I can't believe that I'm about to say this but the lunch today is the second emoji lunch I have made. I hate emojis, but I love my kids. In fact, I firmly believe that every time I have to use an emoji on social media, a piece of my soul dies. Is this a little overdramatic? Maybe. Or maybe not. Maybe I'm just Meh about the whole thing.

So a little while back we took our kids to go see The Emoji Movie. My kids were begging to see it and it was pretty much the only kids movie in the theatre at the time. They thought it was hilarious, so now that school is back in session, I thought I would make this lunch to help them smile during their lunch break. This should be proof that the lunches I make them are for their enjoyment! Anyway, if your kids are into The Emoji Movie, then this would be fun to make for them!

If You have Kids in Diapers, This is the Top Parenting Hack of the Summer!

This is a sponsored post in partnership with Pampers. All opinions are my own.

As a parent, I am always looking for tips and hacks to help make my life easier. If you are the same way, I have an awesome new hack for you. This is especially important if you have a child who is still in diapers. My youngest is in Pampers Easy Ups and has also already has seen his share of Pampers Splashers this summer. Did you know that Pampers has had a rewards program for quite awhile? Yeah, that's what I thought, many people didn't even know it existed!

How to Make a Solar Eclipse Lunch

If your family is obsessed with the 2017 total solar eclipse like almost every other family, then this will be a fun idea for your child's school lunch! My kids are going to be watching the eclipse at school with their classmates, which they are super excited about. Don't worry, the school is providing eclipse glasses for them. However, before they get to view this unique event they get to devour this special lunch! Learn how to make it below!

Make a PackIt Back to School Sandwich Monster Lunch!

This is a sponsored post in partnership with PackIt. All opinions are my own.

It's back to school time which means it is time to start making lunches for your kids again. It seems like every school year you start out with good intentions, but then life hits, and you forget all about those plans you had. I know, I've been there. Well hopefully I can help you to start out the year with a little bit more fun in your kids' lunchboxes. In my family, just making one fun lunch a week for my kids helps them to look forward to Mondays at school and it helps bring us closer together. So today I want to help you to make a Back to School Sandwich Monster Lunch in a PackIt bento box and freezable lunch bag.

A post shared by Beau Coffron (@lunchboxdad) on Aug 9, 2017 at 8:15am PDT

I really like PackIt bags because they remove the need for extra ice packs. You just pop the bag in the freezer overnight and the built-in freezable gel will keep food cool for hours! By morning the walls of the bag will be completely frozen and ready to chill your kid's lunch, just like a fridge. It is super convenient. Their new line of bento boxes also helps make it easy to pack healthy meals for your family. So if your little monsters are ready for school (and you are as well), why not make the beginning of the year a little more fun by building this sandwich monster lunch for them? Here is how to do it!

3 Steps to Cleaning the House Before Your Wife and Kids Get Home

This is a sponsored post in partnership with Swiffer. All opinions are my own.

Most dads and husbands have been there at one point or another. Your wife and kids are gone for a night or maybe even the entire weekend. It doesn't happen often, but when it does there's no following your kids around cleaning up toys, you don't have to watch the same cartoon on repeat (unless you want to), and you certainly don't have to share your ice cream. When this weekend happens it's basically going to be like you're living the bachelor life all over again, except that you will fall asleep on the couch by 9 pm and your dinner will probably consist of feasting on your kid's animal shaped fruit snacks.

One thing is for sure. There most likely won't be much cleaning going on during your temporary bachelor extravaganza. It's fun while it lasts, but your wife and kids will be home soon. That means you're going to have clean up the evidence of your crazy/lazy weekend before your family returns. There's no way you want your wife to see the pile of laundry that has accumulated and you absolutely don't want your kids to spy the wrappers from all of their snacks that you've consumed. Here is how to escape your certain doom.

