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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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August 22, 2012

Lunchbox Notes

I’ll never forget packing my son’s lunch for the first day of first grade.
I couldn’t believe that he was going to be eating it with all of those other kids instead of at home with me…where he belonged!
The night before school started, I began lovingly making and packing each item for his lunch.
There may or may not have been some tears that made it into the lunchbox too.
back to school, lunchbox, lunchbox note

Once it was all ready to be put in the fridge overnight, I made sure to write a little note to him on his napkin so he would know how much we loved him…that we were praying for him…that we were proud of him.
Now, here we are on the precipice of him starting Third Grade in two short weeks and he isn’t the only one who has learned a lot over the last two years.

I’ve learned that boys don’t use napkins packed in their lunches.

They probably never see the light of day.

Case in point…one day I went to pick him up from school and noticed that his pants were covered in some sort of orange colored streaks.

When consulted about this he informed me that he “had to wipe off the Cheetos on something, right mom?” To which I replied, “Well you had a napkin in there.” To which he replied, “I did?”

So, in order to continue to pour out my mushy-gushy mommy love on him, I decided to come up with a solution. A way that he wouldn’t ever miss those notes I was writing him.

I was going to make a Lunchbox Note Pocket!

Here’s what you will need:
1) Hot Glue Gun
2) Ribbon
3) Photo Sleeve cut out of an album

Oh, and make sure that the album is as awesome as this green and white gingham one with daisies on it that someone gave you at a bridal shower. Pretty snazzy, huh?

Aw yeah. 

Once you’ve cut/torn the photo sleeve out of the album, attach it by applying the hot glue to the lid of the lunchbox (don’t try to put the glue on the photo sleeve first..trust me it won’t stick!)
and then quickly press the photo sleeve onto the lid.

Next, use some cute ribbon you found that looked perfect for “Back to School” and if you are worried that your son might tell you that it looks too “baby-ish” since they are going to be learning cursive this year and all, you tell him that he should just be happy that you didn’t pick the ribbon with the choo-choo trains on it because they reminded you of when he loved playing with his little wooden trains. So there!

back to school

Then, write a note and slip it into the Lunchbox Note Pocket!

Take deep breaths as you write out the words “third grade” and hold back the tears.

There will be plenty of time for them when you make his lunch the night before school starts. 
Besides, his younger sister is starting Kindergarten so you might as well just save all of the blubbering and get it over in one fell swoop, right?
Be sure to come back tomorrow when we will be introducing you to a new face you might just start seeing more of around the Fence!
AND, don’t forget that there is still plenty of time to enter to win the 
$1,000 Visa Gift Card from
Kraft Capri Sun Super V!

Click here to enter!

Thanks so much for joining me at the Fence today!

1553F4F30A9801A6AFB3E9C624118E7B

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21 Comments Filed Under: Crafts, Family, Good Ideas, Kids

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Comments

  1. NanaDiana says

    August 21, 2012 at 8:58 PM

    Vanessa- What a great idea. I used to tuck notes in all my kids’ lunchboxes everyday. That ended when it became cooler (and cheaper for me) for the to buy lunch from the school cafeteria- Blessing for your BIG guy going back to school- xo Diana

    Reply
  2. Ceekay-THINKIN of HOME/Doublewide Decor says

    August 21, 2012 at 9:05 PM

    Cute idea….oh I remember tucking notes, new erasers…etc in the kids lunch…and then they got too cool to take a lunch…then, they drove to lunch…they are in their 30’s now…so you want to blubber together???

    Reply
  3. Four Marrs and One Venus says

    August 21, 2012 at 9:07 PM

    What an adorable idea! Love the Pocket!!

    Reply
  4. Homey Home Design says

    August 21, 2012 at 9:10 PM

    Very cute!

    Reply
  5. Susan (My Place to Yours) says

    August 21, 2012 at 9:36 PM

    Aw, what a great Mom you are, Vanessa! Sometimes I really miss those days of tucking notes into lunch boxes. Most days I’m simply glad to know young Moms still do it! Best wishes and God’s richest blessings for fantastic 3rd grade and Kindergarten memory-making in the year ahead!

