The Big List of "Welcome Home" Signs

Homecomings are, without a doubt, one of the best moments you can ever experience. People everywhere tear up watching these reunions, even if they've never been there and have no idea what it's like being related to a soldier. As a spouse you've worried, and waited, and worried some more. There have been sleepless nights and days when you just knew you couldn't do it anymore. But then you did. And you got through.

Homecoming is the culmination of all those emotions. If you're like me, you worry over it and nitpick at the details. You focus so much on that one moment, you drive yourself crazy. Sometimes I don't think we can help it. What are you going to wear? What will the kids wear? Decorate the house, yay or nay? Homecoming party? Probably not. Do I bake a cake? Do I have sexy lingerie??

Yep, all those thoughts and a million more are in there. Luckily, I'm here to help! I worried over creating a sign for homecoming, but had no idea what to say. I'm hoping this list will relieve a little stress for someone else out there who has the same worries I did. Please add your ideas in the comments too, you know I love hearing from you!

And always remember that no matter what you do, your soldier will be so happy to see you, nothing else really matters.


Signs For Your Door/Yard:


1. Do Not Disturb, Welcoming Home My Hero!

2. Free Welcome Banners from Build A Sign (thanks to Kimberly Connerly for her suggestion!)

3. Always Under the Same Stars, Finally Under the Same Roof!

4. (Fill in the blank) Days Away, Our Hero is Home Today!

5.  Use glowsticks to create a welcome home message on your lawn or door

6. Use stencils and flour to create a welcome home sign on your lawn

Signs for the Runway (picking your soldier up at the airfield):

1.  His Eyes Are (fill in blank), His Boots Are Tan, Out Of My Way, So I Can Kiss My Man!

2. I'd Wait For You Forever, But (fill in length of deployment) Was Long Enough!

3. Home is Where the Heart Is, and Mine is Finally Back!

4. It's Been (fill in the blank) Days Since You Hugged Me, That Streak Ends Now!

5. After (fill in the blank) Days, You're Right Where You Need To Be, Welcome Home!

6. (Fill in name of soldier), I Hope You're Ready For Our 2nd (or 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc) First Kiss!

7. Missed Me, Missed Me, Now You Gotta Kiss Me!

8. We've Waited (fill in the blank) Days For This Moment, Welcome Home!

9. The Longer The Wait, The Sweeter The Kiss. I've Waited (fill in the blank) Days For This!

10. For (Fill in the blank) Months I Held You In My Heart, Today I Hold You In My Arms

11. I'm Here to Pick Up My Hero!

12. Our Missing Puzzle Piece Is Finally Home!

13. (Fill in soldier's name), Get Your Hugs Here!

14. (Fill in the Blank) Sleepless Nights,
      (Fill in the blank) Hours Trying To Stay Busy,
      (Fill in the blank) Minutes Of My Phone on the Loudest Ring Possible,
      (Fill in the blank) Seconds Waiting For You To Come Home….
 
      Seeing You For the First Time in Countless Months = PRICELESS 

15. (Fill in the blank) Months
      (Fill in the blank) Days
      (Fill in the blank) Hours
      (Fill in the blank) Minutes
      (Fill in the blank) Seconds

       You Are Worth The Wait! 

16. Together Forever, Never Apart, Maybe In Distance, But Never in The Heart!

17. Home of the Free, Because of the Brave. Welcome Home (fill in the blank)!

18. Now That You're Home, Here is Your Honey Do List: Hug Me, Hold Me, Kiss Me!

19. Happiness is in the Arms of My Soldier, Welcome Home!

20. My Husband = My Hero. Welcome Home!

21. For medics: Hey Doc (fill in the blank), Can You Take a Look at This?

22. I Was There The Day You Left, and I'm Here to Welcome You Home!

23. Forget the Knight in Shining Armor, I'll Take My Soldier!

24. Here To Pick Up The Love Of My Life!

25. (Fill in the blank) Months Was Nothing Since We Have Forever!

26. I Love My Soldier, Welcome Home (fill in the blank)!

27. Blessed to Welcome Home Our Hero!

28. (Fill in soldier's rank/name), Your Mrs. Needs Some Kisses!

