- Birthday Party in a Box -

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Complete with Mini Popup "Happy Birthday"  Banner, 3D Origami Star Messages in Balloons, and everything else you would expect at a Birthday party!

     My Husbands Birthday is on December 6th. He didn't want or even request anything special for his Birthday, so I had to make this care package more special than usual. I swear he does things like this to challenge me.... That's OK though, I was able to save some extra money and can now splurge on his Christmas care package! So, this care package is more decorative vs filled with goodies.

     Birthday's are a big thing for my Husband...its so odd. He could care less about doing something special for me fon Valentines Day, Christmas, and Anniversaries. But for my Birthday he goes aaallll out with surprises, dinners, gifts, party, etc. I usually try to return the favor on his Birthday. So, I wanted to TRY and provide him everything he would need for a Birthday Party of his own on the Ship. Obviously, I can't send him specific things overseas, so I came up with alternatives - they are listed in the parenthesis. Here is what I included in the care package: 

Almost everything was found at the 99cent store!!!

• "Party Animal" Friends (Animal Crackers)
• Decorations (Popup banner attached to the box flaps. So, when he opens the box, it displays and loose confetti in the box)
• Balloons (Water balloons I blew up, wrote love notes on pieces of paper and fold them into 3D origami stars, and put them inside each balloon. He'll have to pop them to retrieve the notes)
• Birthday Cake (Red-velvet cake baked in a Mason Jar complete with frosting and sprinkles, on the side)
• Party Snacks (Chips, canned Frito bean dip, spicy corn nuts and a plastic cupcake container filled with Jelly Belly - jelly beans)
• Celebration Drink (Mini bottle of Martinelli's)
• Energy to party "all night long" (Can of Arizona Green Tea energy drink)
• Pinata/Goody Bag (A "Lets Party" box filled with gum, candy and 5hr energy shots)
• Gift (Birthday card and a photo key-chain of us for his work keys) 

     Hope everyone is enjoying their Holiday weekend, I'm still full from my Thanksgiving dinner! Christmas care package will be posted next week. Thanks again for the continued love and support!!! I'm blessed to say I have so many people looking out for me while my Husband is fulfilling his duty to our beautiful country <3

 

- First Year Of Marriage -

     I received this BEAUTIFUL bouquet of Purple Roses (my favorite) from, Jordan. There was an attached note: 

"Jess, cherishing you in my heart and soul while we spend our first Anniversary apart...." 

Even with 8,250 miles separating us, he can still make my heart flutter. I love everything about this Man. This one year of marriage has been the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me. I can't believe I get to spend the rest of my life with him. It truly is a dream come true. Pinch me!!!

Jordan,

ALWAYS and FOREVER - that’s how long I’ll love you.

 
       One year ago I had the honor of stealing your last name and marrying the only Man I have ever loved and will continue to love unconditionally. It seemed like this milestone was so far away, but here it is! And it came fast. We are no longer newlyweds and are now growing into an “old married couple”.
       I know this past year may not be described as “perfect” to others, but it’s our definition of perfect. Through the flaws, mistakes and imperfections of this past year; our relationship, friendship, and marriage have blossomed into something that I never would have expected. In getting to this milestone we’ve reached, I have learned the true beauty that God intended when he made and thought of marriage. We have something that’s pretty darn special and I only hope that others are blessed and get to experience this kind of true love.
       We have seen the worst and ugliest sides of each other; yet we have not run away or given up. We truly do have a strong bond and connection with each other that I still cannot explain, but all I know is that God created this bond and connection. I truly, truly do believe he created you for me for too many reasons to list. You literally complete every empty part of me and balance me out in everything I am uneven in.
       I don’t think I could ever get sick of you! I love waking up next to your snoring face, and falling asleep to your strong heartbeat. I love the look you get on your face when you concentrate, and your contagious and loud laugh. I love your good looks and charm, how big of a dreamer you are, and the goals that you have in life. Thank you for being my rock, my number one fan, for never losing faith in me, and for spoiling me. Thank you for all the hard work you do for us, our future, and thank you for making my world a better place.
     Words cannot express all I hold within my heart. You’ve made every moment worth remembering. Before I met you, I was incomplete. You gave a new meaning to my life and as each day passes, my love for you grows. It doesn't matter where you go in life or what you do - it's who you have beside you. I'm absolutely the luckiest girl to have you beside me for the rest of my life. You are my partner, my love, my confidante, my advisor, my comforter and best friend.
 

