{the post in which I type a lot}

This photo may look like a normal photo to you. But it's not. Yes, you can see our Gussy stockings. Yes, you can see our Gap look-alike Christmas tree. But most of you don't know is what else is in this photo.

Tee hehe.

Would you like to see a little close-up of what I'm talking about?!?!




Here you go {click photo to enlarge}:



See our Little Drummer Boy ornament?! Do you see that 'lil piece of wood standing short and proud?! Oh yes. This is for real everyone.

A few weeks ago, shortly after we put up our Christmas tree, I was sitting on the couch and noticed our Little Drummer Boy ornament was horribly twisted. I took him off the tree, pulled the strings so he unwound, and low and behold his front-side graced me with its presence.

It appears that somewhere along the road of passing-down-the-ornaments, Mr. Little Drummer Boy has lost his drum.



Oh, dangit, I'm sure he is just mortified.
But I'm laughing, and I hope you are, too :)

-----------------------


I've got a few new blog sponsors:

• Jessica with Jecka {awesome knit ear flat headbands, you must click her link!};
  
• Maria with Curly Birdie {for those of you that have/know of little ones}; and
  
• Emily with Fern & Flora Designs {super SUPER adorable headbands}.

Christmas is nearing -- it's not too late to order from their shop and include a photo to the recipient of their gift!

-----------------------

Like I mentioned yesterday, I haven't been sewing and it's practically driving me nuts. However! I have made a shopping list of supplies for when we return, I've ordered more zippers online, and I'm working on about 100 Gussy tags.



Yes, these babies that effortlessly flow down like they are... OK, I'll stop. Sorry! hah!

I've only experienced 328,753 times this week that with owning a business the work never really stops. My goodness, sometimes I can't even take a moment for myself without my iPhone saying DING! GUSSY YOU HAVE AN EMAIL! DING! GUSSY, SOMEONE WANTS TO TALK TO YOU.

And yes, I can turn my phone off. But then our mom's can't call us to see how we're doing. I think more importantly I need to turn my brain off sometimes. Just the Gussy-sewing part of it, not the Gussy-talking part of it. {Sorry Zack!}

But I loooooove doing Gussy, dings and all :)

-----------------------

I was at Target yesterday and noticed there is Valentine's Day products out already!!! Yeow. Looks like Target has Gussy beat on the whole lets-be-over-productive-this-year-OK?

Say it with me now: OOOOOH-kay!


PS. That was a little hint as to what I'll have stocked in my shop early January ♥ ♥ ♥

-----------------------

Gussy gift certificates -- buy one now and shop later! The shop is open now, but nothing will ship until Tuesday, January 4 {Merry Christmas to me!} Blog sponsorships are open again on the 1st. If you're interested in advertising and increasing shop traffic + sales, contact me!


-----------------------

DeerLola giveaway winner: Just Jingle

Happy Monday! :)

{26 days}

it has been over one week since we moved into our new apartment in Minneapolis.
over one week.

this new adventure of ours has really allowed us to cling to one another.
but some times it gets lonely.
being in a new city.
being so far from our family.
only knowing a few people.

until today we didn't have internet.
until today we didn't have cable television.
we still don't have normal working cell phones.

we needed a new place to house our money.
a new place to call home.
we need a new way to talk on the phone.

many phone calls with updates.
new daily routes.

all things we couldn't pack need to be new.

{or so it seems.}

these last few weeks we've totally been riding on God's wave.
we've been forced to put all trust in Him.

do you know God?
do you know that if you Let Go and Let God, God will take care of it all?
whew.

that is, by far, the number one thing I learned this year.

i know it's hard...
you can read our experience here.



i finally gave in and counted.
26 days since i had last sewn.

last night i sat down and made a few things.
tweaked a few things.
loved on my sewing machine again.

at first i was a bit nervous.
i mean, it had been almost a month since i let it sing to me.
actually, it's safe to say i put it off a few times because i was afraid.

what if these last few months have been a dream?
what if i sit down and i can't sew?
what if...
what if...

what if?!

what if i give up?

what would that look like?

i'm was more afraid to give up than to not give up.

{i hope i wrote that correctly ;) }

i remember, almost 4 weeks ago, Zack was driving us to Minneapolis and i was sitting in the car, staring out the window, staring at the beautiful view of trees and sunny, blue sky.
i was thinking up new product ideas.
ways to intertwine fall into my signature GUSSY ruffle.

hmmm.

so much has changed.
my sewing room is different.
my picture taking spot is different.
so.
much.
change.

we rent an apartment instead of a house.
i walk or take the city bus to work.
i have a job.

