Boys Night/Game-Themed Care Package

Sometimes the simplest things in life, like playing cards, can be easily forgotten when you're away from home. I put together a Games Package of things I picked up at Target for about $20.

POKER NIGHT PACKAGE:
*Two decks of Playing Cards (Jack Daniels brand decks.. a reminder of his favorite!) 
*A Pack of Dice 
*Pretend Money (from the kid's goody bag/birthday aisle, also at party-supply stores) 
*List of Games (written on index cards w/ adhesive laminating sheets from CVS)
Ranging from one-player games to some you can play with 10+ guys
A few easy to play/explain in case the soldiers teach ANA guys or local children how to play
Rules to different Poker games which I found online
... also found confusing, since I'm happy with a magic trick as far as cards go :) 
*Last but not least... COOKIES (of course!)

As Good As It Gets

My soldier has a serious love for strawberry ice cream; however, since ice cream can't make it home from the grocery store without melting, getting it to him is just not a possibility until he comes home (in six weeks!!). Til then, and because I feel that astronaut ice cream is just plain weird, this is as good as it gets: Strawberry snacks!

Strawberry Short Cakes, Twizzlers, Pop Tarts, 100 Calorie Strawberry cupcakes (I know, I know, but they were too cute to pass up), Strawberry Sugar Wafer cookies, Strawberry Ensure (these have really long expiration dates and are shelf-sustainable, so these are good to send at all times), Strawberry granola bars & Strawberry Instant Oatmeal. Oh, and best of all... strawberry marshmallows! I was quite proud of myself for this find, so hopefully they are as exciting to receive as they were to find!

Spring... means Summer is getting closer!!

These went out last week with photos of the beach & lots of beautiful American sunshine to look forward to... til then, one patient (sort of) day at a time! At least until summer (and homecoming) I can listen to American Honey to pass the time.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Goodie Bags & Candy Galore.
...enough to share, since it is the holiday of spreading the love, and there is plenty to go around for these guys :)

These adorable Conversation Heart boxes are made of plastic but are strong, and stay closed with the lids on... each bearing a different little Valentine's message. 

The goodie-bags also included a mix of Valentine's Day candy and individual Valentine's Day cards in this little pink mailbox I purchased at Michaels.  I used adhesive-backed felt letters and put their Troop numbers along the side without the flag.

 Last but not least, Valentine's Day Cookies!!

JETS Football Surprise Package

So, for football fans (or any sport) it is one thing to miss out on a season, quite another when the season is as exciting as that of the New York Jets this year. Being a sports fan myself, I would have been devastated, so I imagine it was tenfold for my soldier, to miss out on all of the games and excitement. What is the solution? Bring the Jets to Afghanistan (so to speak).

Care Package Contents (photos below):
Copies of game tape, recorded onto DVDs
JETS Cheerleader Calendar
JETS-issued camouflage winter hat
JETS Sweatshirt
JETS insulated coffee mug
Football Cookies (Double Chocolate Chip Footballs)
Jersey Cookies (Sugar Cookies, Home & Away)
Team Logo Cookie
Photos of him with friends & family at past games

Happy New Year!

New Year's Eve 2010... in Afghanistan

To help the guys ring in the new year, I put together a next-best-thing celebration & toast package. Party poppers, party horns and party hats. Since New Year's Eve-- as far as I'm concerned-- must involve champagne, I had to think outside the box on this one. You can't send alcohol, obviously, and I searched high and low for sparkling grape juice in anything other than glass (no luck): Welch's white grape juice and plastic champagne glasses for a 2010 toast!

Christmas Letters

Rather than sending more candy, which I know there was a ton of around the holidays, I decided to reach out to my local community (including friends, family members, the sisters of a sorority from the undergraduates at my current graduate school, and anyone who was interested in sharing their love and support for the soldiers). Initially I planned to craft a box or a giant stocking to send these in once collected, but I found at Michaels, the Arts & Crafts store for $2.99 this amazing Christmas Gift Bag, already bearing the perfect message: Don't Open 'Til December 25th!

What a great deal (as is everything at that store, which has come to be like a second home to me throughout this deployment... you'd be surprised how many good ideas come to you while wandering up and down the aisles... more to come!)

Anyway, here is how it turned out:

Thanksgiving is on its way!!

Marie Calendar Turkey & Stuffing Meals (in the 'super pasta' aisle)
Werthers Originals
Ginger Snaps
Small pop-top cans of Corn and String Beans
Sweet Potato Chips
Microwave Popcorn
Dried Cranberries
Apple Cider Mix
Home-made Apple Spice Cakes (from muffin mix)
Apple Cinnamon Applesauce
Homestyle Gravy (wrapped in bubble wrap & zip-lock bag!)
Betty Crocker Instant Mashed Potatoes (just add water!)
Dunkin Donuts resealable coffee big-bag

Happy Halloween!

Trick-or-Treat... Well, just treats for these guys! 

Home-made Halloween sugar cookies (this was my first attempt at decorating with royal icing so I practiced a few times and threw out a LOT of cookies, but I was proud of my work).

 

Individual Halloween-themed goodie bags filled to the brim with gummy insects, candy corn and tons more.

 I also included some Halloween photos from past years, just for fun!

Theme: Under The Sea

A fun idea for a themed care package is an Under The Sea or Ocean theme. Since I have been ever so kindly asked to "send edible things" I focused on candy for this one!  *Photos Coming Soon!*


What I bought:
Swedish Fish, Lifesavers, Goldfish Crackers, SharkBites Fruit Snacks, Towel (see "packaging" below)


What I made:
I drew an Octopus* on a small piece of posterboard. On leg #1 I wrote "Read on each day this week!" and then wrote a different message on the remainig legs (#2 - #8). I covered each message with blue painter's tape and wrote the days of the week on each one. This way, even though the candy will probably be eaten right away, there will be somethign to look forward to for the next few days!


Packaging:
I wrapped* all of the snacks in blue tissue paper with white ribbon. I put a new towel* (washed at home and folded with dryer sheets so it smells good) in the bottom of the box and then the candy on top! As always, I put anything edible, even wrapped, inside freezer-size zip-lock bags just in case!