The Toy Box Years: Kiddie Christmas Card Exchange!

The Creators of the Toy Box Years

The creators of the Toy Box Years are my two beautiful daughters and wonderful, handsome soldier husband.

"Nani" (our oldest) is a 11 year old 6th grader who loves Taylor Swift, ballet, books, fashion designing and sewing. Ask her what she wants to be when she grows up and it changes daily to anything from "an artist" to "a teacher" to "a singer/dancer". Nani is also currently fighting a battle against brain cancer -- recently diagnosed in June 2016.

"Nudgie" (our youngest) is a very smiley, very happy, very giggly, very spirited 8 year old 3rd Grader who's favorite toys are anything that gives mommy an anxiety attack - ladders, stepstools, the climbing wall at the playground. Like her sister, she has a love of reading and coloring, loves gymnastics and still provides mommy lots of snuggle time!

"My Marine" is my high school sweetheart. We've been married over 20 years and met when we were 17. (You do the math....) His favorite toys are Blackhawk helicopters, the lawnmower, our steam cleaner, and microbrew beer bottles. My husband is also my hero in that he proudly serves his country as a Blackhawk crew chief (hence his favorite toy!). And need I say that there is nothing hotter than my man in uniform!

All About Me......

Once upon a time I had a career and worked in the corporate world. Once upon a time, I dreamed about leaving that all behind to follow my true calling -- being a wife and mommy.

The first part of my calling was fulfilled in 1995 when I married my Marine (now soldier) and my love. Little did I know that being a military wife would change me in so many ways and that because of that, I would have an extended family all over the world from Japan, to California, to North Carolina.

The second part of my calling took a little doing, but I finally achieved that dream in 2004 with the birth of our first child, followed 4 years later by her baby sister.

So now, when someone asks me what I do for a living - I simply smile and say proudly that I'm following my calling - I'm a mommy and a wife -- and I couldn't be HAPPIER -- I'm living in the Toy Box Years!!

2011 Kiddie Christmas Card Exchange

I love getting mail. I especially love getting Christmas cards! But even better than all of that is seeing my girls' faces light up when they get mail addressed to them! So this year I thought I'd set up a Christmas card exchange for my girls. What a great way to meet other kids from all over!

The concept is very simple!

Simply respond in the comments section that you'd like to participate and please be sure to include an email address where you can be contacted.
For every name on the list, a card will be sent. For example....if I get six children to sign up, the list will go out to all six children and they will send a card to each child on the list. (Make sense?)
The cards do NOT have to be hand-made. It would also be nice to include a little letter telling about themselves and where they're from.
Deadline for participating will be Friday, November 18th. Deadline for mailing cards will be Monday, December 12th.

So let's get those Christmas cards rolling!!

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at booklover1212@yahoo.com.

43 comments:

Mary Peterson November 2, 2011 at 6:24 AM: This sounds like fun. I would like to participate with my grandchildren. cole102486@yahoo.com
OurWanderingAdventures November 2, 2011 at 10:44 AM: Sounds good!
MichellesCharmWorld@gmail.com
Anonymous November 2, 2011 at 10:51 AM: Sounds great, would love to be included :) - Christina Nagel
StephieD November 2, 2011 at 11:25 AM: This sounds like fun! Count Monkey in!!
mommy.wife.me@gmail.com
Mel November 2, 2011 at 11:37 AM: sounds like so much fun! I have a 2 year old - if that's not too young, I'd love to be included! :). Mjpilchard@gmail.com
Inclusive Sex Ed November 2, 2011 at 12:58 PM: We want to be included, but the girls will participate together.

carrie.a.burton@gmail.com

Take care,
Carrie
Jami Vialpando November 2, 2011 at 12:58 PM: Count us in, I will split between the 2.
Deimys Vigil November 2, 2011 at 2:49 PM: Love to paticipate :) deimysd.vigil@msn.com, and I know my kids would also love to do so :)
Anonymous November 2, 2011 at 5:40 PM: This sounds like fun. lmayden@yahoo.com
Beth November 2, 2011 at 6:30 PM: We're in!!! Abby and Emily will participate together.

