Stealthy-wife projects : Care Packages

Boy oh boy am I behind on posts. This one was supposed to come right after the boat blanket post. Anyway, here are the rest of my stealthy-wife projects.

Since he's on a boomer submarine they don't go into port, and as such don't get mail except the occasional unguaranteed mail drop. But our awesome FRG organizes for them to take care packages with them and distribute them to the guys on a specific day. I always theme my care packages. This time it was "warm and cozy". It took me weeks to collect all the pieces for it. And some of what I got didn't fit in the box so he'll get it when he gets home. I also collected small gifts and cards from a bunch of his family so he could get gifts and messages from them too since he won't be home for the holidays.

We are limited to a shoe-box sized box. I'm sure I am pushing it by using one of his size 12 shoes boxes. But that was honestly the only shoebox we had in the house besides a pointe-shoe box which wouldn't have even fit the beef jerky. Also, I had the hardest time finding this wrapping paper. If I would have known that "flannel" is actually called "gingham" it would have made things much easier! I had to order is online, but I was really disappointed that it came flat and folded so it already had crease lines in it. But, what can you do at that point, right?

 

 

 

 

 

Lets see if I can remember what all was in this box now. As you can see, there is a beanie, some really heavy duty waterproof work gloves, and some warm socks with a pocket for some toe warmers. Also in that box is a miniature christmas tree, hot cocoa and some hot teas, a collapsible cup, two bags of jerky, cards and gifts from his parents, my parent's, his grandmothers and some of his family in California. Also, a few packs of hand, foot, and toe warmers.Oh, and a dvd of a fire place, lol. So he can turn on his fireplace, set up his little tree, and open presents. It may not be on christmas, but I wanted him to have as much of a Christmas as possible. There was also a "do not open till christmas" present. Though I have no idea if he'll get it before or after christmas. :) I think there was a couple more things but I can't remember now. I sent it off weeks ago before they left.

 

This was a great exercise in puzzle piecing. It took about three attempts to get it all in there. Besides being cute, there was a reason I tied the lid on.

I also included this poem that told him about everything in the box and tied the whole theme together.

A tight fit! But I got it all in there. It weighs a ton! Hope he has fun unwrapping it.

And then we did end up getting a mail drop which I packed as, basically, a dehydrated thanksgiving dinner. I know they serve one on the boat but Monkey is doing some super diet underway and he refuses to eat anything except his regimented diet plan. But, he said if I sent him something he would eat it. I don't think he was planning on my sending this, but, I got a little carried away. 

So this is his entire holiday meal. That was all fit into a gallon zip lock baggy (our size limit for mail drops). As you can see I had to make some creative substitutions. I could not for the life of me find any gluten free TURKEY jerky. It all had soy sauce on it. Plenty of regular beef jerky to be found but not turkey jerky. So I found, instead, some cured smoked salmon. Salmon... turkey.... almost the same, right? Well it's better than boat food anyway. So, then you can see I also sent some "cranberry sauce", and "Pumpkin Pie" etc. The mashed potatoes are probably the closest thing. They're the just add water kind. I had to take some of this out of it's packages and into smaller baggies to make room for everything. There were also some goodies and cards from his family to complete it.

I had to make and pack the big care package while he was home, so I had to be super stealthy. Lots of random errands to run, and lots of stuff coming in from internet orders. (He wasn't allowed to go in the closet if he was at the apartment) A couple of missed web cam sessions. I told him "Pre-deployments are like Christmas. When I have secret errands to run, you just don't ask questions because it's probably for you." The mail drop was much easier since he was already gone, but it still took me three shopping trips to find everything.