Pinterest Tested: Easy Microwave Cleaning

Lately, I've become a little obsessed with all pins related to cleaning. Any trick or tip that makes my cleaning life easier... well, I'm all for it!

I was so disappointed with my last Pinterest Tested project, How to Clean Your Dishwasher. TOTAL FAIL.

And, my dishwasher still isn't completely clean. A friend told me about a new trick (using Tang as a cleaner in the dishwasher), and I'll be testing the theory soon. But for today, my microwave was in desperate need of a little TLC.

No judgement here, ok?

The "before" 

So, so gross.

I'm sure this has happened to all of us once in a while. And if it hasn't, please don't tell me. I like my fantasy world just the way it is.

Someone obviously nuked up a bit of spaghetti in here without covering the dish. The result is icky disgustingness (that's a word, I promise), which is impossible to clean off without serious scrubbing.

I don't like scrubbing. I also don't like people who forget to cover their dish, but that's a story for another day.

What's a girl to do?

Pinterest to the rescue!

I've seen many pins about cleaning your microwave the fast and easy way. Some say to use lemon and baking soda. Some say vinegar. Some say a combination of both. Even the times of each pin vary.

I decided on the simplest method to start. Nuking up a bit of vinegar and water, then wiping clean. Easy peasy. 

I used 1/2 cup white vinegar to 1 1/2 cups water. To keep it simple, I just left it in the measuring cup, like so:

I love my purple measuring cup. Just saying.

Anyway, I added the cup with vinegar and water to the microwave and set my timer to 5 minutes, on high power:

And then I walked away (after hitting start, of course).

There was a slight vinegar smell as the microwave was running, but it dissipated within a few minutes once I finished cleaning. The liquid will boil during that 5 minutes of cooking, and may even overflow.

Don't worry about it. That's how the magic happens.

My microwave still looked the same after the timer beeped, except there was condensation on the walls. I tried to take a picture, but it looks an awful lot like the 'before' photo:

Humor me and pretend you see the condensation.

So, I removed the cup of vinegar/water, grabbed my sponge, and prepared to scrub.

EXCEPT... 

No scrubbing was needed! I didn't even use the rough side of my sponge. Wipe, swipe, and then repeat.

And what was I left with?

A sparkly microwave, without the fuss of heavy cleaning.

The "after"

Total Pinterest SUCCESS. 

Yay!

The yuckiness inside my microwave was pretty caked on and dried out, so I think this method would work for almost an mess. If yours is especially bad, perhaps consider running the microwave a bit longer (maybe 7 or 8 minutes), or doing two cycles.

Have you tried other methods that worked or failed? Or maybe you've tried other pins and you'd like to share your wisdom... please email me, I'd love to see you as a guest blogger for Army Life!

Happy pinning!

Thanks for reading, everyone!

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Email me: armylifefromthewife@gmail.com

Homemade Raspberry Sauce

Nom nom nom nom nom.... 

I love, and I mean LOVE, ice cream. Seriously. I'd rather have ice cream than any other dessert-type food. One of these days I will learn to make my own, from scratch.

Hopefully sooner rather than later.

But until then, I'm satisfied with the stuff in the freezer section... especially if I dress it up with my homemade raspberry sauce!     

Looks fancy, doesn't it?

Well, I'll tell ya a little secret:  It's not!

This is one of the easiest things you can make in your kitchen. I serve it at dinner parties all the time. If you've ever eaten at my house, then you know. I don't generally do the whole baking thing (unless it's cake from a box and frosting from a can. That I can do).

Usually, I set up a make-your-own sundae bar, with my special raspberry sauce included. OR, if we're extra fancy, then I decorate the ice cream like you see above.

You can do it too. This is all you need:

The ingredients 

These ingredients are enough for one batch of raspberry sauce (about 1 1/2 pint-sized mason jars). The final sauce will keep in your fridge for two weeks or so, if it lasts that long without being eaten. These also make fab gifts for your friends.... amaze them with your crazy kitchen skills. And never, ever tell how simple it really is to make yourself.

So, here's what you need:

(1) half-pint of raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup seedless, raspberry jam

AND.... 

1 tablespoon of raspberry liqueur.

Of course, that last ingredient is entirely optional, but I highly recommend it. It's only a little bit, after all, and it's so so so delicious. Live a little!

This is what I use:

You can also use Framboise, Chambord, or any other berry liqueur you desire. It's all good.

