Themed Care Packages: St. Patrick's Day

Another celebration is right around the corner, and we all know I LOVE a good themed care package. For our last holiday (check out the Valentine's Day post), I spent a lot of time on romantic gifts... but St. Patrick's Day is all about the fun!

The Hubs is of Irish descent, so I especially wanted this package to make him smile. So let's get this party started!

St. Patrick's Day Care Package Ideas:

1. Decorate the Box - As with other themed packages, decorating the box is always fun, both for you and your soldier. There are so many ways to make your box unique.

For me, I always run to the dollar store first. Stickers, wrapping paper, scrapbook doodads, foam cut-outs... these are my bread and butter. All of them are a simple, and better yet, inexpensive way to personalize your package.

Another popular way to decorate is: cover the box with reasons why you're lucky to have your spouse. Really go for it, and pick reasons that are special to you and your spouse. Be sentimental or be funny, or be something in between.

I also love to use Irish blessings and prayers, which leads me to my next idea:

2. Words of Encouragement - The Irish have so many beautiful blessings and prayers. It's easy to find a few verses that could inspire your spouse. Is your spouse into music? Send a traditional Irish CD, or an iTunes gift. 

One of my favorite prayers is this one: 

May God give you...

For every storm, a rainbow

For every tear, a smile

For every care, a promise 

And a blessing in each trial.

For every problem life sends, 

A faithful friend to share

For every sigh, a sweet song

And an answer for each prayer

Search the internet to find blessings or sayings that you like, then have at it! These can be printed and framed, sent in a card, or doodled onto your boxes. Be creative, I'm sure your hubs will appreciate the effort. 

3. Everything Green - This is probably the most obvious and best used method in a St. Patty's box (and for good reason!). When your spouse opens this particular box, let him/her be blinded by the green. It's not as hard as you might think to find green things: 

Thanks to my Grandma for modeling the giant green lollipop :)

So many food items are green! Try candy, granola bars, cookies, Rice Krispies treats, even pickles. Look through the seasonal sections of Walmart and Target, or try speciality shops like World Market. Many companies sell their items in seasonal wrappings, so it's easy to send your spouse's favorite items. 

Even hygienic items can be green: 

Just because it's Saint Patrick's Day, that doesn't mean you can't send basic items that your soldier needs. Need new sheets? Buy green ones. Socks? Army green ones! Underwear? Same deal. My Hubs particularly wanted new shower shoes, so guess what he received?

GREEN ones! 

If you're looking for green, you'll be surprised by how many items you'll find. In fact, I had to stop myself from buying too much, there were so many options.  

4. Party Supplies - Though your spouse isn't home to celebrate with you, it's nice for the soldiers to  enjoy the festivities. Try sending hats, decorations, and noise makers. You can even send along themed paper plates, napkins, and cups. 

Thanks to my Dad and my puppy for being great models! 

I found these silly hats at the Dollar Store. Fun and inexpensive, that's my motto! Decorations are also easy to come by at the same store. For holidays like this, discount stores are great place to start your shopping. 

5. Fun and Games - Every box should have a little fun in it. Try puzzle books (with green covers, of course!), green pens, or video games wrapped in green tissue paper. If your hubs is a cinema fanatic like mine, send movies that take place in Ireland. Or movies with Irish actors/directors. 

Silly toys are great too. Or gag gifts. I love the cheap t-shirts you can find at Walmart with goofy pictures and sayings on them. Try to stick with your green theme, and just about anything will fit in.

6. Photos - I suggest these for every care package you send. I bet most soldiers loves to receive pictures.  Try printing some from the last Saint Patrick's Day you shared together, and sending them in a green frame. 

Websites like Shutterfly and Snapfish are also excellent resources. They offer themed options, so you can print regular photographs with a Saint Patrick's Day border. Running low on time? Many Walmarts and drugstores have same-day printing, and they usually offer themed borders as well. 

7. "Irish" Goodies - An often requested item for care packages is coffee. Why not send Irish coffee for St. Patty's Day? If you can't find the coffee, look for flavored syrups or non-dairy creamers. Perhaps your soldier even prefers tea. 

Other fun goodies are oatmeal, oatcakes, or jams. 

If you have trouble finding these Irish goodies, try Amazon or your local World Market.

