Operation Baking Gals: Round 5 & Elfster Secret Santa

I sent out my packages just in the nick of time. Better late than never, right? These last two weeks saw tons of Operation Baking Gals putting together their packages for Round 5! Along with Team Sweet Dumpling, hosted by Ellen of Sweet Dumpling, I baked a few cookies and and sent them with a bunch of other goodies to our Marine--Lance Corporal Steven Forrester, a 21-year-old infantryman on his second deployment. I don't know much about Steven other than what was expressed to us by his mother, but he sounds like a terrific guy and I am so glad that we could brighten up his holiday overseas this way. As I mentioned in previous posts, my brother-in-law is a Marine, so I'm automatically one of Steven's biggest fans. Here are some of the things I sent: trail mix, gum, a sack full of candies to hand out to the locals (since he's always out on patrols), and a holiday jar full of chocolate chip cookies! Yummy! I hope he likes them.

I also sent out my Elfster Secret Santa stuff for my Tuesdays with Dorie Secret Santa. I didn't think to take pictures of what I sent, but it would have been a dead give-away for my secret santa (if she follows my blog!). I hope she likes it too. Ahhh, the spirit of giving! My favorite thing about the holidays!