oh Beema thank you so much!! i have tears streaming down as those ideas are just amazing! so glad that you could also understand my rambling lol!

the snacks for them and the packs for the boys are FANTASTIC tips. i can only imagine how harrowing it is to have a 5 and 2 year old in there (she mentioned that she feels really guilty having them there as they appear to be the only ones with older children...). so no doubt a 'fun activity' pack would go a long way.

i'll have to check out some recipes for tasty and healthy muffins. mebbe also some scones, like cheesy ones and pumpkin ones...

and DH would LOVE to help in the garden. he mentioned how the last time he saw alice they 'hoed' the veggie patch together...i'll get him over there to de-weed...

so with the picture thingy...how big/small? i am thinking a normal photo size?? maybe pic of mum, dad and the boys...she told me how hard she finds it to leave bubs of a night....so maybe that could 'help' keep a piece of her there...

sorry again for a million questions!