So many people have lived through deployments and have shared their tips on various forums and blogs. I thought I would share a few of my lessons learned with you all.

• If you send brand new desert tan colored combat boots, do not use newspaper to pad the box. The newsprint bleeds onto the lovely tan boots.

• Writing your spouses name and address directly on a box will make your spouse very cranky. They have a 100% shred policy so anything with names or address has to be shred. It is apparently very difficult to shred a box by hand. So write name and address on a piece of paper and tape that piece of paper on the box. (do not write or draw anything on the boxes that you send!)

• Contrary to what I read on-line, a Pringles can is not a good means of sending cookies. I suppose if I had used A LOT more saran wrap around them to pad them it might have worked.

• A coffee can, on the other hand provides a great means for protecting cookies. If you wrap two or three together in plastic wrap and then strategically pack your little bundles in the coffee can they will travel very well.

• If you are gong to send brownies, do not cut them. Send a giant brownie so that when they arrive they can be cut and will not be all dried out.