Now for the really hard part (Just kidding. Nothing about this is difficult).

Put the raspberries into a pot on your stove, along with the sugar and water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer about 4 minutes or so. It should look a little something like this:

Then, you just dump this raspberry mixture into a blender, along with all the other ingredients, and whirl it up!

Before and after

You could also use a food processor for this step, if that's what you have.

I don't currently own one (insert sad face here). If anyone would like to tell the Hubs what an excellent birthday present this would make, please do so with all possible haste.

After all the whirling and blending, strain your mixture with a fine mesh sieve. Raspberries have those itty, bitty, really annoying seeds...

You're gonna wanna get rid of those. The sieve will do that for you:

I strain my sauce twice. Some of those tricky buggers always manage to get through on the first pass. Because the sauce is a little thick, you can press down on it with a spatula to help the straining process along. I do it all the time.

And you're done! The sauce needs to chill a bit before serving (a couple hours), so I use mason jars to store it in, like so:

If I'm making this for a party, I always make the sauce a day or two in advance. No point in scrambling the day of the party, right? Then I dish out the ice cream, drizzle on a bit of sauce, and top it with a mint leaf and a fresh raspberry. If you want to be extra fancy, you can make a chocolate doodad to stick on top.

Yes, I just said doodad. If anyone knows their proper name, please feel free to comment. But to me, they will always be chocolate thingys/ doodads/ whichajiggiys.

What? That's totally a real word.

Chocolate whatchamacalits are simple... either buy a cool cookie at the grocery store (and claim you made it yourself), OR melt some chocolate and drizzle it on wax paper in nifty shapes. Stick it in the fridge until it hardens, and then slap it on top of your ice cream.

See? Simple.

In the end, you get this:

It's awesome, and delicious.

Plus, people think you're fancy, even if you're not. I love it.

And you will too. I hope.



Happy cooking, my friends! As always, the recipe is below.

Thanks for reading, everyone!

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The Standard Form:

RaspberrySauce

Ingredients:

1 half-pint package of raspberries

½ cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water

1 cup (12 ounces) seedless raspberry jam

1 tablespoon Framboise liqueur (optional), or any otherberry-flavored liqueur

Directions:

Place the raspberries, granulated sugar, and water into asmall saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 4 minutes.

Pour the cooked raspberry, the jam, and the Framboise into ablender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Pour this mixture through a finemesh strainer to remove any seeds.

Chill well before serving. Use as a topping for ice cream,cakes, etc.  

Exploring Your World: Basket BINGO

This weekend, some friends and I attended a great event on post, Basket BINGO!

What is Basket Bingo, you ask? Well, it's exactly what it sounds like. Bingo games with various baskets as prizes. Longaberger baskets, to be exact. And they were filled with fun stuff!

Now, I've got a confession to make. I am extremely unlucky when it comes to bingo, but only for myself. Ironically, those around me seem to have way better luck. I think my mojo leaks out of my ears or something, and then all my peeps snatch it up before I know what's happening.

So, you can imagine how I felt as I walked into the bingo room... I knew I wouldn't be winning a basket, but I had high hopes that some of my pals would.  In fact, as we settled into our seats, I was so confident in my mojo, I announced my predictions:

"I'm not going to win anything, but the three of you? Y'all are all going to win." 

The table chuckled a little, and the conversation progressed even further.

"In fact, if y'all win, I think I should get a commission or something, because I'm giving you all of my luck."

Ha. Ha. Ha ha. Hardee har har.

No way they would all win something, right? There were ten games, only so much luck could go around.

Yeeeeeaaaaaaah.

They all totally won.

My mojo lives on! Not only did our table win the majority of the games, but they also snatched up some of the door prizes.

And since I was smart enough to add conditions on their wins (and the use of my mojo), I actually wound up with my commission, hahaha. I may not be lucky for myself, but I really think there could be something to this. I should start renting out my mojo to deserving peeps. What do you think?

My commission

I love my new basket, and all the cute stuff inside of it. Poor guy, my friend's husband originally won this pink Army wife basket. I think you can see why this is my commission, yes?

At the end of the evening, we'd all had a blast. I loved playing bingo even though I didn't technically win.

No matter where you're stationed, there are usually great events like this on your post. Check out your local MWR for all the cool events taking place each month. If you're currently stationed at Ft. Bliss, here's the link for yours: Bliss MWR.

