Let's Do This

So it turns out I wasn't kidding when I said I was super excited about having joined Operation Baking GALS... so excited in fact that I'm a "host" for our Round Two!

*seems as though I'm not the only one SUPER EXCITED about this group... check out this latest news story and video featuring our fearless leader, Susan!

So here's the deal (and this is new to me, too, so feel free to ask questions)... I volunteered to be a "host" basically because I happen to be unfortunate enough *obviously you know what I mean to know someone overseas who would LOVE to be the recipient of some tasty treats from home. I'm assuming most of you can guess who the lucky guy is but in case you're new here, let me introduce you.

Colin getting ready to take-off

Colin is a long-time friend of my family's and is currently stationed overseas in Afghanistan. He's a 2001 graduate of the Naval Academy who went on to fly the F/A-18E but before that, from Atlanta, Georgia, which is where our parents met almost 10 years ago and as such, our families have been friends ever since. While he is overseas right now as part of a joint service program, this is not the first time that he's been deployed - he joined his squadron aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln on Thanksgiving Day 2004, was in Hong Kong when the Tsunami hit,and subsequently spent a month off Banda Achea performing relief efforts; Colin also deployed again in 2006 to South Pacific/Asia. Aside from my brother and my dad (Naval Reservist and former Navy, respectively), I am absolutely most proud of Colin, for his commitment to serving his country and willingly going above and beyond to step up to the call of duty every single time.

Us at Army-Navy 2007; Colin was honored to fly the "slot position" as part of the fly-over during the pre-game festivities

Why am I telling you this? I need some of you, heck ALL of you, to help me out by baking and subsequently mailing your goodies to our good buddy and his fellow soldiers. In my opinion, sending a 'bit of home' is without a doubt one of the easiest ways to make a HUGE impact on our troops and to remind them that we're thinking about and praying for them, and most of all, wishing their safe return home!

For this round of Operation Baking GALS, we're going to be mailing our packages the week of August 23rd so if that happens to work with your schedule, please leave me a quick comment AND email me at kara [dot] w [dot] stevenson [at] gmail [dot] com, so that I can send you Colin's mailing address and other details. Once our group is formed, I'll be corresponding with each of you directly rather than through my blog to make sure that our goods arrive at their destination and ultimately, so I can properly thank you once it's all said and done (though we hope you'll be back to bake for another round... and then another!).

I hope this makes sense; please don't hesitate to contact me (or Susan) with any questions. I am still digesting the unbelievable magnitude that groups like this can have just by doing something we love and sharing it with others.

Colin, his sister Kelli, and their cousins

Need ideas of what to bake? Just make some of your favorites... or try these:
Celebration Cookies
Big, Soft Ginger Cookies
Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies
Kitchen Sink Cookies
Double Chocolate Chip Brownies
Brown & White Walnut Bars

Official Team Members
Allie, San Francisco, CA
Andrea, Falls Church, VA
Cappie, Forney, TX
Chris, Sandy Springs, GA (my oft-referred to mom!)
Christie, Orlando, FL
Christy, Copenhagen, Denmark
Dolores, East Bay Area, CA
Elizabeth, Providence, RI
Falon, Prosper, TX
Heather, New York
Hollie, Forney, TX
Jen, Pittsburgh, PA
Karen and Kayla, Broadview Heights, OH
Kristy, Herndon, VA
Laura
Lesley, Alpharetta, GA
Lila, San Angelo, TX
Linda, Sherman Oaks, CA
Liz, Bremerton, WA
Marisa, Brooklyn, NY
Megan, Alexandria, VA
Missy, Radford, VA
Monica, Atlanta, GA
Sandra, Atlanta, GA
Tamera, Atlanta, GA
Tara, Connecticut
Tia, Atlanta, GA
Viki