You can always find packages for like Christmas, Easter, and birthdays, but I had the hardest time finding one for every month. So here is what I did. I have not missed a month...yet. And while some people think this may be a bit much to send him a package every month, I know he enjoys them. And it gives him something to look forward to. Mind you, he never asked me to send him things at all let alone once a month. After I did the first one I just enjoyed it so much that I just had to do more and it led to a monthly package to Elder Chipman :) So here are my ideas and things I have sent so far. Look next month for new ideas!
November
This month I wanted to give him a Thanksgiving away from home. Of course I had to improvise a little when it came to the turkey ;) but I made it work. Inside were Pumpkin streusel muffins, apple cider, turkey jerky, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, yogurt covered cranberries, and stuffing. I also made little turkeys out of tulle circles, pipe cleaners, googly eyes, and lots of Reese's Pieces. So cute! Thank you Pinterest! :) I also included a talk that I thought applied to him and of course a letter and a tie that is his favorite color. My missionary is all about pranks and teasing, so all he is going to see when he opens it is a pile of leaves. :)
October
This month I wanted to do something a little different. You can find regular candy everywhere this time of year but I wanted weird candy. I got some of these online because I couldn't find them anywhere else. So they are tricky treats :) I also had quotes from President Monson and Joseph Smith and a rice crispy treat making kit for little pumpkins. I'm a phlebotomist which means i had to do something with blood! So there is a blood bag that is filled with edible blood, but it had caffeine which would be a big no-no so I took that out and replaced it with red Gatorade. I also did a little something for his companion this time. He is doing amazing! Eight months down sixteen more to go :)
The good old candy gram. However instead of putting it on a poster like you normally would I wrote it on a fleece blanket! So much fun to do!!
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| All of the candy I used |
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| The little "schpeel" :) |
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| Carefully folded up and put in the box |
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| The inside |
This month I couldn't wait to send a package but I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do for this month. I recently went camping with my family and remembered that he enjoyed camping also. And everyone knows that no camping trip is complete without s'mores!! So I sent him s'mores makings :) He said he also liked peppered beef jerky even more than s'mores so I sent a bag of that too. I also included a silly tie and a shirt that totally fits his personality :)
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| Everything in it |
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| The "AWESOME!" shirt |
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| Inside the box |
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| All done!! :) |
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| The flames of Missionary work :) |
4th of July!!!
So...my missionary, being a military guy, I figured I should send him lots of red, white, and blue! All missionaries need ties so I had to get a red, white, and blue tie :) His branch of the military is the Marine Corps. I found a U.S. Marine pen at the Air Museum while I was in Tillamook, Oregon on vacation. It fit perfectly!! I was SO excited! Pop Rocks to symbolizes fireworks on your tongue, Pringles, Double Stuff Oreos (his favorite!), Chex Mix, and Twizzlers. The little stick of dynamite is made with red scrapbook paper, Mentos, and red, white, blue, and gold pipe cleaners. I wrote "You're the BOMB!" on the paper.
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| All of the stuffings |
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| Inside the box |
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| All done! |
I sent this one in June because it is the start of summer. Everything I put in the box was yellow. Ok..everything except for a tie. He asked me if I would send one and I thought that a yellow tie might be a little too bold for a missionary to wear so I sent a deep purple one instead. So in this one there are Lemonheads, Swedish Fish, Juicy Fruit gum, M&M's, a Mr. Goodbar, Teddy Grahams, Starbursts, Goldfish crackers, and Fruit Smiles to remind him to SMILE and Be Happy! Oh and a squishy stress ball that made me laugh :)
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| All of the items |
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| Mr. Squishy :) |
He was convinced that I was trying to make him gain weight (like that would ever happen). So he asked for some healthy snack ideas so I gave him ideas and a sample in a sense :) I filled it with granola bars, jerky, fruit snakcs, trail mix, little mints that said "Be Happy", and those little bread stick and cheese dippers. I also included a battery operated, handheld fan because it can get hot in New Mexico.
Easter
His second month out. I sent eggs filled with an assortment of candy, a large egg filled with a homemade rice crispy treat, a portable miniature basketball hoop, and of course filled with blue and green Easter grass.
St. Patrick's/Birthday
This was the first month of his mission. He turned 19 five days after he entered the MTC and was still in the MTC when he received this one. I enclosed a little cupcake just for him that had a leprechaun on it and placed a candle in it just to make it an official birthday cupcake :) Everything else I put in it were his favorite candy, gum, chips, and cookies. I also sent him games because of course he is a guy so he gets bored easy and he loves games! So I sent him a Go-fish game and a rocket ball to play catch with :)
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