Cloud pets are AMAZING!

So I love that we have come so far electronically for kids deploying with deployments, or just long distance parents. A friend of mine shared a link for the cloud pet with me and I fell in love! The concept is awesome! (no I am not even getting paid to say that!) We ended up getting one for each child the concept is really easy you send messages to a cloud and they are approved by the parent and added to the toy. They can in turn record one back. Its not the same as talking but its getting close :) My kids are so excited when they wake up and see the heart flashing with a new message from daddy. 

We had them set up as a big surprise sent from daddy and set up with a new message for each of them to listen to when they first got them. That moment when they heard dads voice, PRICELESS! Totally worth the $40

We have them send a message a couple times a week, and they get one from him a couple times a week too. Added bonus, you can record a bunch at one time and send them one at a time later, so when he is out of touch they can still get new messages from him. For the youngest ones its so important to hear his voice often. 

Septembers care package ~ Can't help falling in love with you.

Septembers theme was can't help falling in love with you, so fall :).

I got a candle that smells like fall lol, well things that make me think of fall, S'mores! I got some snacks because I always send snacks, and some hot apple cider mix. (Bacon flavored ritz crackers for the win) :) 

Of course letters, pictures and we made hugs :) 

I didn't get a picture of them :( I forgot. But we traced them on butchers paper and then they colored them in and we rolled them up to add to the box so daddy can get a hug from his babies. You could trace them on left over wrapping paper too and then one side they color and the other is the wrapping paper :) 

...One month down....

So its officially been a month.
A month...
Only a month!?
I swear its been so much longer than a month! Okay technically it has been for us, we did have the whole of last year apart too, although he was in country so most don't count that, but we were living a couple hundred miles apart so screw them it counts!

This is our one month down picture, we are going to do this every month until daddy comes home. I am guessing by the end it will be me crying and rocking my self while they set the house on fire. Too dramatic? 

I know I am lucky I have 3 healthy kids and people have it worse, but there are some challenges to that too. I have 3 very active kids, like wake up at 5 up until 10-11 active, loud mostly happy kids. I work from home... I have no family with in 6 hours, I have no real break. I know I could send them to day care but that feels like a cop out. Nothing against working moms that do it, but since I am home, working or not, I can't justify it to myself. 

I can honestly say after a little over a year of doing it all, and another year facing me I am already having moments of just over it! I miss my partner, I miss being able to talk about the end and listen to his at bed time. I miss staying up in to the wee hours of the morning talking about anything. Before he left a year ago I knew this would be the hardest part for me the lack of having that person to talk too. Friends are wonderful, and I love talking with them, but there are things I can't say to them that I can to him. Sometimes well meaning friends are the reason I need to talk to him. The comments that are meant supportive but really make you want to slap someone, or drink, cause drinking is better than violence right? 

So yes back to the point one month down! Exciting right? Only 11-13 more to go! 

August care package

This months theme is favorites snacks.

I collected a bunch of his favorite snacks and a shirt I know he will love. I try to get tons of snacks so there are extras for others. Individual sizes I find ship better, range of cookies, gum, candy, crackers, and popcorn. 

The kids and I will color pictures and things to round out the rest of the package. Of course each month I send a hand written personal letter that I work on through out the month of whatever is going on here at home.

I try to write a little each day, some days are more interesting than others :) 

The flaps are done with scrapbook paper and stickers, and photo corners so the pictures can be saved easily. 

Coping with lonely nights

Night time when the house is finally quiet, kids are asleep is the time I normal cuddle up with my husband. We watch tv, and talk, just lay together, so when the time comes for bed, I'm so lonely.

I've tried sleeping in his shirts, he doesn't wear anything so this is kinda pointless for me other than a baggy shirt. I recently bought a body pillow, I tuck it in on his side so when I roll on my side it's against my back it's comforting. Don't get me wrong it's a crappy substitute, wouldn't say much for him if it wasn't, but it is comforting. I've seen a really expensive pillow that plays his heart beat it glows or some craziness when he's near it but hello time difference! It would be all sweet and glowy when I wasn't near it. I'm waiting for teleportation that will be sweet! Just beam back over in the morning. 

So what do you do on the lonely nights or moments? How do you get through? I am totally open to suggestions and ideas let's help each other out here :)