hunnybcookies@verizon.net
Jill Hayden November 2, 2011 at 7:08 PM: I think the boys would have fun with this. j.hayden24@hotmail,com
Elise November 2, 2011 at 9:10 PM: What a fantastic idea! We would love to be included in this, my children can particpate together. Email adress is: eliseviablog@bigpond.com
Thank you for this opportunity.
susan250us November 3, 2011 at 5:57 PM: Count me in!
susan250us@yahoo.com
Susan
Teena November 4, 2011 at 6:32 AM: This is a great idea! Victoria and Rebecca love getting mail. We'd love to do it. btvfisher2002@hotmail.com Teena~
Mozi Esme November 4, 2011 at 7:29 AM: I'd love to participate!
janemaritz at yahoo dot com
hartman November 4, 2011 at 7:40 AM: ooh, we're in -- we'll put the kiddos together on this one.
hartman23@gmail.com
Jessica1031 November 4, 2011 at 7:42 AM: My kids will love this. jessicakluz@yahoo.com
MaryAnne November 4, 2011 at 7:54 AM: We're game! We can group my three together =)
michelle November 4, 2011 at 10:56 AM: We are so excited!
michellek2k@yahoo.com
Anonymous November 4, 2011 at 11:24 AM: My son loves mail, we are in!

Melanie Jacobs
anndmel@yahoo.com
Natalie PlanetSmarty November 4, 2011 at 3:08 PM: I am in - sunnyvale422@gmail.com
Anonymous November 4, 2011 at 4:50 PM: Can we join? We are from Queensland Australia?
Email is Georgia.vince@gmail.com
maogkesby November 4, 2011 at 9:28 PM: Sounds like fun!! Count my girls in. Maoglesby@gmail.com
Anonymous November 6, 2011 at 3:23 AM: I'd love to do this with my kids! Mrs.Sergeant@live.com
Anonymous November 6, 2011 at 6:20 PM: sounds great!! :) nicka-86@hotmail.com
Anonymous November 7, 2011 at 6:05 AM: We'd love to join too! toby.lish@yahoo.com
DeAnne November 7, 2011 at 7:26 AM: Such a cute idea Jen!!! I'll sign the little guy up! Militarybratmom@aol.com
Stephanie November 7, 2011 at 5:56 PM: Sign us up!! StephieStephens2@hotmail.com!!
Anonymous November 9, 2011 at 4:29 AM: Yes please, my girls would love this.
emilygiles@live.co.uk
Mrs. Whary November 9, 2011 at 5:01 AM: We'd love to do this too :-)
musingsofme@yahoo.com
Rose @ Walnut Acre November 9, 2011 at 5:12 AM: I would love to do this with my kids. burkholder.rose@yahoo.com
Anu November 9, 2011 at 5:09 PM: I am based in Western Australia. I would like to join in if I may - my children Ashwin and Divya will go together.

anuradha.raghuraman@gmail.com
Anonymous November 10, 2011 at 7:14 AM: We would love to participate!
marnasobel@hotmail.com
Anonymous November 10, 2011 at 10:41 AM: This is great!
monicabaron1@hotmail.com
Anonymous November 12, 2011 at 12:11 PM: would like to participate- t.lisa89@yahoo.com
Anonymous November 13, 2011 at 7:34 AM: Hi My kids & I are from Singapore.
jinjl@yahoo.com

Thks for organising!
Anonymous November 13, 2011 at 11:42 AM: Count us in. jschoth@comcast.net
Anonymous November 14, 2011 at 5:00 AM: Sounds Wonderful!!!
serenadejager@yahoo.com
Judy November 14, 2011 at 11:45 AM: Sounds like fun we can do it as a group. thefamilyplaceforcreativearts@yahoo.com
Anna November 18, 2011 at 7:06 AM: Sign up Collin pls. Lil_ wallace127@yahoo.com. You should have our address ;)
Anna November 18, 2011 at 7:08 AM: Can we still sign-up? Collin would love to learn more about mail. He just knows packages ;)
Becky November 18, 2011 at 1:51 PM: Is it too late? I have two kids that I'm sure would really love this. ontiptoe (at) gmail (dot) com
Grumpy Grateful Mom December 12, 2011 at 11:18 PM: Coming from MaryAnne's site. I love this idea! I hope you do it next year--I'd sign up! :)