    Reply
  6. Geneva says

    August 21, 2012 at 9:45 PM

    Love this idea! You did good!

    Reply
  7. ℳartina @ Northern Nesting says

    August 21, 2012 at 10:40 PM

    I LOVE this idea Vanessa! Going to be a copy cat and do this for my youngest, she’ll love it!!

    Reply
  8. Christine says

    August 21, 2012 at 10:45 PM

    Such a great idea! I’ve discovered that third grade little girls don’t use napkins either. I always pack a treat in her lunch and this year its rice crispies and they have an area just to write a note, brillant idea!!

    Reply
  9. Pam - @diy Design Fanatic says

    August 22, 2012 at 12:02 AM

    Very cute idea!
    I always tucked a special note in their lunch on the first day of school. One year my daughter didn’t find it because it was in a pocket and was disappointed. When I picked her up she said I forgot to put a note in her new lunch box, but was happy when I told her it was in once of the pockets.

    Reply
  10. classic • casual • home says

    August 22, 2012 at 4:25 AM

    Oh that choked me up….I remember the Note Days. My children have turned out so well…and who knew what I was doing!

    Reply
  11. Debbie says

    August 22, 2012 at 9:38 AM

    This is a fantastic idea! I remember the note days very well. I remember the first day of kindergarten days, too.

    Reply
  12. Yvonne @ StoneGable says

    August 22, 2012 at 2:05 PM

    I love this idea Vanessa! I remember sending love notes to my babies too! I just wish I would have had a wonderful note pocket to put them in! Very very clever and something your children will remember!
    I laughed out loud about your son’s cheetos stains. Boy, can I relate!!!
    Please stop by StoneGable later later this evening and join TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS…
    what a great DYI!

    Reply
  13. Kelly says

    August 22, 2012 at 3:16 PM

    That’s such a cute idea for the lunchbox! I pack my son’s lunch every morning. I just bought him some of those new Capri Sun’s to try too.

    Reply
  14. Becca says

    August 22, 2012 at 8:10 PM

    Aw, Vanessa … what a great idea !! I love that you made something permanent … and, I know that he’ll look forward to your sweet notes every day !! You’re such a great Mommy. My Mom used to put notes in my lunchbox every day for a few years … I did it randomly for Jax last year, but need to be more consistent this year … before he gets *too cool* or embarrassed, right? Thanks again for sharing !!

    Reply
  15. Forbrukslån på dagen says

    August 23, 2012 at 6:12 AM

    Discussed about the lunch box notes we can be know that and find in this types instruction we can able to understand .when we go to office ,school and any other picnic place then how to make our lunch box and how to work and used in this type lunch box. Most of the people are very like it and do enjoy it.

    Reply
  16. Catie @ Catie's Corner says

    August 23, 2012 at 2:55 PM

    OK Vanessa, you got me all teary. My daughter will be starting first grade soon and I will definitely be doing this! What an awesome idea. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  17. Amy Hadden says

    August 24, 2012 at 3:52 PM

    Hi,
    Cute lunchbox note pocket idea. I have the solution to fill those pockets with cute notes. I post free printable lunch notes every school morning on my site https://littlelunchnotes.com/. Illustrated jokes, fun facts, etc. – please take a look.

    Reply
  18. Crystelle says

    August 25, 2012 at 12:28 AM

    This is a GREAT idea! Thanks for the tip….!
    I will be using this…!

    Reply
  19. Stacy Curran says

    August 25, 2012 at 6:41 PM

    This is the sweetest idea ever!! Thanks for sharing!
    Stacy

    Reply
  20. Anna says

    August 28, 2012 at 4:16 PM

    I love love love this idea! I am SO going to do this when Malea gets a little older and can read better. 🙂

    Anna

    Reply
  21. Lyn Tibbitts says

    May 16, 2013 at 2:56 PM

    This is such a cute idea! And I love how you were inspired to create it. Haha.

    I saw this project on Kickstarter and thought it might be something you could apply to your work, especially something like this!

    https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/376749862/tag-on-that-print-anything-on-anything?ref=live

    Hope you have a great week!

    Reply

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