Operation Spoil Brian: Underway!

If you had asked me two months ago if I would ever be happy or excited to know that my boyfriend was at an Army base in Iraq, I would have given you a dirty look and an emphatic "No!" But after three weeks of him waiting around in Kuwait, and a week sleeping in an airport, I was excited and relieved to finally get word this weekend that he is settled in to his new base. Not only does it mean that he will be able to get into a routine that will hopefully make the next 11 months fly by, but it also means that I have an address where I can send goodies!

It has been over a month since Brian left Georgia, and I started assembling his first care package almost before he left. Well, I started brainstorming ideas and gathering supplies almost as soon as he got his orders. Anyone who knows me should not be surprised by the fact that I have an Excel spreadsheet mapping out what I will send and when. My first attempt at mailing a package to an APO address was pretty mundane. Sure, what's new to me is probably a really common occurrence for the postal worker. She wasn't nearly as friendly as the guy who helped explain the customs forms and different size boxes, but the package got labeled, stamped and is hopefully on its way!

I will post pictures and detailed summaries of each package the week after I send it (it wouldn't be a surprise for Brian if I spilled the beans as soon as I mailed it!), so stay tuned for the contents of the "Oktoberfest" package. I'll also include any recipes for home made goodies, just in case you want to try them out. If anyone has ideas for themes, feel free to pass them along. The big holidays are pretty obvious, but I'm going to have to stretch my imagination for the weeks in between.

During my four hour baking marathon on Sunday, I decided that holiday gifts for friends and family this year will also be of the food variety (apologies to anyone who was hoping for a full sized quilt or cable knit sweater). I'm really looking forward to trying a bunch of new recipes, ones I've cut out of magazines or found in cookbooks that I've bought but seldom used. This morning while reading The Savannah Magazine and enjoying my yogurt and granola, I found a great recipe for shortbread from a local chef. It sounds delicious and made me think of Scotland. Yum!