ask 27 times if you get to eat the leftover chocolate.
The answer to that question is obvious.
Sometimes I am quite proud of myself for not being THAT mom.
After cleanup, I’m thinking I might need another dose of Nyquil tonight…or at least a Nyquil shaped sandwich.
Your house would have been so much fun to grow up in. I think I need more cookie cutters in my life. Would that even work for oatmeal? Probably not, but I’d give it a shot
Oy, the side effect of Nyquill are deadly! Knocks. Me. Out!
Aww, kudos to Daddy Pea for taking charge of the little peas. What a guy!
But I wouldn’t be surprised if he asks you to feed him one of those chocolate bananas tonight. Bow Chica Wow Wow! 
This post is so amazing in so many ways. I knew I was more like Lulu than Gigi! I would have picked the dolphins and the PB&J too
. I bet she grows up to love math too, just like me hahahaha!
And of course Gigi had the butterfly! I love those punch outs!
PB freezes bananas all the time for banana soft serve, but I bet he would love chocolate/peanut covered ones even more! Thanks for sharing!!!!
How about just a banana dipped in nyquil? Mmmm nutritious and delicious!
I wanted to buy one of those sandwich things for myself when I saw them.
Any recommendations for a green-smoothie virgin’s first spinach concoction? I’ve tried many bloggie delights but embarrassingly enough I’ve been afraid to crack into a green monster.
You have the best ideas for your girls! You’re such a wonderful mom–with and without nyquil!
Tonight is definitely a Nyquil night over here… the dumb cootie-filled middle schoolers have given me a bug, and I’m bound and determined to sleep it off. I remember making chocolate covered bananas when I was little… I froze them near my mom’s popsicles, and since she’s allergic to bananas, I managed to make her throat close up with the banana fumes… go me
NyQuil wakes me up every hour on the hour all night long!
Our sandwich cutter collection includes a star, butterfly, hearts and dinosaurs. Rawr!
Such a creative treat! I love how fun everything you make is, yet still healthy!
OMG. My mom dresses like LULU. I’ll post pics next time I visit her. It’s the “asian thanggg”. BTW sabra costco style=I likey I likey alot.
I agree with Evan, your girls are so lucky to have such a fun momma. They’ll be thanking you for their awesome digestive systems once they get a bit older
Loving the chocolate covered bananas…I always get them when my BF and I go to ice cream over the summer, and he always makes lewd jokes as I eat it. Nice.
Your girls are too cute. I miss the days when it didn’t matter if you had chocolate all over your face
Awww, cute! Is it sad that I totally want those cutters for my own sandwiches?
Um, yeah, Nyquil KNOCKS me out…like, for days! And it makes me say really funny things, which my husband always likes.
What a fun idea for the kids! Luckily, yours still eat the crusts but it definitely might entice some picky eaters to have a nutritious sandwich.
I just got that same kind of hummus last week. Soo yummy!
Sounds like a fun afternoon! Sandwiches are so much better in fun shapes! Chocolate frozen bananas…yum! Glad you got a little rest with the Nyquil.
That is one GREEN smoothie! Looks tasty! I’ve taken Nyquil and it never does anything for me!!
Nyquil does crazy things to me!! How cute are those cookie cutters? Love them.
Lulu and I should exchange some stylin’ tips… I’m pretty sure I have those leggings.
i totally knew the chocolate covered faces were coming! awesome!!
when cody had the swine he swore that nyquil made him sleepwalk, fall off the end of his bed and he woke up singing… SIGN ME UP!
I have a great cold fighter – garlic, lemon juice, honey, water, ginger, onion, cayenne. It smells horrible but tastes great. I’ll shoot you the recipe when I’m not so wiped. I totally flubbed my Sustainable Business assignment tonight – it’s supposed to be about the process but I still feel like an idiot. Maybe sleep will help. For us both.
Nice bananas.
Omg. Sandwich “cookie” cutters. That is way too adorable!!!!!!
And holy cow–those chocolate-covered bananas look divineee!!
You seriously deserve the “best mom” award. Seriously.
Love that Lulu picture! My Ella dresses like that most days, only she wears about three layers worth of mismatched clothing instead of just one.
Chocolate dipped bananas covered in peanuts? Yum! That sounds like a must-try to me.
I need must get one of those sandwich cutters. Cutest. Things. Ever. Eating a sandwich in the shape of something other than a sandwich would make lunch so much more fun.
I wish I had that problem with NyQuil. That stuff keeps me up! I am better off taking an OTC sleep aid than I am taking NyQuil. That does the trick like nothing else.
I took Nyquil once and HAted it! It gave me the worst dreams, ever. It also made me wake up numerous time in a cold sweat. [not from the cold I had!] One time I had to take flexerol [a muscle relaxer] and that was THEE worst thing ever. I slept for 14hrs and was a complete biznatch for 24-36hrs. It was like I was posessed! I hope when I have kids..if I have kids..that they gobble up delicious foods like your cuties do! I think I want those sandwich cutters!!! The chocolate faces are completely precious. Hope daddy pea like his treat!