29. (Fill in the blank) Nights of Waiting, Praying, and Dreaming for This Moment… Welcome Home, Soldier!

30. Postage for Care Packages: $ (fill in dollar amount)
      Phone Cards & Internet Packages: $ (fill in dollar amount)
      Paints and Supplies for this Sign: $ (fill in dollar amount)
      Holding You For the First Time in (fill in the blank) months: PRICELESS

31. Dreams Do Come True, Welcome Home, I've Missed You!

32. Welcome Home Husband, Father, and Hero. We Missed You!

Signs for Kids:

1. I've Waited My Whole Life to Meet You

2. Red, white, and blue welcome sign with kid's handprints as the border. "These Are The Hands That Prayed For Your Safe Return"

3. Outta My Way, I Get My Daddy (or Mommy) Back Today!

4. Hand Over My Daddy (or Mommy)!

5. I Just Met You, And This Is Crazy, But I'm Your Son/Daughter!

6. Welcome Home Daddy/Mommy! I Spent (fill in the blank) Days Missing You!

7. Warning: My Daddy/Mommy Is Here, and I'll Run You Over To Get To Him!

8. I'm Meeting My Daddy For the First Time Today!

9. You Owe Mom 1,222 Diaper Changes!

10. He's Not Just My Daddy, He's My Hero!

11. Welcome Home Daddy! I Took Care of Mommy While You Were Gone :)

12. Welcome Home Daddy/Mommy, Look How Big I've Gotten!

13. You Left Behind One Heart, but Now You're Coming Home to Two! (For babies born during deployments)

14. I'm Daddy's Princess, and He's My Hero

15. Come and Meet Your Mini-Me!

16. Daddy, Get Your Hugs and Kisses Here! (with an arrow pointing down to the child)

17. (Fill in the blank) Days Old, and Ready To Meet My Daddy!



Decorate Your Car:

1. If I'm speeding, it's because I'm on my way to pick up my soldier!

2. Move it or lose it, our daddy is coming home today!

3. Half My Heart is Coming Home Today!

4. Today We Welcome Home Our Heroes!

5. Beep, Beep, Outta My Way, Daddy's Coming Home Today!



And now for the last list. The, ahem… dirty and flirty signs. A lot of people don't like seeing these at homecomings, and I can't blame them. After all, there are lots of little kids around. And seriously peeps, some things should be private. BUT, you could always hang these in the hallway leading to your bedroom, haha. So here goes…

For the Home/Bedroom:

1. I Can't Wait To Untie Your Boots and Find Your Camo All Over My Floor!

2. If You Think (Afghanistan/Iraq) Was Hot, Wait Until Tonight!

3. Welcome Home Honey, I Hope You Slept on the Plane!

4, Welcome Home, Are You Ready to be Debriefed and Boarded?

5. Next Mission: Operation Nookie (and you're in command!)

6. Welcome Home, I Can't Wait To Get My Hands on You!

7. I'm Glad To Have You Back, Now Let's Jump in the Sack!

8. 1, 2, 3, 4… Let Those ACUs Hit The Floor!

9. 1 Faithful Wife + 1 Deployed Soldier = Babysitter Needed!

10.  Job Well Done, Come and Get Your Reward!


I hope these lists help someone out there. I'll be back with more homecoming posts, hopefully soon. Until next time, my friends!

Thanks for reading, everyone!

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The Magic Avocado Sandwich

Magic, I say? Yes, yes I do. This open-faced sandwich qualifies in my book. It's simple, fairly nutritious, quick, and best of all… tasty. It's one of my all time, best ever, favorite things to eat.

Anyone who knows me well, knows I usually have an avocado lying about. I love them! I use them in practically everything, from breakfast to desserts. I even managed to make an Avocado Key Lime Pie (so good, by the way. Try it out!). If you've never given the avocado a chance, I beg you to change your mind…

Avocado, Tomato and White Cheddar Sandwich,
topped with a poached egg

I make this open-faced sandwich at least twice week, on average. Most often as a quick lunch (or breakfast), or an easy dinner when the Hubs is away. This hits the spot any time, I promise. I add variety with different cheeses or breads. Sometimes I add a poached egg. Or a fried egg. It all depend on my mood of the moment. 

