Back to School + Free Printable Lunch Notes

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Del Monte, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #DelMonteBTS  http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV”

Hey everyone! I feel like I've been out of the loop for a few days since I've been working so much. Generally I just work at my nursing job one day a week – sometimes two, but I've been helping fill in and am working 5 out of 6 days in a row. They asked me to do a 6 day stretch, but this Wonder Woman does have her limits! I’m definitely not complaining of the work, I feel blessed that I will always be able to find work if need be – but I also feel blessed that I don’t have to work outside of the house full time. I've felt like I haven’t even seen my family in two days! 

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After I’m done working this stretch I’m surprising the family and we are going to head over to the beach for one night with our friends. School is starting in exactly two weeks and I’m excited for the kids because they all are filled with anticipation, but I’m also kind of sad. This summer has flown by so fast that I feel like I haven’t even done half of the things I had hoped to do. Even though I crave the routine that happens during the school year, I still long for the freedom that summer allow. I’m excited for fall, but sad that summer is nearly gone. I think it’s because I feel that the kids are at perfect ages. They are all old enough that I don’t have to watch their every move, and still young enough to want to do family things together.

 Anika will be starting Jr. High this year, and we go down on Wednesday to register her. Emma will be starting 1^st grade, so it will be her first year going all day long and Noah has his last year of pre-school, so I will cherish every moment with him. I know that I can’t be there for my kids 24/7 – and that’s a hard thing for me to deal with – but I want my kids to know that I am thinking about them 24/7. I want them to always know how proud I am of them and how much I love them.  I sometimes like to leave little notes and pictures for them – like a little hello that they will find in the morning or a note in their lunch at school. I used to just place a little letter in their lunch box, but when I was doing some back to school shopping last week I had an idea. Instead of a random piece of paper in their lunches, I decided to make a list of printed notes that I could stick onto a treat in their meal. My kids love fruit – and they love fun snacks. I found these new Fruit Burst Squeezers from Del Monte that not only taste good, but are healthy too. I bought a few boxes at Walmart and they printed my little notes onto labels and then stuck them onto the individual squeezers. These will be a treat for the kids – it’s not something that I will put in their lunch every day, but perhaps on days when I know they need a little extra support and love – like on test days or when I feel that they need a little pick-me-up.

 Walmart is also offering a Back to school free print promotion going in select Super Stores! If your Super Store is participating all you have to do is bring in a photo between August 1st and September 13th (while supplies last) and you can get a free Back to School print as well as receive a coupon for $1 off Del Monte products (it will be in the envelope that holds your print.)

 If you'd like to print your own encouragement notes, you can steal mine HERE, or get creative and make your own!

Two more weeks of summer – I’m going to cherish every minute that I can.  :)

~Melissa