Rather than buy packing material, make popcorn and use that.  The newspaper is good for that, too, but if he reads it regularly, why not a Sunday-only subscription? 

The quarters are a great idea; why didn’t anyone ever think of that for me?

No one sent me quarters, either. It would have made life a whole lot easier. See? Our generation learned something from our experiences.

If I want to use popcorn for packing material (WAY better than those styrofoam peanuts and crumbs that stick to everything), I probably should use a hot air popper, otherwise everything will get greasy. But that’s a good idea and I’ve been looking for an excuse to get a hot air popper.

if you use a shredder at home, you can use that for packing material too!!  Quarters were always a good thing and then I found detergent that came in a little drop in packet kind of thing so putting those in was always appreciated too.  I sent my share, but my mind is blank right now.  However, my mom, his grandmother, went the extra mile and then some.....he (my older son) loves her apple pie more than anything soooo....yup, you guessed it.  She made one in a disposable pie plate, baked it, froze it and then shipped it complete with paper plates, forks and napkins!!  A happier kid you cannot imagine.  I seem to recall there was not a lot of sharing going on either!!

Oh I just thought of something.  Peanut butter, crackers, cheese spreads!!!!!!  Nachos and salsa.

My word is rain, I surely hope not, enough already!!

Since you are about to fire-up the oven and reactivate that baking gene… I’d take some of those homemade treats.

Lots of them.

;)

We’re about to send another care package to my son in Kenya (Peace Corps). The usual goodies—he especially likes beef jerky, but he’ll have no use for quarters—but the postage for even an average sized box will be $60.

Maybe you should put chocolate chip cookies on you baking list.

I used to have a shredder, but it grew very old and shorted out one fine day. Haven’t replaced it yet. I still like the popcorn idea, though.

And the apple pie idea. Oh yeah, I could see that being a real hit! And Salsa with cheese spread for nuked nachos!

How do glass jars do with UPS? I was thinking of some of my homemade canned chili.

Oh the ideas are coming now.

Pablo—Sixty dollars is a bit steep, especially if customs people in Kenya open the package and, perhaps, help themselves. I was pleased to learn that two day delivery to PA is $8 for a good size package. Overnight delivery would be quite a lot more, though.

Volkher—would you like a care package, too?

Cassie - they’re on my list. Good old fashioned toll house chocolate chips. Yum!