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I opened the rest of my packages! Thank you for the tea, the pens (those kind are my favorite), the candy canes and the NFL blanket. I love all of it! Thank you all again for the overwhelming love you a have shown me these last few weeks. It means more than you know. Merry Christmas!

I opened my birthday presents! Thank you npg The candy is all gone and I'm making some tea as I type! Thank you very much.

My boyfriend was going to Albuquerque this past Tuesday for work and when I got home Monday night, he was at my house with a surprise plane ticket to take me with him! He'd arranged it with my boss and everything! I left here in such a jolly mood, thanks to all of you, that this trip just pushed me off the edge of the joy cliff! I had such a relaxing, fabulous time. I ate lots of green chilies, drove the entire Albuquerque length of Route 66 from the mountains into the desert (Route 66 is a bucket list item of mine!) and had a cheeseburger plate and old school chocolate malt in a roadside diner while he was at work. When he wasn't at work, we went on a holiday lights trolley ride and had hot cocoa and sang carols and all in all I had a wonderful, amazing time and I came home feeling relaxed, head clear, and reconnected to myself and to him. We got home late last night and what do you know, low and behold there was another, yes another package waiting for me! THIS TIME, I didn't cry, I GIGGLED! Yes, GIGGLED!! You guys have made the Christmas spirit arrive right in time and what's better, I think you all have pulled me out of the doldrums and punched the life back into my heart! I am running out of ways to say thank you but thank you, danke, merci, sukria, obrigado, gracias, thank you, thank you. I will be opening this one on Christmas with the others. I can't wait!

Reinholt1 - You hit the nail on the head when you said God puts people in the right place at the right time. I'm so glad you and your mother and father have such a loving story to tell this Christmas!

Yes yes yes, StevieRocks!! I unintentionally failed to include your wonderful card and your Christmas blessing/mass!! I knew it was more than a label and I opened it and found your card and blessing and I put it on my nightstand next to my bed to see first and last thing each day between now and Christmas. I appreciate this so much!! THANK YOU! As someone who is not Catholic, I have debated going to Christmas Eve mass for years because I have always wanted to experience it and I really think that this is the year I go - especially after the outpouring of love from my GD family - and especially because of your kindness and blessing. I am SO sorry I failed to put in my last post but it was not missed, tossed, or unappreciated. Thank you very, very much.