I hope everyone has a great weekend, and enjoys their Saint Patrick's Day! Please feel free to share some of the fun events in your town.

As always,

Thanks for reading, everyone!

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Email me: armylifefromthewife@gmail.com

Pinterest Tested: How to Clean Your Dishwasher

It's time for another Pinterest Tested post. Not only has it been a while, but my dishwasher is really, really gross so I might as well turn that nightmare into a useful post for my favorite people (that's you, my readers!).

Here is the link to my original pin: How to Clean Your Dishwasher. One of my favorite boards is my Tips and Tricks one, where you can find this pin. I keep track of many household, cleaning, and cooking tips to be tested for later use.

Of course, there is no way I will ever have enough time to try out all of the hints, but I keep trying!

Onward now to the point of this post. Here are the tools you'll need (with choices):

Bleach, distilled white vinegar, toothpicks, sponge, dry cloth,
soft toothbrush, kitchen cleaner, and a measuring cup

I didn't use all of these items, but they are the recommended ones depending on what type of cleaning your dishwasher needs. My dishwasher's biggest problems are hard water stains and detergent deposits.

First off, your dishwasher should be empty. I know that seems a bit obvious; however, stranger things have been known to happen.

Cleaning the outside of the dishwasher is simple. A basic kitchen or all-purpose cleaner can be used to wipe it down. Generally, I wipe mine off whenever I scrub the counters, so the outside of mine was easy.

Here are the real issues with my dishwasher:

As you can see, it's yucky. Seriously yucky. Over time, funk and gunk builds up on various parts of your dishwasher, and then you wind up with that disaster above. YUCK-Y.

The first step (according to my pin) was to clean any debris from the propeller arms and the drain. I didn't actually need to do this step, yay! No large chunks of gunk for me. If you need to do this, the site recommends using a toothpick.

Next step is to clean the rubber seal and area around the door. Yeah, I definitely needed this step. The evidence is in the picture below. The seal, and the area just outside of it, are not touched by any water/cleaner when the cycle runs (sort of the whole point of the seal, right?).

Hence, this ^ happens.

I used a mixture of 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water to clean this area with a sponge. All the goop came off easily, no real scrubbing involved. The pin also recommends using a toothbrush for the harder to reach areas, but I didn't find this necessary.

This area cleaned easily, and only took a few minutes to accomplish.

Next step: All the rest of the gunk.

According to various tutorials, this should be easy. All I had to do was place a cup of distilled white vinegar in my dishwasher, then run a wash cycle (on the hottest setting), like so:

This sounded way too good to be true!

And it was.

Before the first wash, this is what my detergent cup looked like:

After the first cycle, this is what was left:

Almost exactly the same! Because there was still quite a bit of funk in there, I ran a second cycle. This time I used double the amount of vinegar, and I placed the cup on the bottom rack. This is the what the detergent cup looked like after that wash:

While there has been some noticeable improvement, I think I'm marking this test in the FAIL category. Who knows how many cycles it would take to clean off everything? The other areas of grime (rust staining, and the hard water stains around the propeller) were slightly improved, but also did not come entirely clean.

Granted, my dishwasher was pretty gross to begin with. And perhaps this method would work better as regular maintenance, instead of a desperate call for help. I think I'll add this to my regular cleaning cycle (perhaps once a month). If there is improvement, I will definitely update you!

Have any of you used this method to clean your dishwasher? Did it work, or fail? If you know a better way, consider testing it and telling us all about it... I'd love to see you as a guest blogger here!

Thanks for reading, everyone!

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Email me: armylifefromthewife@gmail.com

Blackberry Basil Grilled Cheese

Yep, you read the title correctly. Sounds a little weird, I know.

But weird or no, it's also DELICIOUS. Trust me here, peeps. Have I ever steered you wrong?

I found this excellent flavor combination on Pinterest. And then I started experimenting to see if I could re-create the fabulous picture which set my mouth watering.

Turns out, I can.

And so can you!

The ingredients are basic, and the method simple. Even the Hubs could make this yummy grilled cheese (not that he actually will, but he could. In theory). This was so good I, ahem... tested it several times, with different variations.

Let's get stated with the ingredients:

I know this doesn't look like my regular ingredients photo, but it's because I tried this several times. The first time, I used Italian bread, Monterey Jack cheese, blackberries, basil, and butter (for the bread). The second time around, I changed the cheese and bread. And the butter. (But I only changed the butter because our commissary started stocking Kerrygold, which is pretty much the best tasting butter you can get here in the States... that I've tried so far).

