Care Packages

With the first I went simple and just did RealTree Camouflage. With the second package since mail has been slow I am getting his Father's day package ready.

I am very excited about the next few packages I will be doing. It will be our 2nd Wedding Anniversary, Fourth of July and his birthday! I have something pretty awesome planned for our anniversary I just hope it turns out the way I have it planned. 

The inside

I still have a few things to add to this. 

The inside ( also plan to add pictures around the sides of C and A )

Care Package

This care package goes along with the last one...giving him home away from home. What's the best thing to do when you have had a stressful long day? Pop in a movie and eat your favorite snacks..That's what I have done for Mr.E. 

(Of course if time allows him over there) 

What's going in the package. All his favorites 

The box all decorated 

Everything ready to go

Care Packages

This care package I though I would do something a little different instead of lovey- dovey. I know where Mr. E is, is like living in a, well for a lack of better words, shit-hole. So what better way to make him feel a bit better is bring the vacation to him. 

What's going into his package

A Caribbean getaway 

Rambling rants

                      ****Fair warning this is going to be sappy and whiny*******

          

     Yes, we all miss our husbands when they are gone, I get that but why does it feel like I can't talk about it? I miss him every hour of everyday, but yet when people ask me how I am doing I just say "doing good, the best I can do" I want to scream at the top of my lungs I miss my husband and I want him to come home! Am I afraid they are going to pity me? Am I afraid they will just say "get over it"? I don't really know why but, darn it I wish I could just say this! 

     It's the little things I miss the most...Mr. E leaving his clothes lying around the bedroom floor. I would always yell at him for this. We have a dirty clothes hamper for a reason. Now I wish I had those clothes to pick up everyday. I have even thought about taking some of his clothes and doing this..I know I know...crazy! Or me having to remind him to take the trash to the curb. It never failed I would be telling him "don't forget to set the trash out in the morning". But since he has been gone do you think I remember to do this...oh heck no, 2 weeks in a row I forgot!! Thankfully since Mr. E has left we don't have that much trash. I miss him tingling my back at night while we lay in bed, watching Golden Girls together (yes I really do get my husband to watch this show with me shh don't tell his buddies),  or the gentle way he would kiss me. I just miss him. 

   I am entitled to my bad days and my whiny-ness. Although I feel like I let Mr. E down when I give into the weakness and break down. Yes I know he would not be...but a part of me does not want him to have to think about me like this. He needs to stay focused on the job and get it done. I wish I could walk to the street and not be jealous of a girl holding her husband tight in her arms. Every time I see this I wish I could just get back in my car a drive straight to him. But I just keep on trucking and put in the back of my mind, until I see the next couple. 

  Mr. E surprised me with Edible Arrangements this past week and let me just say I cried my little eyes out!  I was definitely surprised! This was the time that it really hit me, he was gone. He wouldn't be coming home from work so I could wrap my arms around him and say thank you and I love you, instead I had to send him a Facebook message saying how much I loved the surprise, waiting 3 days to hear back from him. 

   Everyone takes for grant what they have. So I guess what I am saying is don't let the little things bother you, be patient with your man. Men are wired differently, they some times don't  get the little hints we send them or notice the comment about the laundry needing to be folded. Just simply ask them to help you. Yes, I am at fault for these things as well, but appreciate him for him. If you try to force him to do things in a negative way, you will get negative results.  When he walks in the door after work, whether he smells gross or not, wrap your arms around him and tell him you love him. He needs these things just as much as we need them.  Cherish every minute with him. 

  

Care Packages

    I have decided to blog about all the care packages I send my wonderful husband. About 4 months before Mr. E left, I got an idea about decorating his packages. I searched around and found some pretty awesome ideas that I am going to try. For me I think it would give him a little bit more piece of home and know each time there will be something new and not just a plain old box


   So here is what I have come up with on his first two packages.

His first package with all kinds of goodies.

The inside of the box all decorated 

Package #2

What's going inside package #2

Stuffed full :) 

Where to start

  We have been preparing ourselves for Mr. E's first deployment and that time finally came. It was heart wrenching to have to say "see ya later". We held each other and just let our emotions get the best of us (or I should say I did). Looking into his eyes that one last time, it was like a piece of me just broke away. C and A did not quite understand what was going on, but they knew it was not something good when they saw mommy crying. 


After saying our finally goodbye's, me and the boys got in the car and that's when it really hit me. Everything I vowed not to do went out the wind right then and there. I cried and they just let me. Pulling in the drive way I put the car in park, pulled myself together. I have always been the type to hold in my emotions. There is a time and place for everything and crying in your car with your two babies in the back is not that place. Coming home to the empty house, with all of his things still laying around was the worst part. I still can't not bring myself to put those silly things a way. I still expect him to walk in the door and say where is this and this, and me saying right where you left it. Looking at all of his things on the dresser remembering the times he tore this house apart looking for those things and right there on the dresser they sat (which I told him that is where they were). I just can not bring myself to put them away. 


The next morning started off like it normally did. Make breakfast, feed the dogs, start laundry. I held myself together most of the day with that feeling of nausea sitting in my stomach. Two weeks have now passed and we are taking it day by day. I know there are things I could do better, but for right now they are working for us. We stayed on top of our routine, so we had some type of normalcy in the house, even though it felt like we were running in circles. 


After my dad passed away I really let my faith for God go. I never understood why He would take my dad away from us and the answer "It was simply his time to go" was never good enough for me and still really isn't. You could say that I was mad at God for doing this to my family. He has a plan for all of us and it was my dad's turn to help him upstairs.  With time I have regained my love for God. Even more with my husband leaving. I am giving him all my faith to protect my husband and bring him back home to us. I am extremely grateful for the prayers that I have received and still am receiving.