To get started, you need: 

An avocado, of course! Also, your bread of choice. This time, I was using a local roll called a semmel, which I picked up at our bakery. You can just as easily use an English muffin, biscuit, wheat bread, anything really. Add a tomato to your pile, along with your favorite mustard (please use Dijon, pretty please?!). Oh, and some mayonnaise if you like. And an egg, though that's totally optional. And cheese! 

    

I vary my cheese choice based on what's in my fridge. This time I chose the white cheddar, but any kind of cheese is fine. 

The process is simple: 

1. Toast your bread

2. Spread bread with mustard / mayonnaise (Confession: I sometimes use both!)

3. Slice your avocado, and place a single layer on the bread 

4. Thinly slice your tomato, and place in a single layer on top of the avocado

5. Salt and pepper your tomato, if desired (trust me, you definitely desire this)

6. Top tomato with slices of your favorite cheese

7. Place the open-faced sandwich underneath your broiler until the cheese is melted

8. Eat! 

9. Thank ArmyLife for introducing the magic avocado sandwich to you

10. Repeat steps 1-9 as often as needed (I find twice a week to be my perfect number!)



Of course, you can also customize this recipe as needed. If I'm having a breakfast sandwich, I add poached egg. Want to know a secret? I sometimes add the egg for lunch and dinner too. It's nom nom, yum yum, goooooooood...

But because poaching an egg is a pain in the you-know-what, I use these simple cups from Amazon:

The egg poaches perfect every time with no muss, no fuss. Of course, you can always do this the old fashioned way as well. I've had varying degrees of success with this method, but I have high hopes that one day I'll get it just right. Or not. Hence the cups.

With the egg, your sandwich should look a bit like this:

So, slice into your awesome, magical avocado sandwich! Once you've eaten it, it's hard to go back to a regular sandwich. I LOVE how simple this is, and how filling. Try it out, people!! Listen to ArmyLife.

Until next time, happy cooking! I'll be back soon with more recipes.

Thanks for reading, everyone!

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Themed Care Packages: Father's Day

The Hubs and I don't have children of our own, so this is a care package I've never really thought about sending. Granted, we do have an excellent furbaby,and I've sent him items in the past from the dog.

Yeah, I know. Weird. But fun too, right? 

Anyway, for this post I was lucky enough to have a friend with some cool ideas for Father's Day. She wishes to remain anonymous, but from here on out I'm going to refer to her as the Drunken Cheesecake Chef (inside joke, peeps. Maybe I'll explain someday). She is one of my favorite spouse pals, and part of our weekly Ladies Night In. The ideas and photos here are hers, but most of the commentary is mine. If you love these ideas (and you will), please give her a shout out in the comments so I can convince her to post for us again, okay? And as always, share your ideas in the comments too.

Father's Day Care Package Ideas: 

1. Decorate Your Box / Send a Hug - If you've read my previous care package posts, you know I'm a huge fan of decorating the inside of the box. It's an excellent way to get your kids involved, plus your spouse will love the extra effort. Look for inexpensive supplies at your local dollar store. This idea from DCC (a.k.a. The Drunken Cheesecake Chef) is an excellent way to spruce up your decorating: 

To create your own: Buy two pieces of poster board and tape together. Have your child lie down on the  board with their arms outstretched (like a hug). Trace your child, then cut out the shape. Have your little one write a message to dad on the cut out. For example, "Hugs from (your location) to (deployed location). I love you Daddy. Happy Father's Day!" Then, include your date. Decorate if desired.

Once complete, use the "hug" to line the inside of your box. Pack everything else on top, then wrap the "arms" around the entire contents before sealing. This will give it a hug shape.

2. All About Daddy Survey - Also from DCC, this is such a sweet idea! There are lots of ways to personalize this and make it your own too. Let your kids write a questionnaire about dad ( or write one for them and help them fill answers). Don't give them the "correct" answers, let them answer with their hearts. Kids say the greatest things sometimes, and their perception is so wonderfully different.

