The Toy Box Years: Deployment Care Packages

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!!

Right before our unit deployed, I wanted to do something special for our families. Something that would make them smile and let them know that I would be there for them whenever they needed it.

I searched around on Pinterest and didn't find anything that I liked....but I did find some cute little phrases that I could use instead. I went off to the Dollar Store to get my supplies and spent a couple nights on my living room floor putting them together.

I printed out this little "poem":

When deployment starts to get rough on you, look back on these items to see you through!

Kleenex to wipe away the tears
Sucker because deployments suck
Laffy Taffy to remind you laugh
Life Savers to remind you to reach out and ask for help when you need it
Marble for when you’ve lost yours
Worry Stone to take your worries away
Candle to remind you that there is light at the end of the tunnel
Matchstick to keep the home fires burning
Paperclip to help you hold it all together
Balloon to remind you to expand and grow
Rubber Band to remind you to stay flexible
Battery to remind you to recharge yours
Post-It Note to remind you of your noteworthy accomplishments
Hearts to remind you that although your soldier is far away, you are in each other’s heart

Then I found a ribbon stamp and a yellow stamp pad at Hobby Lobby and made up cards to go along with them. Inside it said:

"Missing someone gets easier every day
because even though it's one day further
from the last time you saw each other,
it's one day closer to the next time you will."

I put them in little red, white, and blue gift bags along with a magnetic ribbon and bumper stickers that said "Proud National Guard Family"

I handed them out to my families when I saw them at the Deployment Ceremony.

And then I wanted to do something for the soldiers. So one night I made up some cards for them too with this awesome poem inside. I also wrote them each a note inside as well. I handed them out to them the Saturday morning that they left.