Bento Dina's Site Yet?

When God was passing out Domestic Goddess genes, somehow he passed me by. At least, that is how I justify a house that always seems messy, a refrigerator with an organization "system" that means things fall out every time the door is opened, and a den where the mountains of paperwork threaten to avalanche on the next unsuspecting person who so much as breathes near my desk.

I don't know where Dina Lee was standing in that line when God passed out the Martha Stewart gene, but my friend somehow got the ability to create works of art out of lunchtime. I hesitate to call her creations "lunch," because honestly it seems a shame for them to actually be eaten. She takes presentation of food to a whole new, amazing level.

This in addition to starting her own company, Little Fortune Cookie, raising her two adorable children, and substitute teaching on the side.

Why yes, I hate her, too.

But I can't help admiring her for her lunches. Not wanting to waste all that hard work on her kids, Dina started taking pictures of her creations and posting them on our various mom's networking sites. Not to brag, but to show what she'd done before the lunches were devoured. Or maybe to brag. But we moms were so impressed and inspired (in addition to being a litle depressed), that we nagged and needled Dina until she finally relented and started her very own blog site, Misobento.

Apparently there is a whole world out there devoted to making the perfect lunch. I've no idea if it means the children are more apt to eat the food molded into such art, but it sure provides a creative outlet for mom!

As someone who loves cooking, I was even inspired to purchase a low-end bento-type lunchbox. Unfortunately, my son is still firmly rooted in his own eating preferences. Which means I either pack the familiar or have a starved, crazy kid at pickup.

So until Jayden's tastebuds change or Sean starts school, I will take notes and learn as much from Dina as I possibly can!