1. Scrape off the top layer of mess

You know that heaping pile of clothes that lies at the foot of your bed? Throw that in the washing machine. Nothing will give away the secrets of your lazy weekend quicker than laundry that isn't done. Also, load the dishwasher and run it. I know you think about getting to the dishes every time you pass by them to get your ice cream, but this is zero hour. Plus, doing this during the first step gives you a fighting chance at finding time to put the dishes away later.

2. Hide the evidence

When the clock is ticking, your talent for hiding things is just as important as your talent at cleaning things. Whisk away all the fast food wrappers and then take out the garbage. There is little chance the outside garbage bins will be searched. For the random items that you have no idea where they go, just stick them under the bed in your kid's room. Eventually the kids will get blamed for it and you're off the hook.

3. Fake the deep clean

This is where you take it up a notch and blow your wife's mind. She won't expect that this is coming and you'll win bonus points to cash in later. Use your Swiffer Sweeper to get the floors so clean you can eat off them. Ok seriously don't do that. If you're hungry you have clean dishes now, remember? Even if you're down to only thirty minutes, it's totally fine. Run that Sweeper over your hardwood floors and they will be ready to walk on just in time! Lastly, if you really want to advance to next husband level, bust out that Swiffer Duster and wipe down the blinds, end table, and baseboards.

My guess is you will get done right before your family walks in the door and throws their bags down on your sparkling clean floor. It will also be right before you get that shocked look from your wife, which then turns into that other look. You know the one I'm talking about. So enjoy that time after your family arrives home. The best part about it? Instead of spending the majority of the next day cleaning you get to spend that time with your family that you've missed so much!

3 Ideas to Get Your Kids Out of the House and Burning Energy This Summer

This is a sponsored post in partnership with Stride Rite. All opinions are my own. 

Summertime causes numerous reactions among parents. Sometimes it's relief that school is over, sometimes it's terror, other times it's just sheer exhaustion at the very thought of summer vacation. No matter what reaction you had when your child burst through the doors of their school for the last time this school year, one thing is for sure. If you don't get your kids outside for awhile, your house won't be standing for another week.

Don't worry we've got you covered with some fun ideas. All you need to do is grab sunscreen for your kids, tasty snacks, water bottle, some comfortable shoes like Stride Rite Leepz, and get buckled up in the car for some fun!

1. Do a local playground crawl.
This will take a little planning but the idea is that you create a route to hit 3-5 local playgrounds in a row. Start in the morning when the weather is cool and spend about 20 minutes at each playground. Set a timer and when it reaches zero, everyone races to the car and then you hit the next stop on the tour. This way the kids get plenty of exercise and they don't get bored being at one place for too long. You can always cut the crawl short if the kids (or you) are getting tired.

2. Head to the local museums.
Most cities have science or history museums that sell memberships, season passes, or even have free days. We use these passes to the fullest extent. These places seriously don't make much money off of us because we are hauling our family there so much. One of our favorites is the Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. They have indoor exhibits, kids areas, and outdoor trails. Many museums also have special events throughout the summer. Make a note of the dates that will work with the age level of your kids.

3. Nighttime Race down the block. 
Everything is more fun when it's almost dark out, right? We have our kids strap on their Stride Rite Leepz because they light up with every step. It's not just a walk around the block, it's a nighttime race with flashing lights! Not only does this make it easier to get them excited about running around, the obvious benefit is that it helps them get rid of that last bit of energy before bedtime. It's a win-win.

I hope you have a fantastic summer and that your house is still standing by the end of it! Let me know which of the above tips that you try and what ideas of your own work like magic. To pick up a pair of Stride Rite Leepz, just head on over to www.striderite.com! They have great features like lighting up with every step, fixed laces so you never have to retie them, memory foam insole for comfort, and high rebound insoles.

#fatherhood

The Allowance Hack That All Our Friends Ask Us About

This is a sponsored post in partnership with Swiffer. All opinions are my own.

I am convinced that 86.7% of parental headaches are due in large part to thinking about how to navigate topics like allowances and chores. That is, at least until your kids are old enough to drive and start dating. But we found a system that works for us, and it might be the top parent hack that our friends always want to hear more about.