Here are some survey questions that might be fun to include:
      a. My daddy's favorite food is___________________
      b. My dad's favorite game is___________________
      c. My dad's favorite movie is____________________
      d. My dad is ______ years old
      e. My favorite memory with dad is_______________________
      f. Things daddy does with me ______________________
      g. My daddy is ____________ feet tall
      h. My daddy is ____________ pounds
      i. My daddy has ________ hair and ________ eyes
      j. My daddy likes to wear _______________________
      k. My daddy's job is _____________________
      l. Daddy's feet are _______________________
     m. What I love best about my daddy: _________________________
     n. I love my daddy because ___________________________
     o. What I will do first when I see daddy again __________________________

Then include the child's age, etc. at the bottom.

Neat, right?

You can also do something like this (above). We all have a pair of extra boots or shoes around, even when the hubs is deployed. Trace dad's boot and cut out, then let child trace their own. Include child's name, age, shoe size and type. Then include the same info for dad.

The possibilities here are endless! Send us your ideas too, and I'll share them with everyone.

3. Photographs and Picture Mementos - This is a great time to have your picture taken and send dad some recent photos. Ask your photographer to include a deployment theme if you want. This picture, for example, is absolutely precious:

Found on Pinterest. Click here for link

If you search around the web, you'll find there are lots of great photo ideas, some you could even do yourself.

Besides photographs, you can create fun photo gifts like calenders, coffee mugs, even pillowcases! Look into websites such as Snapfish or Shutterfly and explore their products.

4. Favorite Things - Make this box all about dad! What are his favorite snacks and treats? Who is is favorite author? What is his favorite coffee? Send all these things, perhaps along with a list of your child's favorite things about dad.

5. Coupon Book -   Download one or create your own! Include coupons for his return, like a long afternoon nap, or his favorite meal. There are links for these all over the internet and Pinterest, but here's a free, printable one that I found: Disney Family Coupon Book

6. Everything Else! - Because the Hubs and I don't have kids, I've never made this type of care package. But here are a few links to some truly excellent ideas:

          Dad is my HERO box

          Flavors of our Super Dad

          Hero Printables

          Printable Dad Awards


And that concludes my Father's Day Care Package ideas. Please share any ideas you have as well, I love hearing from all of you. Until then, happy packing!

Thanks for reading, everyone!

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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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Themed Care Packages: St. Patrick's Day

Another celebration is right around the corner, and we all know I LOVE a good themed care package. For our last holiday (check out the Valentine's Day post), I spent a lot of time on romantic gifts... but St. Patrick's Day is all about the fun!

The Hubs is of Irish descent, so I especially wanted this package to make him smile. So let's get this party started!

St. Patrick's Day Care Package Ideas:

1. Decorate the Box - As with other themed packages, decorating the box is always fun, both for you and your soldier. There are so many ways to make your box unique.

For me, I always run to the dollar store first. Stickers, wrapping paper, scrapbook doodads, foam cut-outs... these are my bread and butter. All of them are a simple, and better yet, inexpensive way to personalize your package.

Another popular way to decorate is: cover the box with reasons why you're lucky to have your spouse. Really go for it, and pick reasons that are special to you and your spouse. Be sentimental or be funny, or be something in between.

I also love to use Irish blessings and prayers, which leads me to my next idea:

2. Words of Encouragement - The Irish have so many beautiful blessings and prayers. It's easy to find a few verses that could inspire your spouse. Is your spouse into music? Send a traditional Irish CD, or an iTunes gift. 

One of my favorite prayers is this one: 

May God give you...

For every storm, a rainbow

For every tear, a smile

For every care, a promise 

And a blessing in each trial.

For every problem life sends, 

A faithful friend to share

For every sigh, a sweet song

And an answer for each prayer

Search the internet to find blessings or sayings that you like, then have at it! These can be printed and framed, sent in a card, or doodled onto your boxes. Be creative, I'm sure your hubs will appreciate the effort. 