You can also personalize some basic treats to help them fit your theme. Try these ideas:

           a. Gold Coins - label with "I TREASURE you"
           b. Lucky Charms cereal - label with "I'm LUCKY to have you"
           c. Skittles candy - label with "Taste the rainbow" or "You're better than the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow" 
           d. Hershey's Kisses - label with "KISS ME, I'm Irish"
           e. Rollos candy (loose, in a clear bag) - "You're the pot of gold at the end of my rainbow"

 
If you know any other fun sayings, please feel free to share in the comments and I'll add them here (and credit you for the idea!).

* The Peas and Carrots were found at the Dollar Store... never seen these before, they're cute and fun!

8. Artwork from the Kids - This is good for any care package, and will always be on any list I make. You can work with the St. Patty's day theme, of course. Most craft stores sell seasonal craft kits for less than a few dollars apiece. Not only are these great to send your spouse, but it's a cool project for your kids and a great excuse to spend some time together.


9. Cards and Letter - Perhaps the most important part of any care package! I know not all of us are comfortable writing, and we don't always know what to say, but that's ok. A simple 'I love you' and 'I miss you' can make a world of difference. Look for cards that express your feelings, or find a funny one that would give your spouse a laugh.


So, that's all I've got for now, folks! I'd love to hear from you with other ideas to inspire fellow spouses. Feel free to share your thoughts, even your photos.

Happy packing!

READER CONTRIBUTIONS:

Submitted by a friend who is probably blushing right about now (and who wishes to remain anonymous)!

Undies are festive AND practical, plus they make great packing material! 

A great idea for decorating inside the box... I LOVE the leprechaun hat band! From a fellow army wife and her son:

Thanks for reading, everyone!

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Email me: armylifefromthewife@gmail.com

The Emerald Isle: Part 1 (Dublin)

Becky and I on the River Liffey, Dublin 

At last! I promised you would see an Ireland post, and here is the first of many. This trip is one of my favorites, ever. Ireland is a beautiful country, full of friendly and interesting people. I hope you enjoy the story of my travels as much as I enjoyed the travel itself...

My vacation to the Emerald Isle began with a long weekend in New York. Becky and I spent several days exploring the streets of Manhattan before catching our plane ride across the Atlantic. If you want to catch up on our trip, check out the posts here:

Still My Favorite Place... NYC (Part 1)

Still My Favorite Place... NYC (Part 2) 

Still My Favorite Place... NYC (Part 3)







As you see, we left NY happy, and ready to embark on a new adventure. Our flight departed the United States mid-evening, but was scheduled to arrive in Dublin early the next morning. We were prepared to hit the ground running... all we needed was a little sleep.

The transatlantic flight provided time for some shut-eye, but it was difficult to drift off with excitement humming through my system. If anyone out there has a surefire way to fall asleep on a plane, please share! I need all the help I can get.

I did, eventually, pass out (with my fingers crossed, hoping I wouldn't snore!). When next I opened my eyes, we were landing in Dublin.

My first view of Ireland, out the airplane window

You've seen other views from my window, but now it's time to get off the plane and the tour bus. I couldn't wait to stretch my legs and walk around.

Normally, your first stop would be the hotel; for a change of clothes, maybe a shower, or perhaps a nap. Not us, though! We stepped off the plane and straight into our first tour. After a quick stop at the ATM (The Republic of Ireland uses the Euro, and Northern Ireland uses the Pound Sterling), we boarded the bus and drove to Glasnevin Cemetery.

We were greeted with a traditional Irish breakfast. Thank goodness, because boy oh boy, did I wake up hungry!

The Full Irish

The Full Irish Breakfast traditionally includes rashers of bacon, sausages, fried eggs, blood sausage, potatoes, and fried tomatoes. Also, tea and toast (or soda bread) are served. For us Americans, coffee was also readily available.

Luckily, I'm a HUGE fan of tea, and all of the other items on my plate. Except, ahem... blood sausage. There is only one word to describe it: EWWWWWWWWW! Blood sausage is exactly what it sounds like: sausage made with blood (and other things). Yuck.

However, I did taste it. I'm a big believer in trying new things, and I was hoping I'd like it.

I didn't.

I'm not sure anyone else did either. Maybe it's an acquired taste.

Everything else was delicious to the max! I have a good friend who, over the years, has lectured me on the difference between European bacon and American bacon (you know who you are!). I've been waiting for an opportunity to test the difference for myself, and...

