Care Packages

We have been so blessed by care packages this year.

Chicago Fan:

From our Chicago Fan we recently got a lavender wrapped gift box stocked with fresh fruits & veggies,

Spiderman washcloths for the boys,

fruit snacks, Koolaid, drink sweeteners, pepperoni,

silly straws, gum, yogurt covered raisins & so much more.

It came during a particularly brutal week, so it was a much needed highlight!

Thank you, girl. We love ya!!!

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Emily:

 From my sweet friend Emily I got an amazing Mama care package.  It had chocolates and treats, a to-go coffee mug, which I have used every Saturday since to take my morning pick-me-up with to Saturday Social at the school,

as well as three books to help me grow my faith.

My absolute favorite thus far is Jesus Today by Sarah Young.  It's short devotionals are easy to read each day and help me feel connected.  It has been such a blessing to read.

Thank you for your thoughtfulness Emily.

It truly touched my heart.

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The Brown Family:

Josh's cousin Nathan & his wife Dunnette sent us an awesome care package during Christmas break.

It was stuffed with goodies!  Werther's originals, movies for date night,

Pepperoni for pizza, fruit snacks, puzzles for the boys,

homemade cough drops,

a box of Goldfish (Wyatt's personal favorite!)

and mini chocolates for each of the boys.

We absolutely love Nathan & Dunnette.

So much so that we named Wyatt Wyatt Nathanial after Nate!

And every time my boys see a picture of their little boy, Caleb, they ask when we're going to see him again.  They think he's the cutest!  And they're right!

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Kari:

My friend Kari has seriously gotten me through the last few weeks.  Mornings when I would wake up crying, I would text or call her, and she would talk me through, promising me that better days would come.

She was right, and I have been so grateful for her friendship, love & support.

She sent me a "Stress Less" care package with Hugs, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Scentsy, socks, hair ties, an inspirational decoration to start my mornings off right (it says "Pray More, Worry Less"), tea & an adorable tea mug, plus a million bath items I can't wait to use.

She also got me a book, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, and three beautiful journals.

That package wasn't only for me.

Kari also included pencil bags & pencils for the boys,

beef jerky for Josh,

and these adorable,

hilarious disguises for these crazy kids of mine!

I am so grateful for my amazing friendship with Kari and so blessed to have had her by my side through the last couple months.  

I love you, girl!  More than a trip to Panera!

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Kristina:

My sweet friend Kristina recently moved to a farm in Illinois, and if you recall, sent me boxes of apples in the fall.  Those apples are the gift that keeps on giving. When I received them, I sliced them up and stored bag after bag of them in my freezer. Just last week I pulled some out and made an apple cake. It put a huge smile on my face to have fresh apples in the middle of February!

This care package, like all the others, was full of little joys.

Scentsy wax (Luna & Jet Set Go-- holy delicious!), homemade strawberry jam, dried apples (that Wyatt went gaga over!) and cookie cutters.  And I'm in love with the sticky notes & pens she sent me.

She also sent the boys a book, Spiderman markers, Phineas & Ferb folders and spiral notebooks, a balloon craft for school, a pack of card games, new toothpaste & their favorite cereal-- Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

Wyatt's second favorite (after the dried apples) was the bag of m&m's she sent him.

He started to open them, and I told him he had to save them for movie night.  He continued opening them anyway, and this is his, "I dare you to try and tell me no" face.

Unfortunately for him, that face doesn't work on me.  But I did enjoy capturing it. We ended up transferring the m&m's to a baggie for him to save for Saturday night.  Little stinker!

~Kristina, truly, your thoughtfulness and kind words have been such a boon to me through this difficult time.  I am beyond grateful for you... and your apple orchard!~

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Erika:

Erika is a friend I made through my blog.  We text (mostly laughing lately about how the weather in Wisconsin and Alaska has traded places) and cheer each other on through the week. It's lovely to have another friend to reach out to when I'm feeling lonely up here.

When I saw a package from her on the kitchen table (thank you Josh for being our mail delivery man!) I knew enough to get excited!!!

Inside the box was a new movie for the boys to watch on movie night (perfect timing!), 

and a candle for mommy!

There was also stickers (Mickey Mouse, superheroes & Easter ones) a set of card games, Grab & Go Playpacks (which are our preferred activity on planes!) white boards, markers, crayons & erasers that the twins can use in school (so awesome!!!) St. Patrick's Day window appliques, a set of Doug & Melissa paint pages, an adorable set of "blank books" for the boys to create stories inside and those fun lasso-sticky-hands that kids LOVE to play with.  She also sent a Word Play book that I think will be really fun (and funny!) to play with Logan & Jack, a pack of glow sticks, as well as toothpaste & toothbrushes for the little guys.

Wyatt's two favorites were:

the new books (Llama Llama Red Pajama and Snow Bear)

and the bag of "only marshmallows" she sent.

They are like Lucky Charms, without the oat cereal pieces.

The kid was in heaven!

"Mom, can I have these?!?"

:)

I will admit, I had some too, and they're pretty much *magic*!

We also got chocolate covered cherries, Angry bird graham cracker snacks, two types of deluxe buttermilk pancake mix, beef jerky (Josh is also in heaven!) and cheese. Holy Wisconsin Cheese Awesomeness!!!  Squeaky, Mild Cheddar, Colby Jack and Vegetable Jack... We're eating cheese like it's going out of style!

Erika, your package could not have come at a better time. It has entertained my kids through this three-day weekend we've had, and made me feel so loved!  I especially appreciate the bracelet, which is beautiful and thoughtful.

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As you have probably picked up... We love getting mail!  It spices up otherwise boring weeks, and gets things into my boys' hands that we wouldn't normally have access to.

If you're thinking of sending a package, check out our Care Packages page (which has our address & some shipping tips).  And here's a list of things we're enjoying currently.

What We Love:

Koolaid

crafts for the boys

gum

granola bars

fruit snacks

We really do appreciate everything that comes our way.  

And thank you {again} to all you girls who have sent such awesome care packages recently!!!

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"A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions,

and the roots spring up and make new trees."

-Amelia Earheart