3. Everything Green - This is probably the most obvious and best used method in a St. Patty's box (and for good reason!). When your spouse opens this particular box, let him/her be blinded by the green. It's not as hard as you might think to find green things: 

Thanks to my Grandma for modeling the giant green lollipop :)

So many food items are green! Try candy, granola bars, cookies, Rice Krispies treats, even pickles. Look through the seasonal sections of Walmart and Target, or try speciality shops like World Market. Many companies sell their items in seasonal wrappings, so it's easy to send your spouse's favorite items. 

Even hygienic items can be green: 

Just because it's Saint Patrick's Day, that doesn't mean you can't send basic items that your soldier needs. Need new sheets? Buy green ones. Socks? Army green ones! Underwear? Same deal. My Hubs particularly wanted new shower shoes, so guess what he received?

GREEN ones! 

If you're looking for green, you'll be surprised by how many items you'll find. In fact, I had to stop myself from buying too much, there were so many options.  

4. Party Supplies - Though your spouse isn't home to celebrate with you, it's nice for the soldiers to  enjoy the festivities. Try sending hats, decorations, and noise makers. You can even send along themed paper plates, napkins, and cups. 

Thanks to my Dad and my puppy for being great models! 

I found these silly hats at the Dollar Store. Fun and inexpensive, that's my motto! Decorations are also easy to come by at the same store. For holidays like this, discount stores are great place to start your shopping. 

5. Fun and Games - Every box should have a little fun in it. Try puzzle books (with green covers, of course!), green pens, or video games wrapped in green tissue paper. If your hubs is a cinema fanatic like mine, send movies that take place in Ireland. Or movies with Irish actors/directors. 

Silly toys are great too. Or gag gifts. I love the cheap t-shirts you can find at Walmart with goofy pictures and sayings on them. Try to stick with your green theme, and just about anything will fit in.

6. Photos - I suggest these for every care package you send. I bet most soldiers loves to receive pictures.  Try printing some from the last Saint Patrick's Day you shared together, and sending them in a green frame. 

Websites like Shutterfly and Snapfish are also excellent resources. They offer themed options, so you can print regular photographs with a Saint Patrick's Day border. Running low on time? Many Walmarts and drugstores have same-day printing, and they usually offer themed borders as well. 

7. "Irish" Goodies - An often requested item for care packages is coffee. Why not send Irish coffee for St. Patty's Day? If you can't find the coffee, look for flavored syrups or non-dairy creamers. Perhaps your soldier even prefers tea. 

Other fun goodies are oatmeal, oatcakes, or jams. 

If you have trouble finding these Irish goodies, try Amazon or your local World Market.

You can also personalize some basic treats to help them fit your theme. Try these ideas:

           a. Gold Coins - label with "I TREASURE you"
           b. Lucky Charms cereal - label with "I'm LUCKY to have you"
           c. Skittles candy - label with "Taste the rainbow" or "You're better than the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow" 
           d. Hershey's Kisses - label with "KISS ME, I'm Irish"
           e. Rollos candy (loose, in a clear bag) - "You're the pot of gold at the end of my rainbow"

 
If you know any other fun sayings, please feel free to share in the comments and I'll add them here (and credit you for the idea!).

* The Peas and Carrots were found at the Dollar Store... never seen these before, they're cute and fun!

8. Artwork from the Kids - This is good for any care package, and will always be on any list I make. You can work with the St. Patty's day theme, of course. Most craft stores sell seasonal craft kits for less than a few dollars apiece. Not only are these great to send your spouse, but it's a cool project for your kids and a great excuse to spend some time together.


9. Cards and Letter - Perhaps the most important part of any care package! I know not all of us are comfortable writing, and we don't always know what to say, but that's ok. A simple 'I love you' and 'I miss you' can make a world of difference. Look for cards that express your feelings, or find a funny one that would give your spouse a laugh.


So, that's all I've got for now, folks! I'd love to hear from you with other ideas to inspire fellow spouses. Feel free to share your thoughts, even your photos.

Happy packing!

READER CONTRIBUTIONS:

Submitted by a friend who is probably blushing right about now (and who wishes to remain anonymous)!

Undies are festive AND practical, plus they make great packing material! 

A great idea for decorating inside the box... I LOVE the leprechaun hat band! From a fellow army wife and her son:

Thanks for reading, everyone!

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