She was right. American bacon is complete rubbish. And now I can't ever go back to my blissful ignorance! The bacon on my plate was thick and meaty, with hardly any fat. Imagine a cross between a ham steak and so-called 'bacon'. Put those together in your mind, and you'll get a better idea of the absolute fabulousness I was eating every morning.

I completely blame the bacon for the 3 pounds I gained on vacation. And the scones. Oh, and the butter....

ANYWAY. Onward.

The tour of Glasnevin is taken on foot. Our guide was not only knowledgable, but entertaining. The tour normally lasts around 90 minutes, so wear your sneakers!

Many famous people are buried in Glasnevin, including Daniel O'Connell, Michael Collins, and Charles Stewart Parnell. The cemetery contains the largest round tower in Ireland, at 51 meters high. Directly beneath the tower is the family crypt of Daniel O'Connell.

Inside the crypt of Daniel O'Connell 

Glasnevin is actually listed on TripAdvisor as the #1 attraction in Dublin, so don't miss out! The tour is inexpensive, and the history lesson is a wonderful introduction to this beautiful country. My favorite thing? Just listening to our guide's amazing accent!

Here's the view (not from a window this time!). For my iPhone and iPad friends, I know you can't see these slideshows since they use flash. I'm working on a solution, but so far I haven't discovered the fix. After each post, I'll be adding the photos to my albums on Facebook. You can follow me there for a look at all the pictures!  




After the tour, we wandered the gift shop for a bit before climbing back aboard our bus. Becky and I were traveling with a group of travel agents and their companions. In our case, Becky is the travel agent and I'm the companion.

Don't you wish you had a Becky?!

We were pals way before she started this cool job, but it's an awesome perk in a great friend. The perks of being friends with me? I do all the cooking! Though I'm not sure it compares to a travel buddy, it's all I've got.

The next stop on our itinerary? Kilmainham Gaol, a.k.a. the prison, #3 on TripAdvisor. What's #2, you ask? Dinner theaters! No worries, I have some great videos from those too, just not yet...

Kilmainham Gaol

Many leaders of Irish rebellions were imprisoned here, even executed on the grounds. One particular story is that of Miss Grace Gifford, eventually to be Mrs. Joseph Plunkett. An Irish artist, she's most known for marrying Joseph Plunkett just hours before his execution (by firing squad) at Kilmainham Gaol. He was executed for his role in an Irish uprising during Easter week of 1916. In 1923, Grace herself was arrested during the Civil War, and spent 3 months incarcerated at Kilmainham Gaol. Inside her cell, she painted a picture of the Virgin Mary.



The tour of Kilmainham Gaol was another great way to steep ourselves in some Irish history before exploring the rest of Dublin city. Many of us were losing our stamina, jet-lag severely kicking our American butts. After the tour, our bus finally dropped us at the hotel, where we had a few hours before a group meal.

What to do with several hours of time in Dublin? Much of the group chose to nap and refresh. This might have been the more intelligent thing to do. But since when have Becky and I ever followed the more practical path? I wasn't about to start in Ireland!

Instead of sleep and a shower, we chose a rambling walk along the city streets and canals of Dublin. We were armed with jackets, umbrellas, and most importantly, our cameras. The hotel provided us with a "map". What else could we possibly need?

Ahem. A sense of direction may have been useful...

Carefree and blissfully unaware of how lost we could become, Becky and I ambled along the city streets, absorbing everything in our path. We snapped hundreds of photos, shopped in a multitude of stores. We worked our way to Grafton Street, popular for shopping and people watching.



We emptied our pockets a bit amongst the shops. We each came equipped with a list of souvenirs to find and purchase, both for ourselves and others. On our first foray, I picked up a t-shirt for the Hubs, and a bit of chocolate for myself (Shhhhh.... the chocolate never made it back stateside!)

The afternoon flew by, and soon our tummies were rumbling. Breakfast was a distant memory. Finding a pub for lunch was no problem. It's easy to find LOTS of pubs, all you have to do is turn your head! We discovered Quays, and bopped in for lunch.

We didn't indulge in a pint, for fear it would make our jet-lagged brains sleepy. At least if we'd sprung for a Guinness, I could have blamed our later troubles on the alcohol...







Lunch was wonderful, and renewed our lagging energy. Though we didn't have much time left for exploring, there were a few spots we wanted to stop at on our way back to the hotel.