Loving you was always so easy, being loved by you was a dream come true. One year down and the rest of our life to go. Happy Anniversary!
 
 I love you too, too much and forever and ever, Amen.

 
- Your Wife

 

- One Year Down And The Rest Of Our Life To Go -

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      Well, October 28th will be our first wedding anniversary! This care package came out a little girly, hah! But, he'll get over it {you can view the pictures larger by clicking on them}. One box flap has a love note attached to it and the flap opposite has two anniversary related bible verses written in hearts. My Husband recently told me he saves all the box flaps I make and hangs them in his rack (bed area). Way to make my heart flutter babe! Makes ever second of making these care packages worth it! This care package included: 

• the usual Snacks: trail mix, cereal, easy mac, monster energy drink, and granola bars.
• some Xbox games - that he requested
• a DVD of Nick Vujicic giving his testimony at Saddleback Church
• a customized photo Coffee Tumbler - that he requested
• Starbucks Via - the instant coffee packets
• homemade Buffalo Ranch Chex Mix in a mason jar
• the Heart Attack in a Box!
• for the traditional first year anniversary gift (paper). I wrote him a love note that explains how he's changed my life and thanking him for making my world a better place - titled: Distance may keep us apart, but you will forever and for always own my heart.

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      Like most Men, my Husband is a huge buffalo chicken wing fan. It's disgusting how much we go out to eat wings! But, I'm totally not complaining.... :) I believe that mason jars truly keep food fresh for longer periods of time if you can them properly. So, this time I decided to make my own Chex Mix, Buffalo Ranch style, in a mason jar! Something I know my Husband is going to love. I also inhaled my own mason jar of this stuff after I made it. With that said, WARNING this stuff is additively delicious!

I read many different recipes and just decided to play around and make what sounded good to me.

Ingrediants:

• 4 cups Rice Chex cereal
• 4 cups Wheat Chex cereal
• 2 cups Gold Fish (or any cheese flavored bite size cracker)
• 2 cups Pretzel's
• 6 tablespoons Butter
• 3 1/2 tablespoons of Frank's Original - he loves spicy. You can lower this amount to 2 1/2 tablespoons if you're not a fan of really spicy foods.
• 1 packet ranch dressing mix
• 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (again, he loves spicy. So, this is optional)

Directions: Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Canning in Mason Jar is optional.

• In a large bowl - mix cereals, crackers and pretzels; set aside. In a small bowl - microwave butter uncovered on High (about 40 seconds or until melted). Stir in hot sauce and seasonings. Pour over cereal mixture; stir and toss until evenly coated.
• Place cereals, crackers and pretzels in a large roasting pan. Bake in oven for one hour, stirring every fifteen minutes. Remove from oven and cool mixture on paper towels. KEEP OVEN ON.
• While Chex Mix is cooling, place desired Mason Jar (with out lid) in the oven, allowing it to fully heat up and become hot to the touch (but don't touch, obviously). Once Chex Mix is completely cool, carefully take the Mason Jar out of the oven and instantly fill it with the Chex Mix. Then, place NEW canning lid on and seal immediately to guarantee a good seal.
• Let Mason Jar cool completely - then decorate to gift!

 

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     My Husband requested a Coffee Tumbler a while back. I decided to wait just a little before sending him one so I can decorate it and put it in this specific care package, hehe. Poor thing had to wait a few extra weeks, but I'm sure once he sees it he'll know it was worth the wait. I got this customizable tumbler from Target ($9.99 on sale for $8.99), it's by Aladdin. It comes with a website that you can go to in order to make different types of photo collages and can print them out for the tumbler. I really wasn't a fan of any of them, so I made my own (see above photo). Also paired this with Starbucks Via's which I also got at Target ($6.99 each, darn suckers are expensive). He complains about the coffee on the ship all the time, hopefully this will put a smile on his face and make standing watch a little easier ;)