The word you're looking for is... ANYWAY.

Ahem. Back to the recipe.

What I've discovered is, this recipe is highly versatile. Naturally I have a few tips for you. But for the most part, this dish is pretty impossible to screw up.

SO. The bread. You can pick your favorite, but choose a thicker cut. You definitely don't want a skinny mini bread. The blackberry juice and gooey cheese will disintegrate a bread that is too thinly sliced. I found that I prefer to thickly slice my own French bread (Quick tip: If using French bread, you often find air pockets in the slices. Try to avoid them so your cheese doesn't melt through).

Next, the cheese. Again, choose your favorite. I found the Monterey Jack was quite good, but the white cheddar was a-maz-ing. I really like the zing and the sharp kick from the white cheddar. I might try this again with Asiago or Stilton. Oooh, or Brie. Have fun with it!

Now that you've got your cheese and bread (both essential to a grilled cheese), let's deal with the blackberries. Place the blackberries (6 oz) in a bowl with high sides. Why the high sides? Because we're going to squish those babies, and they splatter!

Use your fork to mash the blackberries, like so:

Don't completely pulverize the berries, but squish them up so they're not too chunky. I'm way technical, right? Ha.

Now it's time for the basil. Here again, you have choices. I prefer to chop my basil (about 15 leaves) and stir them into the blackberries:

You could also leave the basil leaves whole, and simply layer them on your sandwich later. This will still taste yummy and look pretty, but I find it harder to eat the grilled cheese with whole basil leaves.

With all the prep work done, this grilled cheese comes together in a snap!

Butter your bread, and warm your skillet over medium-low heat. Place two slices of bread in the skillet, butter side down. Add a single layer of cheese, and then top with a few tablespoons of the blackberry mixture. If you chose to leave your basil whole, then top the blackberries with a few basil leaves:

Blackberries with basil mixed in, and blackberries with whole basil leaves

Add another thin layer of cheese, then top with a piece of bread (Without the additional layer of cheese, the blackberries will soak your bread. Make sure there is something between your fruit and the bread!).

Do you want to know the best way to get a perfectly toasted grilled cheese sandwich?

Leave it alone!

I know you may be tempted to move your sandwich around in the pan, or smash it down with your spatula. But please, please resist those urges. Your bread may stick a bit at first, but it will loosen... I PROMISE.

As the bread toasts, it will unstick from the pan. And that's when you know it's time for the flip. Wait patiently as the other side toasts as well. Don't turn up the heat, or any other crazy thing. The sandwich will cook about 3-5 minutes per side.

And, viola!

Enjoy the ooey gooey deliciousness that is Blackberry Basil Grilled Cheese.

Yes, it really is that simple. Like I said, so simple even the Hubs could do it.

Happy cooking, my friends! Please let me know if you try this with other cheeses or fruits, and how it turns out. As always, the traditional recipe is below.


UPDATE: Recently, I made this grilled cheese again, substituting the blackberries for blueberries. The result? YUM! 

Thanks for reading, everyone!

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Blackberry Basil Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:

6 slices of your favorite bread (I prefer French)

6 ounces fresh blackberries

15 basil leaves (either chopped or whole)

10 ounces cheese, thinly sliced  (your favorite, I prefer white cheddar)

Softened butter

Directions:

Butter one side of your bread slices, then set aside. Smash the blackberries with a fork. Stir the basil (if chopped) into the blackberries.

Warm a skillet over medium-low heat. Place 3 slices of the bread, butter side down, in the skillet. Add a thin layer of cheese on each piece of bread. Top with 2 tablespoons of the blackberry mixture. If leaving the basil whole, add several leaves on top of the blackberries. Finish with another layer of cheese, then top with the remaining bread slices.

Cook for 3-5 minutes per side, until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.

Enjoy! 

Themed Care Packages: Easter

Easter comes early this year (March, 31st), so if you're sending a care package to a soldier it needs to be in the mail very soon. Remember, packages can take several weeks to reach their destination, especially in the more remote areas of the world.

But have no fear! I'm here to help with some great ideas...


Easter Care Package Ideas:

1. Decorate the Box - If you keep up with my blog, then you know I always include this as the first step in your holiday care packages. Decorating the inside of your box isn't expensive, and takes hardly any time at all. Plus, it makes your soldier smile!