Well enough with my rambling, just needed to get my thoughts out
(Hopefully it all makes sense) 

As another year passes

We are quickly approaching birthday number 4 for my little big man C. I absolutely loving spoiling my little men on their birthday's. But this year I just keep dwelling on the fact that C is turning 4. Literally where has the time gone! I swear just yesterday we were bringing him home! It truly is going way to fast. But I do have to say as he has grown, he has become an amazing little boy. Everyday he is doing something new that just amazes me! He is very smart, loves to "read", eats like he has a hollow leg, and has an attitude like his mother. Since he is so much like me, we butt heads a lot, but like all things just a smile from him makes everything better. 

I love both of my boys with all my heart, just makes melt thinking about how much they both have grown in their 4 and  2 years of life. 

Who wants to save money??

I think everyone today would like to save money. Let's face it our economy sucks right now! and if we can save a couple bucks on anything we are going to try our hardest. I know with my family of 4 we have a tight budget and scrimp where we can. So what better way to scrimp..on household products! I have been researching on making my own household products such as laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, fabric softener, and household cleaners, what always kept me from doing it was, how hard is to find these products, Is it worth it? Yes, yes it is so worth it! 

In this blog I am going to give you my review on all the products I have made. And most supplies can be found at Walmart or the Commissary. 

Laundry Detergent 

*Safe for HE machines*

What you will need for this is 

1. 1 bar Fels-Naptha Soap (found in the laundry isle) (you can also you any other bar soap of your liking...I used Ivory bar soap) 

      2. 3 cups washing soda ( found in the laundry isle)

3. 3 cups Borax ( found in the laundry isle)

4. 1 teaspoon essential oil ( I found this at Whole Foods)

5. Container

Grate the bar of soap. Pour in the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

* Use 2 tablespoons per load* 

My review: This works very well. I used an orange essential oil and it gave the clothes a subtle hint of orange. You can use which ever oil you prefer. The detergent cleaned the clothes as well an commercial laundry product. *I have not used this product on heavily stained or soiled clothes*

Prices

Borax: $3.38 at Walmart  ( 20 Mule Team)

Washing Soda: $2.99 at Walmart (Arm and Hammer)

Fels-Naptha Soap: $1.12 at Walmart 

Or if you choose Ivory bar soap: .97 at Walmart

Essential oil: This will vary with which ever oil you choose, but the orange oil: $3.59 ( Whole Foods)

Fabric Softener 

You will need

1. 6 cups water

2. 3 cups white vinegar

3. 2 cups hair conditioner  

4. 1 gallon container

Mix all ingredients 

* Do not shake*

My review: I was worried when I first used that my clothes may have a vinegar smell to them. Do not worry you can not even tell when you clothes are dry that you used vinegar. Works very well not static on any of my clothes including my fleece sweat shirts. 

Prices

White vinegar: $2.00

Hair conditioner: Will vary with which one you pick

Dishwasher Detergent 

You will need

1. 1 box Borax (76 oz)

2. 1 box Washing Soda (55 oz)

3. 24 packages UNSWEETENED lemonade 

4. 3 cups Epsom Salt

5. Container

(Note: In the picture on the container it say 1/2 tablespoon, this is wrong use 1 tablespoon) 

Mix all ingredients evenly

* Use 1 Tablespoons per load*

My review: This works extremely well. My dishwasher was on the fritz and I ran this through it with no dishes and it is now working way better. The dishes came out very clean. 

Prices

Epsom Salt: $5.00 at Walmart

 Borax: $3.38 at Walmart  ( 20 Mule Team)

Washing Soda: $2.99 at Walmart (Arm and Hammer)

Antibacterial Spray 

1. Water

2. Lavender Essential oil 

3. Spray bottle

Fill spray bottle with water and add 60 drops of oil. 

My review: I like this cleaner. It doesn't leave you surfaces oil or grimy.

Prices

Lavender oil: $14.99 at Whole Foods (price may vary)

(I did not have Lavender, so I used my Orange since it does a lot of the same things that Lavender does. 

All Purpose Cleaner

1. 1 teaspoon Borax

2. 2 tablespoons Vinegar

3. 1/2 teaspoon Washing Soda

4. 1/2 teaspoon Castile Soap

5. 20 drops tea tree oil

6. 2 cups hot water

7. Spray bottle

Shake all ingredients together

My review: This works just as well as any commercial cleaning product.

Price

 Borax: $3.38 at Walmart  ( 20 Mule Team)
Washing Soda: $2.99 at Walmart (Arm and Hammer)
Vinegar: $2.50
Castile Soap: $9.99 at Whole Foods
Tea Tree oil: $6.00




Bath, Sink, & Tile Cleaner


1. 2/3 cup baking soda
2. 1/2 cup Castile Soap
3. 2 Tablespoons White Vinegar
4. 1/2 cup water
5. a few drops tea tree oil


Mix all ingredients together in a container

My review: This works just as well as any commercial cleaning product.

Prices

Baking Soda: $1.00

Vinegar: $2.50
Castile Soap: $9.99 at Whole Foods
Tea Tree oil: $6.00

       

Happy New year!!

                                 Happy New Year everybody!! 


With the dreaded "D" coming up in the future I plan to make this year the best that we can. I have a list of all kinds of crafts for me and the 
kids to do to keep us busy. 



Specking of crafts, if you have not checked out Pinterest, you definitely should. It is sooo addicting but I have found so many neat little craft ideas for myself and the boys. 


One of my new year's resolutions is to become more frugal. Inspired by a friend and something I have wanted to try for a while now, I plan to start making my own cleaning/laundry products. I have been reading up on this and definitely think I could do it and save my family quite a bit of money as well. I will post my reviews as well as I am doing this. 


Wishing everyone a fantastic 2012!!