Man, Pea Daddy sure is a swell guy!
Love the sandwich punchers, love the chocolate-covered grins.
Nothing like a nyquil knockout! Hope you are feeling better
Oooh, NyQuil sounds so appealing to my insomniac ways as of late. But I hate taking meds, especially when I don’t really need them. But sore throat+cough+runny nose totally calls for it.
I’m loving these chocolate pictures. I hope the girls enjoy them when they are in their teens. Oh! And the last ballet picture in the previous post, with Gigi just beaming at th camera….pure joy. Absolutely darling.
Have a lovely Thursday, MamaPea! Hope you’re feeling a hair better! xoxox
I love that your kids ate the crusts! You must be doing something right, eh? Seriously, I really hope that when I have kids they are as good of eaters (enthusiastic, healthy, non-picky) as yours!
We sing a lot of banana song too. The frozen chocolate covered bananas look sooo delicious!
What kind of protein powder do you use? I was obsessed with EDBV’s Green Smoothie recipe until I added Sun Warrior Brown Rice protein powder
yuck!!! now I’m completed turned off brown rice protein powder – it totally changed the taste of my ultra smoothie.
TIA!
Hi Sarah, I have three types of protein powder at my house: a generic vanilla soy that I got out of the bulk bins, Jay Robb Chocolate Rice, and Living Harvest Vanilla Spice Hemp. I try to alternate between the three so that I get a variety of protein sources. The hemp is probably my least favorite, and though I’m not a huge anti-soy advocate, I sparingly use the soy protein.
Those choco bananas are Brillz! I’m so happy to see a not THAT Mom out there. Too many of them, if you ask me.
what a great treat for dessert!! im going to try those babyboy bananas out on my husband!
your kiddos are just so adoreable- you’ve done such a great job, raising them to eat so healthy each and everyday!
ive seen my husband glance over at my screen a few times when reading your blog and he’s offered , a ” those girls are so adoreable!” more than a few times, along with, ” you see! kids can be taught to eat more than french fries!” good job!
OMGosh-that post had me laughing out loud~and that takes a lot!
Please adopt me so I can eat dolphin shaped sandwiches.
Oh Nyquil, how you numb thy pain!
I hear ya on the Nyquil- it about puts me in a coma when I take it. Crazy stuff! ha
I’ve got to get my hands on some of those adorable sammie cutters! Too cute!
YUMMM i want fun shaped sandwiches! I hope u get some sleep mama, although something about that chocolate fest tells me you might not ;D WOOOOT woot we play the blazers tomorrow! (I mean i get a few min of playtime if u didn’t know) It’s goinnnn down!
I’m glad you got some decent sleep though! And hello Pop-eye with that spinach, you are gonna knock someone out with those pipes!
Meds tend to have the opposite desired effect with me. It’s so lovely (sarcasm). I can’t take Nyquil, not even a little bit or I will be bouncing off the walls for a day at least with a heart rate pounding to beat the band. DayQuil? Not a problem. I am just effed.
Chocolate covered bananas always remind me of waiting in lines at Disneyland
Never thought to make them at home though…genius!
Hope the Pea family recovers from the coughs and colds quickly! <3
No Way! Those sandwich cutters are sweet… My mom never let me lick the spoon/bowl half as much as she let my sister! I still secretly hold that against her
Looks like your kids are enjoying every bit of baking with you though!
Apparently, TheraFlu is the way to go. I haven’t tried it myself but they say it’s way better than Nyquil because you wake up feeling more refreshed and it doesn’t give you that groggy, sleep for 8 hours feeling.
Chocolate covered bananas sound amazing. I think I’d go with the dark chocolate and maybe some almond slivers. Yum.
I might need to make those bananas for dessert some time soon.
Dude I want a butterfly shaped veggie sandwich!
Chocolate covered frozen bananas is my favorite dessert too. LOVE IT!
So, do frozen bananas help to heal strained subscapulari? If so, I know what’s on the Gena dessert menu tonight.
And if not, I still know what’s on the Gena dessert menu tonight.
Pretty sure my niece wouldn’t know what to do with a sandwich that’s NOT shaped like a star. I think your cutters maximize actual sandwich space though. When I steal Clara’s crusts, I end up eating half her sandwich!
I once read that the dosage for OTC drugs is for a 170lb man. Nyquil knocks me out cold as well and I think that’s why!
Cookie cutters for kids sandwiches….or 22 year olds…same thing.
i really want a dolphin shaped tuna sandwich!
I just found your blog (via Food Makes Fun Fuel) and I totally hooked! You are so real and charming! I love it!! Can’t wait to keep reading…your family is adorable!
Lulu and Gigi have the coolest Mom EVER! What kind of chocolate did you use to make the bananas? and those sandwiches were COOL! Wish I had those when I was a kid…many eons ago…
We use the Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips!
Yummy yummy! First time commenting and I love the blog. Can’t wait for the book! What kind of chocolate do you use for the sauce?
I just melt down the Trader’s Joe Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (which happen to be vegan). Thanks for reading.
Thanks! It’s a great resource