I use bits of things from all over the house (old wrapping paper, markers, scrapbook and construction paper), and I also pick up a few things from the dollar store (stickers mostly). Be creative!

A fun way to personalize the box is to use your kid's artwork or school projects. If you don't have kids, then fill in the blank spaces with silly Easter jokes or your favorite Bible verses. If you don't know any jokes, then google! That's a verb now, right??

2. The Traditional Basket - Filling your box like a traditional basket is a great way to say 'Happy Easter' to your soldier. Don't let the box format get in your way! Use Easter grass, soft baskets, and fun bags to really give it the traditional feel.

Instead of traditional Easter grass, try out the edible kind! 

Again, discount stores are a great place to find these items. Packed correctly, the eggs and baskets will survive the long journey overseas. Here are a few tips and tricks for you:

           - Tape the edges of plastic eggs together after you've filled them.
           - Wrap baskets/boxes with plastic wrap to keep the items inside secure
           - If you buy edible grass, leave it in the package!
           - Plain grass is a great filler to help cushion other items
           - Try using practical items to hold candy (like a plastic tumbler)
           - Fill all available space. The less room for items to shift, the better

         
Because there are so many popular basket items, I'm going to give each one their own section! Let's start with the obvious...

3. The EGGS - Nowadays, plastic eggs come in all shapes and sizes. They're neon, camouflage, and polka-dotted. I've found eggs shaped like carrots and bunnies. There is no end to the possibilities.

When it comes to fillings, the list is even longer. Some of the most popular ideas are candy (of course), love notes, bible verses, travel-sized hygiene items, and letters from family/friends. Here are a few ideas (with links) that I've found from Pinterest. I'd make these myself, but there's not always enough time in the day, ya know?

100 Eggs Why I Love You - Unfortunately, this particular pin had no link attached to it, but I think the idea here is pretty self-explanatory.

Make your own Paper Mache Eggs from Not Martha. If I had time this year, I definitely would make these, I love them! If you make these for shipping overseas, I'd suggest careful packaging. Perhaps inside a smaller, well-padded box?






4. Sweets and Treats - An Easter basket just wouldn't be the same without CANDY!!! I know the Hubs loves any kind of junk food I send him. Even if he doesn't eat it himself, he shares with all his buddies.

Though chocolate is traditional, you have to be very careful when shipping at this time of year. Keep track of the changes in climate. Even if it's cold where you are, it may be too warm where your spouse is. Remember, your box will spend many hours in a cargo hold somewhere, which won't be climate-controlled.

Luckily, there are plenty of chocolate alternatives:

Try jelly beans, lollipops, hard candy, gummy candies, Peeps, even Pez dispensers!  I know a chocolate bunny is traditional, but it is likely to melt. I found a substitute at Target this year, a cool gummy bunny:

If your spouse isn't into candy, don't worry! There are plenty of options for you too:

(yes, I realize some of these are still sweet... but cookies don't count as candy, do they??)

Many stores sell your favorite snacks with holiday packaging. Look for spring colors, or even use the bunny theme with Annie's Homegrown products (lots of them are bunny shaped).

For those of you who like a little creative flair, add tags or cute sayings to your food offerings. On that note, let's jump right into the next section!

5. Easter Tags and Sayings - Even traditional food products can be turned into something special with a little extra effort. I've browsed the web and found a list of great printables for you! Even if there are no free downloads, you can always make your own tags with fun easter sentiments.

                    a. Easter Bags (top left) - These great baggies come from More Style Than Cash. I tested  them myself, and the bags print well.                           Though the tutorial teaches you how to build the bag yourself, I'm much too lazy for that nonsense, ha! Instead, I printed                                      directly on a white paper lunch sack... it worked great!            
                    b. Bunny Tails (top right) - I purchased these at my local World Market, but you could easily make a tag at home and attach to a                           bag of mini marshmallows!
                    c. Goldfish Carrot (bottom left) - I made this 'carrot' using a disposable icing bag, Goldfish snack crackers, and some green                                   ribbon. The tag was a download from Sarah Hearts.
                    d. My Favorite "Peep" - Turn a plain box of Peeps into a cute gift. I found this printable tag at Darling Doodles. There are actually                          two printables available. The other says, "Just peeping in to say Happy Easter"
                    e. Some Bunny Loves You - This is my favorite tag! Too cute, and a great sentiment for a deployed soldier. This tag is also from                           Sarah Hearts.