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      This was SO much fun to make. I found this idea via Pinterest (of course, right?). I got a small box from JoAnn's, decorated it and filled it with little hearts that I cut out of scrapbook paper. These hearts have messages on the back stating - what I love him about him, how much I love him, and why I married him. I was able to sit down for about an hour and reflect about how much my Husband makes me happy. It was bitter sweet and a bit emotional to take a trip down memory lane in order to come up with things to write. I laughed and shed tears. It's kind of upsetting to not be able to spend our Anniversary together. This past year was meant to break us, but through every hurdle we came out stronger! So, this is not just an Anniversary but a celebration. GOOD NEWS THOUGH - we are officially HALF way thru this Deployment. I'm beaming :)

*Care packages in the making - Birthday & Christmas. Will post soon.*

Thank you to everyone who continues to support me & my Husband. For all the kind words and prayers. You all are making this Deployment a little easier for me! Love you.

 

- Sneak Peek -

{Heart Attack in a Box!}

     Sneak Peek into the One Year Wedding Anniversary Care Package that I will be sending and posting soon. This is a "I'm Sorry" for the lack of posts lately - it's finals week for me! I'm taking condensed Early Childhood Development classes, they are only 8 weeks long, so it gets over whelming. Especially right now :(

All materials were bought from, JoAnn's. These hearts have messages on the back stating - what I love him about him, how much I love him, and why I married him.

     This was SO much fun to make. I was able to sit down for about an hour and reflect about how much my Husband makes me happy. It was bitter sweet and a bit emotional to take a trip down memory lane in order to come up with things to write. I laughed and shed tears. It's kind of upsetting to not be able to spend our Anniversary together. This past year was meant to break us, but through every hurdle we came out stronger! So, this is not just an Anniversary but a celebration. GOOD NEWS THOUGH - we are officially HALF way thru this Deployment. I'm beaming :)

 

- BOO Hoo I Miss You -

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     WOW. This care package was a lot of fun to make! I think I went a little overboard, looks a bit cluttered...oh well! Fall and Halloween are my favorite, I couldn't help myself!!! Best part is, I sealed it with cobwebs, so my Husband will have to rip through them in order to get to the goods :)

     This care package is not only for my Husband, but for those who are in his Division as well. It's filled with non melting candy (i.e. NO MILK CHOCOLATE), glow sticks, vampire teeth and pirate eye patches! Haha, what sailor doesn't pretend to be a pirate? They practically speak the slang.... We are almost half way through this Deployment, I figured they would appreciate some items to goof off with! I included a special "trick or treat" bag for my Husband filled with some goodies of his own. Here is everything the care package included to help give you ideas:

For the Division:

• Laffy Taffy
• Skull and Bones Sweet Tarts
• Orange and White Nerd's candy
• Tootsie Rolls
• Werthers Caramel candy
• Glow Sticks
• Vampire Teeth
• Pirate Eye Patches

For my Husband:

• "For my Boo" Love Note
•  Candy Corn
• Orbit Gum
• Orange and Black Ring Pops
• Pumpkin Pop Rocks
• Sour Worm Gummies
• Glow in the Dark "Kanye" glasses
• Glow in the Dark Sword
• Silly Halloween Visor (they have Silly Hat Day every Wednesday. Since Halloween is on a Wednesday, I thought it was appropriate!)
• An AWESOME Pen that looks like a Syringe Needle with fake Blood!!!

     Most items were under $3.00, about half were only $1.00 - found at Target and JoAnn's. All materials used in decorating I got from JoAnn's. Candy and Card are from Target. Hope you enjoyed!

Stay Strong.

 

     Had a BLAST at Disneyland this week with my Daddy! Had to share a few of the photo's :) Halloween and Fall are my favorite time of the Year. I've practically grown up in Disneyland, I might as well have popped a tent in Toon Town years ago.... So, I am SHOCKED I had never been during this time of the year. The whole park was decorated and the Haunted Mansion was turned into, The Nightmare Before Christmas! Military discount tickets are $125 for a THREE day park hopper - absolutely an amazing deal!!! GO! GO NOW!

P.S. I'm totally wearing a Mickey Mouse shirt my Husband bought me waaaaay back when we were dating. UHdorable.

 

- Fall Theme Care Package -

     Decided to have my 10 Month Old Niece help me with this one! I'm extremely bad at drawling...I can screw up stick people - no joke. So, the lovely design on the right "flap" is supposed to be a Fall Tree. I made the Fall colored leaves with her hand prints - definitely needs more leaves but she's only 10 Months, I'm surprised I got one hand print in every color!! So, you can obviously make a more full tree with an older child. But, thought this was a cute idea and had to share. I believe any little personal touch you can do to a Care Package, can make them that much sweeter.