Temple Bar is one of the oldest pubs in Dublin, established in 1840, and an item we wanted to scratch from our list. Though we wandered aimlessly for a bit, we did run across the bar eventually. This wandering should have jingled a warning bell in my brain... but it didn't.

The Temple Bar, Dublin 

I blame the awesomeness of city streets for our lack of concern. The pubs of Dublin truly fascinated me. They were all different, yet somehow the same. The atmosphere was welcoming, and provided respite from the occasional rain sprinkles. Live music is common most nights, and the taps flow freely.

Who wouldn't want to see as many pubs as possible? Even when we started back for the hotel, there was no worry. Becky and I calculated our time, and determined there was plenty of it.

Hahahaha. How naive we were!

In a foreign country, with no working cell phone, we assumed an hour was plenty of time to get back to our hotel. And it would have been... if we had any idea where we were going.

My first bit of advice to you: NEVER trust a hotel "map".

The "map" we were given was a joke. Badly labeled, and poorly photocopied. Where we had easily found the city center upon leaving the hotel, now we couldn't find our way back. Streets that seemed familiar simply led us farther in the wrong direction. We tried turning the map upside-down, sideways, and inside out. Nothing made it any easier to read.

My second bit of advice to you: LOOK UP. 

Street signs are not the same in Ireland. Or most of Europe, for that matter. In America, you're used to handy green signs, at eye level, on each street corner. This is not so overseas. The street signs are on buildings for the most part, high above your head. And they are not at every intersection. If you need proof, look back at the photo of Temple Bar (above). The blue sign on the left, above the bar, is the street sign.

My third piece of advice to you: ASK for directions. 

We actually did ask for directions. We're not men, after all. Only problem? I don't think the people we asked knew where they were either! First we walked this way, and then someone else told us to go that way, when what we should have done was gone the other way entirely.

Whew. It was rough; not so rough that I didn't take photos, but rough enough. Obviously, we eventually found our hotel again. However.

We were a good thirty minutes late for dinner. But the important thing is that we made it back! Plus, all the extra walking helped work off some of the bacon I ate at breakfast, right?

Let me live in my fantasy world for a while.

So, our first day in Dublin was quite the adventure! I loved every minute of it, even the parts where we were lost. Becky and I turned in early, right after dinner. Jet-lag had finally caught up to us. We needed our sleep, because our second day in Dublin promised to be just as action-packed as the first. For now, I'll leave you with some pictures from the city streets. I can't wait to share the rest of our adventure with you!  

Thanks for reading, friends! 

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The View From my Window: Dublin, Ireland

I've made many promises that a post about my recent trip to Ireland is coming soon. And... ok. The trip isn't so 'recent' anymore. And truthfully, it's going to be more than one post. BUT, I have been working on it when I can.

See, here's the problem: I have a slight obsession with my camera. This may not seem like a huge deal, but trust me on this... it is. For sure. Any number of my friends and family can attest to this. For example, a normal person may take a few hundred photos on vacation, right?

I, on the other hand, took several thousand.

No worries, I won't be posting them all here. Especially since some of them are pretty awful. However, it takes time to sort the bad from the good. It also takes time to compose those photographs to tell a story along with the blog post.

So, I PROMISE, I'm working on it. Really, really hard.

In the meantime, I thought I'd post some pictures to whet your appetite. Much of our vacation was spent behind windows of one kind or another. The bus window, the window from our hotel, the window of the Guinness Storehouse...

My buddy Becky is almost as obsessive about her camera as I am about mine. So, despite the glass barrier, we were both clicking away. Rain or shine, didn't matter. We were having a fun, girl-vacation, and we didn't want to miss recording a second of it.

So, take a sneak peak at Dublin, Ireland, where we spent the first two days of our vacay. Much, much more on Dublin will be coming soon. I hope you enjoy the view from my windows!

(P.S. You can click on the images to see the full screen version)

Rain was our almost constant companion, but we didn't mind! 

General Post Office of Dublin 

A neighborhood street 

A church we drove past 

A city corner

Dublin canals along the River Liffey 

Pedestrian Signal 

Local bakery

The Papal Cross in Phoenix Park, Dublin 

View from the Gravity Bar at the Guinness Storehouse 

More coming soon to a blog near you... I PROMISE!