My family has given me so many things and the most special of them all is the love of plants. Dad was a nurseryman when I was very little and then again when I was a teen. Lots of memories driving around in the ritsy part of town picking out which landscaped yards were his work. Then later standing beside a 25' trailer of potting soil 'moving up' hundreds of plants. But going to the dirt mine was the most fun! The most special is the key lime tree. Growing up in FL we always had a key lime tree. Not the kind you go to Lowes and buy, but the kind you go to the Keys and bring back a lime and start from seed. Well, each time we moved Dad would air layer it so we would have the same tree at the new house. They would always get really big under his care. So when my folks moved to NC last year it became especially important to care for my little key lime in a pot. Its all we've got now. There is an azalea that my sister had given to my folks about 20 years ago. Dad is amazing at propagation so that little azalea in a 1 gal pot became 8-10 shoulder high bushes in there yard. I was given the smallest because it would fit in my truck. I have some pineapples from my sister and one even has a fruit on it! Then there is the dianella that Dad and my cousin 'borrowed' from a state park. They never knew the name of it, just it has pretty purple berries. Then there is the tropical hibiscus that MIL gave me when we lived in Indiana to remind me of home. She never thought it would have lived this long, but its taller than me and requiring root pruning again this year. Plus all the amarillas, rain lilies, agapanthus, amarcrinum that I truly love. Each reminds me of FL and the family member that gave it to me. I love the stories that go with plants. Like the weigelia that Nancy gave to me because she doesn't like red. Or the helebores and columbine that I get from Tamelask at the swaps that she doesn't know about. Or the ajuga I got from Shannon the time I went to get azalea cuttings when I didn't know how to do it. I love them all and I love the stories that go with each. I guess that's why I don't like to buy plants.... there is no connection with that. Tanya

Elly, The kits sold for this kind of thing run around $75. For less money, you can find the kids refrigerator magnet letters in grocery store aisles where toys are sold or Wmart or Target usually for a few dollars or perhaps the kids could inscribe using something else. I made a square stepping stone using Quikrete, a pizza box and pampas grass fronds set in concrete (which I later pulled out)and a round stepping stone with a castor bean leaf, vein side down, using a large deep dish pizza pan, for very little cost. Perhaps an art teacher at the school has some experience in this. If not, it's a fairly easy project. If I can find a link to one someone on GW made, I'll post it here for you. Robin

What a wonderful package. Those cookies look scrumptious -- and extra special, knowing the origin of the recipes. Clever to sneak in another gift as wrapping, Janet! I know you and Moe will enjoy the fruits of this swap for a long time, Ann!

More thank yous ! I am so sorry these are soo late. For some reason the holidays really overwhelmed me this year and I never seem to have time to get it all done ! Thank you Margo / smitties for the prairie glow coreopsis, we love coreopsis and it grows so well here ! Thank you Annie / canyonwind for the Nero Tuscan , Cour di Bue and Corn Salad seeds ! Thank you Wilsha for the collards, dwarf blue curled kale and petunia seeds, all favorites of ours ! Thank you Promise for the butternut squash seeds and the white cherry tom seeds, have never grown these, excited to try something new ! Thank you Pam / grdengramma for the red pepper and zucchini seeds, we love these and I cook them all summer long ! Thank you Bonnie / mstergardner for the sunflower and rudbeckia mixes and the coreopsis ! love them ! Thank you Faye /notougly for the zuke and zinnia mix ! My butterflies love zinnia and my family loves to eat the zucchini ;-) Thank you Dawn / lexigurl for the generous and wonderful smorgasbord of seeds, better than Santa !! I have already planted the yolo wonder and Keystone pepper seeds ! they are on my fireplace hearth , hoping they sprout soon ! Thank you so much Alana / poisondartfrog for the lovely card and Isabellina Zinnia seeds ! I am so excited, I've been wanting to grow these for years , I can hardly wait for spring ! Thank you Paula/ paulan for the coreopsis, parris island cos lettuce, greens and petunia seeds ! Thank you Jordan / Wonderwiesel for the dwarf dahlia, lemon basil and black krim tomato seeds, love these all ! Thank you Heidi / xiangirl for the cute card and pretty packets of cosmos, coneflower and purple ruffle basil seeds ! Again, I apologize for being so late with my thank yous, I hope you all know how much I appreciate your sending holiday wishes and all the lovely seeds ! They have really brightened the winter for me , especially these past few months being so rainy and dreary. And of course, a HUGE thank you to Kym, , this swap has brought us all so much joy. Hope you all have a happy and healthy New Year and hope your gardens grow abundantly ;-) Iris