     On the bottom flap I included two "Love Notes" explaining what "love" means to me (pretty much explains my loyalty and Faith in him). Also, sent him a flash drive with some music on it and attached it to the top flap - we mostly listened to Pandora so he has been requesting that I send him some music to listen too. Then I wrote him a note on the left flap that lists everything I miss about him. I also included some notes on the OUTside of the box.

     My Husband has requested that I stop sending him so much "junk" food, LOL. He's trying his best to watch what he eats and hitting the gym on the Ship - which is outrages because he's gorgeous and fit. He's also having to stand a crappy watch for the next few months, causing him to miss dinner and sometimes breakfast. So, I tried my best to fill this Care Package with more healthy but filling snacks. I'll list what I sent him compared to what I used to send him (in case you want to send more healthier items too) Care Package includes:

• Single Serve - Orville Red N Bocker, Low Calorie and Low Fat Popcorn (instead of overloaded movie theater butter popcorn. I got some of this low calorie popcorn for myself too, honestly, delicious!)
• Anna's Almond Cookies (delicious and of course better for you than Orieo's)
• Single Serve - Kashi Cereal (instead of the yummy Cinnamon Toast Crunch)
• Nature Valley Sweet and Salty bars (packed with protein vs. Quaker Chocolate Chip Granola Bars)
• Single Serve - Emerald "Breakfast On The Go" Nut and Granola Mix with Yogurt Covered Raisins (instead of Cheez-It crackers)
• 5 Hour Energy Shots (instead of sugary-heart-racing Monster's)
• Now, you should never completely deprive yourself! So, I did included ONE container of Lay's Stax chips, ONE Kraft Easy Mac and ONE Chef Boyardee.

Things I included but are not scene in the picture:

• Notes and Audio CD from Church
• Book - Fathered by God written by John Eldredge
• Two PSP Games

Hope you enjoyed this and possibly got your creative juices flowing! I'm working on two more Care Packages at the moment which I will post soon. Look out for, Halloween and Anniversary (ours is Oct. 28th) theme Care Packages.

Stay Strong. And thank you for the support, lovely feedback and encouraging emails <3

 

- 1st Attempt at Shipping Cookies Overseas -

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     I can't seem to find any solid information on how to send cookies overseas - that guarantees they will arrive fresh. So, I've decided to try all the ones I come across, post them here, and through my trial and error, we'll find the best method on Shipping Cookies Overseas! You're Welcome. I'll make a post, like this one, with details on what to do and then re-post with an update once my Husbands receives them and gives me the verdict.

Apple Peels

     Apple Peels? That's right!!! Apparently people use fruit peels to retain moisture for lots of things like brown sugar and tobacco. I found that a few people have had success with Apple Peels when sending baked goods. I thought this was extremely interesting and I just happened to have an apple! Here is what you'll need:

• Ziploc Bags
• Paper Towels
• Disposable Tupperware
• and of course, Apple Peels!

     While explaining this method, I'll be referring to the pictures above to give you a better idea of what I am trying to say. I'll use numbers so be a good blogger and imagine I added numbers to the pictures (I'm too lazy to boot up my Photoshop again). First picture being "1" and then in numeric order from left to right.... I promise to add numbers the next time I do this!

OK, here we go -

1. First, bake your cookies. I decided to make White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies. My Husband is not as much of a sweet whore - who can eat an entire batch of cookies to themselves...like me - so I wanted to make something mild that he'll enjoy.
2.  Once cookies are cooled,  peel an apple. Now, take half a paper towel, fold it in half and place it inside a Ziploc bag (size of paper towel will obviously very depending on the size of the Ziploc bag you use)  and place the Apple Peels in-between the folds of a paper towel (I did about 4-5 peels). Place the appropriate amount of cookies to fit inside the bag and place them on top of the paper towel and then vacuum seal them (by sucking the air out yourself). See picture 5 for a visual.
3. Then place more paper towels with apple peels between the folds at the bottom of the tupperware you choose. Place the sealed bags of cookies inside the tupperware, add more paper towels to the top, and then seal the tupperware with the lid. See picture 6 for a visual.

