free to be bree.

Every year my cousin Crissy & I make each other’s Christmas presents. This year she went way above and beyond. So much so that the gifts I had made for her paled in comparison so badly that they were practically transparent.

Crissy is my roadtrip partner in crime. We went to Ohio together for the NKOTBSB concert, we’ve driven to Mohegan Sun for 2 separate one-offs, we drove to the Buffalo area to see Rooney perform at the Erie County State Fair, and numerous other day trips. We’ve come to really enjoy and appreciate our lengthy car-rides, so she put together a Road Trip Survival Kit for me, using all of our past experiences and familial quirks to really personalize it. Each box that I opened had a special message pertaining to what was inside that really touched me and made me tear up. 

Here’s what the entire gift consisted of :

Big plastic bin with Breezy & Crissy-Poo Adventure Essentials adorning the lid with BFF/Cousin quotes written on all sides

Box 1:Wrapped in old Tiger Beat pages of NKOTB pull-out posters w/ rhinestone borders. Inside was a toy NSYNC phone “for emergency purposes” with a CD-ROM game compatible with Windows 95/98/ME

Box 2: (from this box on, all wrapping paper was personalized with NSYNC stickers. Obviously we’ve got a Boy Band addiction.) Scrawled on a 2nd layer of wrapping paper “The Sexy Slumber: Sometimes dreams become reality…” Inside was a pillow with a photo of NKOTBSB onstage during the finale of their concert in Columbus, OH.

Box 3: “The Breezy Baker: When life hands you lemons… make limoncello cupcakes, and look good doing it” Inside was an apron that says “Satisfy your sweet tooth without the calories” and all pictures of us with members of NKOTB and the Columbus concert.

Box 4: “The Rockin’ Roadtrip: Go wherever the music leads you… one STEP at a time” Inside:

• an atlas detailing all of our destinations
• Twizzlers because we never get on the road without them. They are a must-have
• Tissues because Crissy has a tendency to start crying fairly easily. And then I join in because I cry whenever I see someone else crying. 
• Red Bull for the times we drive through the night. Also, it gave me such ridiculous agita on our way to Ohio that lasted from Jersey Shore, PA to Columbus
• Antibacterial Hand Gel for whenever we go into the City and take public transportation. Moreso for Crissy than me.
• Car air fresheners for when Crissy’s brother Mike travels with us. Especially important after stops at Waffle House or Bob Evans.
• Pens & a BFF notepad to document our ridiculous quotes. And, believe me, there are A LOT! 
• MadLibs to keep us entertained… as if we needed anything besides our own insanity

Box  5: “The Crazy Concert: To dance and remember…” Inside were fold-up ballet flats with a wristlet to carry them in & a disposable camera (who knew they still made disposable cameras??)

Box 6: “The Very Van Kleeck: Nanny & Aunt El would have wanted to be prepared at all times, so I’ve created this survival pack in their honor.” Van Kleeck was our Grandmother’s and Great Aunt’s maiden name. The pack included things the two of them ALWAYS had in their purses: Equal packets, packs of Freedent gum, a travel sewing kit, and emery boards.