Updates for the Troops!!

A HUGE thank you to everyone who donated to the care packages for the troops in Iraq. (Original post here.)This has been such an amazing experience, I am overwhelmed at how many great things were donated. I'm going on Monday, November 10th to San Jose to drop off all the goods, so if you haven't dropped your donation yet and you still want to you still have time!!

I wanted to share this journey with everyone, that's why I opened up and welcomed everyone to donate with me. In addition, I want everyone who gave to come along the journey to get as much of the experience as possible. So I'm trying to find as many ways as possible to share this all with you. Including documenting all the goodies we've received from who. So very special thanks to the following:

-Janet P. donated bath products, blank holiday cards, and magazines.

-Stephanie (Aunt), Puma (Uncle), and their two daughter's Nikki and Leilani. They donated over 80-90 books.

-My Mom's co-workers Carrie R., Pam K., and Suzanne F. also gave so generously to our troops. They gave games, stationary items, and lots of great yummy smelling lotions and candles. Thank you ladies!!

-Linda D. who donated a big check to the troops!! With that we bought plenty of goods including snacks, health and beauty products, and games.

-Tina R. and Dreamstar Parties donated snacks, games, and health products.

-And of course my Mother and I also gave goods such as snacks, lots of games, bath and health needs, also feminine items.

I had checks sent in and money donated so I went shopping with all the money collected. Tina R. came and shopped with me. Above is all the goodies bought with the money from Linda D., Tina R., Dreamstar Parties, and my family.

Thank you so very much everyone for being so kind and giving this holiday season. I am so grateful for all the wonderful items we've received for the troops. It's not over yet though, I still have two more pick ups for tomorrow so the list will continue. I sat and went through each and every item donated to make sure they meet the standards of sending over, very few items didn't make it (if it didn't and it was your product I have called you to see if you would like to pick up the unusable good or have it thrown away) but almost everything was in perfect condition to be sent over. As of this very moment this is a list of all the goods we have collected that are going to be sent over:

Reading Material:
Magazines: 37
Books: 95
TOTAL:132 Reading Material

Stationary Items:
Pens: 2 boxes
Markers: 1 box
Envelopes: 4 boxes
Stationary Paper: 5
Stationary Sets: 2
TOTAL: 22 Stationary Items

Health/Beauty Items/Feminine Products:
Lip gloss/Chap stick: 6
Hair Ties: 2 sets
Shaving Creme: 2 bottles
Leg Shaving Razors: 2 boxes
Nail Care (mani and pedi full sets): 2 sets
Baby Wipes: 4 boxes
Bars of Soap: 7 bars
Candles: 5
Body Scrubs: 4
Shower Gels: 16
Lotions: 2
Deodorant: 6
Ointments: 5
TOTAL: 63 Health/Beauty Items/Feminine Products

Snacks/Foods:
Toffee Nuts: 3 packages
Sunflower Seeds: 8 packages
Pumpkin Seeds: 1 package
Sour Prunes: 2 packages
Popcorn: 3 boxes
Gum: 5 packets of 5 (25 total)
Cereal Bars: 4 boxes
Cream Cookie Pies: 2 boxes
Swiss Rolls: 2 boxes
Nutty Bars: 4 boxes
Powdered Donuts: 2 boxes
Hot Chocolate: 4 boxes
Tea: 4 boxes of 125 (500 total)
Roasted Peanuts: 4 cans
Assorted Candies: 4 bags/boxes
TOTAL: 57 Snacks/Foods

Entertainment:
DVDs: 5
Games: 14
TOTAL: 19 Entertainment

GRAND TOTAL (so far): 293 DONATED ITEMS!!

That's amazing!! Thank you everyone for all of your donations, every little item was so crucial and important, I thank each and everyone of you who donated big or small. It's all appreciated.

Here are photos of the goods in categories:

All of the magazines donated!!

All the books donated!!

All of the stationary items donated!!

All of the games and DVDs donated!!

All of the health/beauty products/feminine products donated!!

All of the snacks and food donated!!

And here is everything donated together on the ground when I started to count and organize them into groups.

And here when I was all done organizing things into categories, I piled them nicely into boxes!!

Again a HUGE thank you to everyone!! This couldn't have been done without each and everyone of you!! You are all the best!! Look forward to writing an update for everyone on Monday (the day of the drop off) and again when I get the the update when the troops have received out packages!! We are almost there!!