There are lots of cool tags you can use inside your package, even if you make them yourself. Here are a few popular sayings:
         
                   a. Bunny Bait - Put this tag on your soldier's favorite food
                   b. "Have an egg-celent day"
                   c. "Hoppy Spring!" or "Hoppy Easter!"
                   d. "Some bunny loves you!"
                   e. "You are eggs-tra special to me!"
                   f. "You are some bunny special"
                   g. "I'm egg-cited to wish you Happy Easter"
         
Goofy? Yes. But also very cute.

6. Easter Dinner - Does your family have a traditional Easter dinner together? I know the Hubs and I do. Often, those family traditions are the ones your spouses miss the most when they're gone. We can't re-create all of them, but luckily you can come close with this one!

Ok, so first things first.... no making fun of my rhyming skills, kay? I did my best.

If you're wondering how to fit Easter dinner in a care box, I'll tell you. Look for canned food, like ham and vegetables. Powdered mashed potatoes only require water and a microwave (please be sure your soldier has access to a microwave before sending). You might even be able to find a complete, microwaveable ham dinner. I added a nukeable mac-n-cheese, and even an appetizer. All beef summer sausage, crackers and cheese... it's weird that some cheese doesn't need a refrigerator, but hey, whatever works!

Be creative with your dessert. I chose Girl Scout cookies. Not only is it the right time of year, but the Girl Scouts have a great program that donates cookies to soldiers overseas. Other choices include Betty Crocker's microwaveable minis, individual fried pies (like Little Debbies), or cake in a jar (which can be made at home).

I know my poem is a little cheesy, but you're welcome to use it for your care package. The handy, dandy printable can be found here.

NOTE: PLEASE CHECK POSTAL RESTRICTIONS FOR THE AREA YOUR SOLDIER IS DEPLOYED. MANY OVERSEAS LOCATIONS DO NOT ALLOW PORK PRODUCTS, SO HAM AND OTHER PORK PRODUCTS WOULD BE PROHIBITED. 

7. Spiritual Gifts - Let's not forget the reason for this particular holiday. Though everyone doesn't celebrate or believe, a spiritual gift can have deep meaning for a soldier that does. Consider sending a bible with a personal message inside, or a book of devotions. Many churches offer their sermons online or on CD. Copy those and send them (if your soldier has a laptop to view them on). Rosary beads make a great gift for a Catholic believer.

If you'd like something a little different, send them the Jelly Bean Prayer! I've seen this in several places online, but no printables were available.

Naturally, I made one for you. Just click the link (above) to print it out.



8. Fun and Games - I think all care packages should have a little something fun in them. Often, I look for disposable games (things you don't really mind breaking, getting lost, etc). Even a few minutes of entertainment can break up an otherwise dreary day.

For Easter, places like Walmart and Target sell LOTS of these little games (and fairly cheaply too!). I also send goofy bunny ears/masks, word games that are Easter-themed, movies, and... spoons!

Yeah, that sounds weird.

But, depending on the soldier, they may actually use those spoons to have egg relay races (plastic eggs, of course, sent by you). You just never know what mischief those guys will get into! I tend to look for the silly and ridiculous when I'm shopping. What's the worst that will happen? A $1 game may not be used. Oh well then.


9. Photos - I also suggest these for every care package. Your soldier likes to see your face and the faces of your family members. Lots of things can change over the course of a deployment, and photographs help keep him up to date.

Of course, you can make some great Easter-themed photos for your package. Take a picture with all of you wearing bunny ears or eggheads. Use an Easter frame. If you're an all-female family, label your picture as "cute chicks". Or (for my racy pals out there), run with the 'bunny' theme and dress yourself up as one... a Playboy bunny, that is.

Um, if your Hubs gets in trouble for that one, you didn't get it from me!

Whatever you choose, be creative and have fun.

10. Cards and Letters - Also another one of those must haves. Even if you Skype and talk on the phone everyday, include a little note in your care packages. Let your kids make cards. Or, if you're me, buy your cards and write a love letter on the inside. It doesn't matter what you write, it only matters that you took the time to do it.

Ha ha

And so, that concludes the Easter care package post... I really hope you found some good ideas or inspiration here. Feel free to send me your photos and ideas as well! I'll post them (with credit to you included) so we can all share our ideas and help each other.

Happy packing!

An Easter care box, complete! 

Thanks for reading, everyone!

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