Y'all.....y'all.....y'all....y'alllllllllllll..................You win. I give in. I give into the Christmas spirit and the hopefulness I seem to have misplaced for far too long and to the belief that good people exist. I bet you can guess what I am about to say.....there was another package waiting for me when I got home from what was a horrible day that included a huge blow up with my father over some serious non-packergurl-responsible nonsense but I digress..... After crying yet again, I decide to open all the packages. There have been 5 packages in all: 1) The first package (see picture #1) had some awesome old school taffy that I can guarantee will be gone before the week is over along with some mini Twix (yummy!) and Russell Stovers as well as a gorgeous watch that I LOVE and gingerbread anti-bacterial hand stuff. I love this all, thank you!!!. 2) The second package was the previously posted package (see post #180 in this thread) that had a box of peppermint tea, Reese's Pieces and Twix - my 2 favs!, and a Starbucks card. This the perfect comfort package, tea and chocolate! Thank you!! 3) Package 3 was from the Chief Elf and had an adorable angel ornament with the word "Believe" on it that is now proudly front and center on my tree (see post #223). It's perfect! Thank you Chief Elf! 4) Package 4 (see picture 2 marked #4) is the package that arrived on Friday and is mentioned in post #224. This package had 2 inflatable Packers tailgating buffet tables!!! OH THE IRONY!!! I was so pumped from the pep rally that I had a party for the game yesterday and I received one of these at my office white elephant exchange last week and I love it and I used it at my party yesterday and I was seriously telling everyone that I needed more of them because one wasn't enough and there sat two more RIGHT UNDER MY TREE!!!! BAHAHAHAHA Thank you, thank you, thank you! I can't wait til next Sunday, it's going to be a Packers buffet heaven in my house! 5) The package that arrived today (see picture 3 marked #5) is the one that broke the dam and spurred the opening of the packages under the tree BUT by the time I got to this one, I felt like I was cheating myself of Christmas morning excitement so when I discovered the gifts were wrapped, I stopped myself. There are 4 tea packages I can't wait to try and there are 5 wrapped packages in all, 3 are Christmas and the 2 with the puppy paper say Happy Birthday. You don't even know what it means to have birthday gifts NOT wrapped in Christmas paper!! I wanted to rip into them but I decided to save them so I will update this next week. THANK YOU!! There are also 2 other people who sent me Christmas cards with Starbucks cards in them to whom I want to say thank you. I also want to say thank you for all of the Christmas cards too. My mantle is very appreciative I've tried to send a card to everyone who has sent me something but if I missed you, please, please, please, please let me know so I can fix that You all have made me feel very special and loved. I feel like I've been blitz attacked into a better mood and a better outlook and it has worked. It's not even about the "things" but the fact that all of you, people who don't even know me, care enough to try and perk me up. It has definitely shined a light on all the not so good people I let hang around - family included - who are life sucking energy drainers that don't deserve the access to me. You all have reminded me that there are positive people still out there and you have shown me that I deserve better, quality people in my life. I cannot say thank you enough. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love ALL of you and if you EVER need ANYTHING, say the word and it's done. Gottadeal has definitely shown me THIS is what family is about and that family is more than just DNA. Thank you a thousand and one times over. Merry Christmas.

If I wasn't already feeling blessed enough, ANOTHER package came for me from all of you!! I put it under my tree with the first one that will be opened on Christmas day. You all have no idea the difference you've made. I don't even have words. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!

Thank you Chief Elf for the lovely ornament. I opened it last night and put it on my tree. THANK YOU!!!

Okay I will open it tonight. THANK YOU

Is it possible she means Tru as a brand? As in this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005MRIDY6

YOU GUYS!!! TWO more packages came today! I am so shocked and moved by your kindness, concern, and generosity. You all are making me hopeful that 2014 is going to be better. The mail was delivered while I was in the shower and since my mailbox won't close because of the ice, my boyfriend got it off the porch. He's such a nosy Nancy, especially when he hears candy, so he opened BOTH my packages. One package had a wrapped gift (in blue) that thankfully he didn't open and which is now under my tree with Thursday's box, and the other package had a box of peppermint tea, which I love, my 2 favorite candies, Reese's and Twix, and a Starbucks card. If there was something else, I can guarantee my bf confiscated it. He was acting a little shady But seriously y'all, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. You all have put me on the path to a better attitude and outlook and I can't thank you enough. Thank you.

As most of you know, it's been a craptastic year for me and I'm not participating but.....when I got home on Thursday there was a package at my door. I have everything I order shipped to work in case it needs a signature so I had no idea what this could be and it turns out it was a Secret Santa gift! Thank you to the sweet, sweet person(s) who kept me in mind this year. I cried for a least 5 minutes that someone was thinking about me. I'm going to wait til Christmas to open it but I wanted you to know it was received. THANK YOU. Also, thank you for the Christmas cards - I'm going to get mine out whenever this ice melts. (And get a coffee, thanks to Hockeyfanamo!). THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. You all truly ARE family!

I'm only advocating giggles I was next door getting dinner when I saw the sign and something about imagining them hatch a plan and draw up the poster just busted me up for some reason

.........the local smoke shop I don't know why I found this to be so hilarious but I could not stop laughing at that poster when I was out earlier today. Just wanted to share the chuckles

Thanks. I'm going to do as much online shopping as possible and then I'll get to Lowe's for the shelves, assuming I can stay patient about getting the garage in order for another 2 weeks