     This seems too simple to be true. I do have some concerns. As you can see in picture 5, the apple peels were moist and it was soaking through the paper towels. I feel like by the time my Husband receives the care package the cookies may have a hint of apple taste to them. I'm also afraid the peels may get moldy.... But, we'll see! If anyone else has tried this before, comment and let me know! Or even let me know if you plan to try this, feed back is always appreciate :)

- Children with Anxiety -

     I am currently studying Early Childhood Education and one of my assignments this week was to write an informative article on a current event. I have the lovely honor of experiencing the ups and downs of Anxiety, it's something I deal with on a daily bases and makes normal situations like grocery shopping and traveling stressful. I basically become difficult and a pain in the ass at times, but I'm lucky to have a Husband with amazing patience.

     I was a little shocked with the statistics I found when it comes to Children with Anxiety. Thought I would share the article I wrote for my class with all of you. Anxiety is more common with Americans than you probably think! Unless you have Anxiety yourself you will never fully understand how much it can hinder someones life. I also found that children can develop deployment related Anxiety. Knowledge is bliss people! So, here you go....

Children with Anxiety

     In the United States alone there are forty million people who suffer from some type of Anxiety disorder – that’s nearly 18 percent of the population. To help put this in perspective, if you were to pass a hundred people on the street, about fifteen of them will have suffer from some type of Anxiety disorder.  You most likely brush shoulders with Anxiety sufferer’s everyday without even realizing it; Anxiety is often a disorder that people suffer with alone. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, twenty five percent of Anxiety sufferers are children – that’s one in eight children who are affected. 

     Every child goes through phases of Anxiety because it is a normal part of childhood. Phases are temporary and usually harmless but children who suffer from an Anxiety disorder will experience fear, shyness, and nervousness and will start to avoid people, places and activities. This disorder often co-occurs with depression, stress, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), sleeping disorders, and eating disorders. Research has shown that children with Anxiety, who go untreated, are more likely to engage in substance abuse, perform poorly in school and are afraid to participate in social experiences.

     Anxiety is caused by thinking distortions that tend to cause unnecessary worry, fear and panic in children. Though treatment for disorders is individualized, standard approaches like, therapy and medication, have been proven to be effective. Helping your child recognizing some of the thinking distortions can help them eliminate some Anxiety. Here are a few of the most common thinking distortions children have:

• Jumping to Conclusions: This is when a child makes an assumption based on little or no evidence. For example, if a child is afraid of dogs and he/she sees one tied up outside of a store or house, they may assume it will bite them even though there is no sign of the dog being vicious. 

•  Highlighting the Negative: This is when a child only sees the negative in his or her situation and ignores the positive things completely. For example, a child may only focus on the shots they missed, while playing baseball, even though their team won the game.

• Extreme Thinking: This is when a child uses the words “never,” “always” and “forever”. The child thinks their situation is permanent, that the outcome of the situation will be bad, scary or stressful. This can increase a child’s Anxiety.

     There are many ways a parent or caregiver can help manage a child’s Anxiety. You should pay attention to the child’s feelings and remain calm when the child becomes anxious in situations. Praise and recognize all the child’s small accomplishments and do not punish their lack of progress! Try to be flexible and keep a normal routine but make sure to allow extra time when needed for more difficult situations. According to Lynn Siqueland, PhD - who has specialized in treating children with Anxiety disorders for 15 years - it is okay to let your child experience some Anxiety. Your child needs to know that Anxiety is not dangerous but something they can cope with.

Work Cited

1. Nicoletti, Chris. "Anxiety in Children Causes 5 Common Thinking Distortions." Positive Psychology. Mental Health News Organization, 30 Aug. 2012. Web. 05 Sept. 2012. <http://mentalhealthnews.org/anxiety-in-children-causes-5-common-thinking-distortions/842395/>.
2. "Facts & Statistics | Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA." Facts & Statistics | Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Sept. 2012. <http://www.adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics>.
3. "Parenting Tips for Anxious Kids." Parenting Tips for Anxious Kids. The Children's Center for OCD and Anxiety, 2008. Web. 05 Sept. 2012. <http://www.worrywisekids.org/parents/parenting_child.html>