Shopping List for Care Packages

Here are a few sugestions of things to send your soldier. Edit for your soldier's needs and likes. As far as wipes my husbad LOVES the traval pack huggies wipes. They come in a plastic bag with a flip top and you can find them at almost any store that sells baby whipes. James says these work the best, they are soft on skin, and very portable.

Food Items
Tuna/Chicken/Salmon–foil pouches
Vienna Sausage–small pop-top cans
Jerky–small packages
Protein Bars
Granola Bars
Sunflower/Pumpkin Seeds & Nuts
Trail Mix
Coffee Singles
Instant Oatmeal
Dried Fruit (Raisins, etc.)
Fruit–in pop-top cans/cups
Fruit Rollups
Green Chili/Small Cans or Bags
Candies–individually wrapped
Chewing Gum
Microwave Popcorn
Pop Tarts
Shelf-Stable Microwavable Items
Single-serving Drink Mix Tubes (Kool-Aid, Crystal Light, etc.)
Tea Bags
Individual Green Tea bags or tubes
Single serving packs of coffee
Pringles
Home made cookies and treats

Toiletries (travel size):
Bath Soap
Shampoo
Conditioner
White Tube Socks (New)
Wash cloths (New)
Small hand towels (New)
Dental Floss
Deodorant
Disposable Razors
Kleenex
Lip Balm
Lotion
Mouthwash
Foot Powder
Sunscreen
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Q-tips
Emery boards, nail clippers, tweezers
Wet Wipes travel size
Insect Repellent (NO AEROSOL)
Shave GEL (NO AEROSOL)

Other
Pens & Pencils
Pocket Word/Math Game Books
Zipper Bags (sandwich, snack, and quart-size)
Gloves
White Tube Socks
Wash cloths
Small hand towels
Bounce dryer sheets
Disposable cameras

Your Thoughts.

I am thinking about adding things you can do at home to keep yourself and or your children busy while your spouse is away. If you this is something you would be interested in please leave a comment and tell me so. If I get 5 replys or more I will begin posting not only package ideas but also ideas for yourself and your children. Please let me know!

U.S. Postal Service

The U.S, Postal service provides package materials free of charge to this wishing to send packages to out military personal, go here for more information. If you Call (800) 610-8734 and ask for Care kit 4 they will send you:

1. 10 boxes

2. 10 customs forms with envelopes

3. 10 "Mili-Pac" shipping envelopes which are specially printed to reflect the complexities of military mailing addresses

4. a roll of Priority Mail tape

The Army Wives Dream Come True!

I don't know what you have heard but this program is a dream come true! With Skype all you need is a microphone, a computer, a web connection, and a web cam! You can get a head set with a microphone for $8 at wall mart, you can get a web cam at walmart for $10+ depending on how nice of one you want! As far as the Internet and computer go i would hope you already have them to communicate with your loved one. Skype is FREE! When you want to talk to and see your loved one at the same time Skype is the perfect solution. Like anything else you should both have a decent connection for it to work right. I have had experienced delays, dropped calls, and a few complications but i wouldn't trade it for anything it is second best to my husband being home. The only cost Skype charges is to call land lines or cell phones. Anything computer to computer is free. Just go to the web site, http://www.skype-official.com/, download, create your identity, tell your loved one to do the same thing, add each other to your contact lists and start talking, face to face, for FREE!!!! Have fun!!!!

Great Ideas!

My Army wife girl Nikki gave me a few more GREAT ideas! Boots and shoes that are worn a lot get really stinky! So Nikki said to send......

Yes that's right! Dryer sheets.... have your man/woman switch out pairs of boots... wear one pair then when you take them off put a dryer sheet in each one, wear your other pair of boots then switch! Also another great dryer sheet idea is as an air freshener! Nikki says her husband stuffs a few dryer sheets in the ac slats and it acts as an air freshener, if you send 2 different scents then they can switch them out once a week to make that smelly man room smell just a bit better, and it doesn't take up an outlet!

Drinks

My husband loves water but drinking water 24/7 gets old fast. I still want him hydrated and not drinking soda all the time make up for lack of flavor so I send him the water bottle drink mixes! Lemonade, hi-c, gatoraid, coolaid! He loves it because he is still getting water but it is flavored! Only problem is he seems to go through them pretty quickly lol.

Other Ways to Spice Up a Room

You can send small rugs or carpets so when they get out of the bed in the morning they don't have to put their feet down on a cold floor.

Send actually pictures and some scotch tape so they can put pictures on the wall.

send colorful sheets/pillow cases. something cozy from home to brighten up a white room.

The most important thing to remember when you send these thing is go cheep! Send things that your loved one can use but can leave there for another soldier or toss when he comes home. It is nice for some of these little luxuries to be passed on so don't spend too much and don't expect it to come home, this includes curtains, toys, sheets, etc. Remember BE CREATIVE!

Creativity

There is nothing better than Creativity! Solutions for privacy! One this can be used to hide rooms you don't want seen that don't have doors, to divide a room for a little more privacy or to section off a room so there seems to be two!

My Army wife sister Nikki sent her hubby a curtain and shower rod, he had two cabinets one on either side of his room he placed the curtain on the rod and put it up between the two cabinets making a door way for his bed area. that way if someone came in the door there was privacy in the bed room area.

My husband also wants privacy with his roommate. So I sent him a 20 ft. length of rope, some hooks that screw into the wall, and a couple of curtains to hang across the room to create a seance of their own space and some privacy.

shower/window curtain (none see through)= $10-$20
shower rod (spring or twist)= $5-$15
length of rope= $10
wall hooks= $5
A happy hubby= Priceless

Toy Box

My husband and his roommate happened to mention that they where board and had very little to do... Well Wal-mart has this great section within the toy section that contains a ton of random little toys for only a dollar! So I got him and his roommate each little air plane launchers, and disc shooters, and race cars, and a few card games, just a lot of little things that little kids have fun with that when board enough these big strong grown men soldiers will see and automatically turn into little boys and have the time of their lives with! I call it a boardum box. a bunch of little things to help pass the time when there isn't much to do :)