Care Packages

So boxes.
My life, since I arrived here in Marshall, has revolved around boxes.  Full boxes, empty boxes, organized boxes, messy boxes, old boxes, new boxes.  Last week Josh brought home two boxes that my parents had shipped for me of our belongings from Carol's house, and it had been so cold outside that everything in the Ziploc bag above froze except the nail polish remover, because it has alcohol in it.  The antibacterial spray was frozen solid and the soap, and the neosporin, and all my nail polishes. Hard as a rock, all of it.  It's so cold here that when the boxes were placed on the hard wood floor and later moved to where I wanted them, the floor remained cold for a long time because the contents of the box had been frozen. 

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 When Josh gets home from the post office, his friends (& coworkers) are usually trailing behind him, helping bring all the boxes into the house.  The boys have only been here two weeks and already LOVE mail.  They have been so bummed the last two days because Josh has worked late and not run to the post office.

When we get boxes it's like Christmas. Only better. Some boxes have our own belongings, which is like be reunited with a long lost friend, and other boxes have new items, shipped with love from people back home, which is like making new friends.

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In addition to bringing us our old belongings and new belongings, boxes also bring us our groceries. No more trips to Winco, self bagging a cart & a half of groceries while the twins duke it out and the baby screams in the Ergo... 

No, no. We are in new territory here.  My groceries come to me from Walmart in Anchorage, all saran wrapped, bubble wrapped & place snugly into their boxes marked 1/3, 2/3 and 3/3 for J.Cunningham.

Grand total for three boxes of groceries:

$402.34

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Care Packages, though, are the icing on our boxy cake! Of all the packages we get, Care Packages with fun themes are our favorite. Particularly if they include something fun & new for Jack & Logan to try.  

Take Roxanne's first Care package...

 In it was:

Directions for how to "Eat Dirt!"

And... Oreos, pudding, cups, baggies & gummy worms.

We set right to work following her fun, colorful directions.

First you put the Oreos in the baggies and you SMASH them!

Then you put the pudding into the clear cups,

and sprinkle the CRUSHED Oreos on top.

Then you put the worms in their new dirty home,

And Voila! You are ready to Eat Dirt!

(A super fun project for the kids & delicious to eat as well!)

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We also loved this Care Package from Nanny:

Chocolate cake mix, which we used to make chocolate waffles on the waffle iron (yum!); Crunch Berries for those times when Mommy just doesn't want to cook; Limited Edition animal crackers with Polar Bears on the front; and a toy for Wyatt's high chair tray that he can't throw on the floor during a round of his favorite game- "Mommy picks up all the toys off the floor 100 times a day." It's a hoot. You should try it.

And in another box from Nanny?

A much loved pair of hand-me-up Uggs from Roxanne

that my mom cleaned & had re-soled

that keep my feet nice & toasty on my oh-so-cold Alaska floors!

Wyatt loves his new toy!

So do I!

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We also recently received a Valentine Care Package from Julie.

This was my personal favorite!

She included hand-made blocks that spell different Valentine sayings...

Like {HUGS}

{XOXO}

{LOVE}

{KISS}

And of course, {SEXI}

Wait minute... I don't think...

Joshua!

 (Every morning when I wake up & open the blinds in the kitchen, 

I find my cute Valentine blocks morphed into something 

other than the sweet selections Julie made for me. 

Like {LOGS} or the aforementioned {SEXI}... Makes me giggle.)

She also made this {LOVE} banner, which I love! (no pun intended)

And she sent along Valentine cups, plates, balloons & window decals that make the whole house feel full of love & ready for the February holiday.

~

She also sent along some things for the boys...

Like this train set, which we are in the process of painting.

They were so excited to do this project.

They were really paying close attention to detail.  It was fun to watch.

They aren't finished yet, but already their trains both look so distinct.

Jack using all the colors and favoring the yellow,

while Logan made his mostly red & black.

I can't wait to see the finished product & let the boys drive them on their new train table.

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 We have received other Care Packages as well...

Blankets & books,

Food & home goods,

Washcloths & Swiffer refills

We are so grateful for them all.

Keep 'em coming. They put a *sparkle* into what would otherwise be an ordinary day here in rural Alaska.  And if you have any questions about shipping or ideas, visit my Care Packages page, or e-mail me: rcunningham18@hotmail.com

Happy Mailing!!!