- 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

 

- Skinny Passion Tea Lemonade, Yummm -

      Like the majority of other Spouses who's Husbands are deployed, I'm dieting. Of course, we want to look fabulous on the day of their Homecoming. In all reality for me though, its just easier to diet and get in shape when my Husband is not here. But, I'm finding it challenging this time around because I am a stay-at-home-Nanny and currently taking online college classes. So, I'm home a LOT and find myself trying to snack all the frickin' time. I read recently that Tea is a "filler" and is useful to drink frequently through out the day to help prevent snacking. Well, I absolutely hate Tea (pickiest person alive, I swear). The only Tea I can stand to drink is the Passion Tea Lemonade at Starbucks (probably because its diluted by the Lemonade). I decided to make my own healthy version of it. Plus, lemon juice helps curb hunger. So, this is definitely an anti-snacking-hungry-squashing-drink. And waaayyy cheaper than buying it by the cup at Starbucks.

Makes one gallon (120 oz). Twenty 8 oz servings. 7.6 calories per serving (compared to 85 calories per 12 0z serving at Starbucks)!

Prep time 10min. Estimated cost, $8.

Lemonade:

• 10 cups Water
• 2 cups fresh Lemon juice
• 1 cup Splenda

Mix together until Splenda has dissolved completely. Set aside.

Passion Tea:

• 8 cups of Water
• 8 Tazo Passion Tea packets

Boil 8 cups of Water. Turn off heat and place 8 Tazo Passion Tea packets in the hot Water for 3 minutes. Remove Tea packets and let the Tea cool. Then add Tea to the Lemonade and mix well. Serve over ice and enjoy!

- Clean Diet -

 OK body, is this a clean enough diet for you?

     I went to Sprouts last night to do some Organic and Clean grocery shopping. Going to Sprouts is ALMOST as good as going to Disneyland! I want to make sure I am in tiptoe shape when my Husband comes home. I'm excited to start a healthy, strong, clean lifestyle. I loaded up on Veggies, Fruit, Wholegrain and Protein. I'll be tracking my progress every 4 weeks! And at the end of a SUCCESSFUL four weeks, I'll reward myself. Like...Disneyland! If I do good these next four weeks I am going to take my Niece to Disneyland, for her first time!

     Being healthy is extremely important. Its also really important to focus on this during a deployment. We need to make sure we take care of ourselves which can easily be forgotten! Its really easy to either over eat from depression or to not eat enough because we are so busy taking on our Husbands normal chores. I found a blog that may be useful to some of you. Her name is Taralynn McNitt and shes a complete inspiration! Follow her at undressedskeleton.tumblr.com