Care Package Ideas and Free Printable!

While Lorne was deployed he told me that whenever anyone downrange

gets a package in the mail everyone starts asking for stuff and trading,

He said "It's kind of like prison, I guess."  haha this made me laugh so hard

but it also made me step up my packages haha.

Thought I'd share some ideas here since I did a lot of googling myself!

"We're so 'Blue' without you!"

I never met a pun I didn't like.

This one is self explanatory.  I just bought everything blue I could think of.

Some items included blue (salt and vinegar) lays stax, blue candy, blueberry pop tart minis,

rice crispies, and I always included a Mio Drink Squeezer, because he likes them and had 

complained about the water.

This one was the last box I sent.  It's a Texas box, because Texas Rox!

I decorated it with Bowling For Soup lyrics "Come back to Texas!"

and a Texas flag Kolton colored.

I included Texas Rangers Peanuts, a Texas Flag, Texas Candy Bar, a jar of 

salsa his mom made from the stuff she grows in her garden.

I told you I love puns, right?!

"Orange you glad this deployment's almost over?!"

Included is cheese crackers, Mandarin oranges, chex mix, reeses, beef jerky.

Basically anything orange.

Here's the free printable to use on the Orange Box,

just set it to fill entire page and it's the perfect size to fit a medium flat rate.

I also did a St. Patrick's Day one with all green,

an Easter one that was a mini easter basket (complete with grass).

Hope these get you started.

My end of the tunnel date...Kolton starting Kindergarten

As I write this, my sweet Kolton is finishing up his first day of

Kindergarten.  This is a date I have worried about for the past

4 years.  I wondered if the other kids would realize he doesn't 

speak well, wondered if they would pick on him for it,

wondered if he would know he was different.

As I've said before Kolton was informally diagnosed 

with speech problems when he was 18 months old. 

He wasn't saying any words--at all.  

Not momma.  Not dada.  Nothing.

As proactive as I am about everything when it comes to them,

I'll admit that this slipped through the cracks.  I had just moved

to a different country, not to mention I also had a six month

old baby.  I just wasn't on the ball enough to know that his 

not talking was a problem.  

At one and a half, he had a full hearing screening, where we 

found that he can hear perfectly, I was so very grateful for that, 

but that meant it was something else.

After a year of Early Intervention, he was diagnosed with Childhood 

Apraxia of Speech.  Basically this means, he can understand what 

you say, he knows what he wants to say but just can't make the words

come out the way he wants to.  He started "Preschool Program for 

Children with Disabilities" or PPCD two days after he turned three years

old where has received regular speech therapy for the past two and a half

years.  We've been fortunate to have some really great speech therapists 

working with him and I will be forever grateful to them for helping

Kolton find his voice.

My goal was always to have Kolton speaking at age level, completely 

understandable by the time he started Kindergarten, well, today is that day.

The truth is-we aren't there yet.  We haven't made it to our destination

on this long journey, and that's okay.

  This is a marathon not a sprint.  There are no quick fixes for CAS.

I can say today that Kolton is a very smart, and sweet little boy, all he 

wants to do is play, he never lets his speech problems get in his way of making 

friends and having a good time.  I've never really witnessed kids being mean 

to him about it, mostly they ask why then get on with playing.

Kids are just like that, I guess.

To my sweet Kolton, if you ever read this:  I could not be more proud to be your mother.

Daily Schedule Free Printable

I whipped up this printable daily schedule yesterday after taking

a long hard look at our school schedule...let's just say between

two kids in two different schools, gymnastics, baby's dr's appts etc.

this stay at home mom ain't gunna be at home much. haha.

Click here or on the photo below to download it, and if you like it 

be sure to pin it!

Free Chalkboard Printable...

On the heels of my amazing experience seeing Bruno Mars

live in concert, I've been messing around with "chalkboard" printables.

So I present to you my free, "Treasure" lyric printable.

Hope you like it and if you do be sure to pin it!

Free Printable-Baby Sitter Notes

Like a lot of parents,

Eddie and I hardly ever get a night out without the kids,

in fact it's so rare that it make me anxious just thinking

about leaving them with someone who is not me

(or at least family)

In the interest of being prepared for our big night out

next week to a

Bruno Mars concert,

(gah I love me some Bruno Mars)

I went searching the internet for a babysitter

note printable.  I had trouble finding something that I really

liked, or that didn't cost money, so I got busy making my own.

Thought I'd share it with you too!

Just click on the image below and save it to your computer.

Remember, sharing is caring, if you like the image please pin it!

House Reveal Part One-Karter's Room

Say hello to the new Casa Verde!

We just bought our first house and we're super excited!

It's still in the decorating process, because it takes me a while to 

decide where I want everything, I was just thinking this afternoon, 

I might move around the sectional in the living room.

Anyway, family and friends have been asking to see it so

I figured I'd give you all a glimpse inside the one and only room

that I consider done (well done enough lol).

Karter's Room!

Karter's blanket was made by his Aunt Kenz

I painted the painting to the left

Light is from IKEA (gah, I love that store)

Elvis print I took from my grandmothers house 

This painting was done by my momma,

Karter's Nanny

I guess I got a lot of pics of his bed haha

 And another of my paintings

Big Ol' Mason Jar of Pacifiers

and one of the Singing Elvis Dogs 

my grandma had since I was a kid.

I had to have this one, it sings Jailhouse Rock!

We are still looking for a record frame to hang the

Johnny Cash albums we have, but other than that

our littlest Rockstar is all set!

Next room...Kaylee Bug's!

Our first Homecoming.

It's been a busy few weeks for the Green's

Eddie came home from his first deployment the 

last week of June.  Since it was going to be his first time

meeting Baby Karter I wanted so badly to have a photographer

there to help capture the memories from that special moment.

After some drama trying to find a photographer 

Gina from Gina Davison Photography 

http://www.ginadavisonphotography.com

was able to step in at literally the last minute for 

us (shout out to Gina for being awesome)

Aren't they the sweetest

and the silliest?!

 The plan was just landing!

The big moment! 

Sweet Kaylee would not let go of Daddy's leg

Daddy brought Kaylee a bracelet back

(sidenote: she lost it in the bathroom of the airport about 5 minutes later haha)

Our first official family of five photo

(I don't know what's going on with my face though haha)