I HAVE A JOB!

our apartment is lovely. lovely kitchen, lovely bedroom, lovely living room, lovely sewing room.
lovely windows with lovely trees outside.

lovely :)

as i've already skipped around this post like a young kindergartner would on her first day of school, please, let me continue on.

my life has changed, but my life in God's book of life hasn't changed.

there is so much hope in that.

what brings you hope?

what brings a smile to your face?


i know for a fact these last months haven't brought many smiles to my face.
as sad and unGussy-like that is, it's true.

i can't stand that that is true, but it is.

i have more confidence than ever that more smiles are to come.

maybe this will bring a smile to your beautiful face?



SALE!

SALE!

***

SALE!

SALE!




***

now through September 13, ALL Etsy ITEMS are 10% OFF!! If you buy a second item, it will be 15% off, and if you buy a third, it will be 20% off.

***

go on now, take a look.
i know there isn't much new to see but give Gus a break.



after all,
it's been 26 days ;)

{Gussy's got some things to say}

My Heavens, I hardly know what day it is! As most of you know, these last few weeks have been full of all things unusual.


I'll try and do a little recap because, let's be honest, it would be helpful for myself! ;)

Around the first of July Zack and I realized we would need to start looking out-of-state for work {we then lived in Michigan}. We had been battling a total of 3 job losses since January and it was time for some serious and permanent changes to happen. Pretty soon after, Zack received a magazine in the mail that included a large section on the top 100 cities in the US. It rated them by economic status, employment, culture, housing, etc. We soon read that Minnesota was on that list.

Fast forward a bit. I was telling my friend Nikki about this discovery and she suggested I forward her my resume. Maybe I could get a job where she was working?

To make that long story short, everything turned in my favor and Zack and I were set to visit Minneapolis for a week in August. I'd visit the company Nikki works at, hopefully have an interview, Zack would look for work, and so on.

The middle of August came and onward we went. We drove to Minne and stayed with Nikki for one week. We arrived Sunday evening. By Tuesday morning I had an appointment to visit her employer. On Wednesday they asked me to stay through Tuesday. Then once Tuesday came I was asked to stay through Friday.

Ummm, OK!

I was freelancing for the company as a Digital Proofreader and things were looking up.

On Wednesday, two days before we were supposed to drive back to Michigan, I was offered a full-time position at the company. I'd continue as their Digital Proofreader.

That day, Zack and I frantically made phone calls in preparation to move 13 hours away. We needed to move that coming weekend. We called our families and told them of OUR BIG NEWS! :)

We drove back to Michigan Friday morning.

Our families arrived Saturday morning to help us pack. And I just have to share this fact, because it is so darn stinkin' cool: It took us no more than 4 hours to pack our house and have most of the cleaning done! I AM SO PROUD OF THEM! It was amazing. A huge blessing! :)

On packing day, it had been over two weeks ago since we had been home. Nothing had been prepared for us to move. Laundry sat in the hamper. Leftovers were in the fridge. Our mail sat un-read.

Turns out God had some great things planned for us. Over 15 people showed up to help us move. Family drove hours to help us out. My big brother even made a surprise trip in :)

When I think back on that day {August 29}, Zack and I didn't pack a single box. We were so occupied with organizing the move, saying hello and goodbye to family, and making sure last-minute errands were run. That day still exhausts me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sunday morning came and we caravaned 4 vehicles out to Minnesota.

Monday morning we unpacked.

Tuesday morning our families left for Michigan.

Wednesday morning I started my first day of work.

Yeow! :)


And that brings us to today, Saturday, September 5th.

Hello, my name is Gussy and I now live in Minnesota.

LOL!

Just so you all know, I did laugh-out-loud when I typed that. This is so unreal. Zack and I live in an apartment in downtown Minneapolis. I can walk or take the bus to work. I sit on the 12th floor of Carmichael Lynch with a PC and a Mac and I work, work, work away. I'm their Digital Proofreader. I sew on the side, talk every single day of the year, and unfortunately, live miles and miles away from our family.

But, amidst all of that, I have to take comfort that this is all God's plan.

I'm going to try and write this correctly:
We make plans and God laughs at them.

My, that is so true!

I remember earlier this summer I was frantically trying to figure out our lives. We were pushing 5 months of unemployment {which was OK at first, but after a few weeks I began to question where this would take us. And after a few months of being unemployed I really began to question my purpose} and I knew September brought the end to many things, specifically the lease on the house we were renting.

I have always had a hard time with not having a grasp on the future. Zack finds it easier to let things go and wait for the answer; I, on the other hand, don't like to wait.

Until recently, that was the way things were.

Once August came, our roles reversed. I knew there wasn't a darn thing I could do differently to change our future and finally decided to let go {and let God}. However, Zack began to worry more and wonder more about how we'd make it through.

It seemed like overnight it became a heavily-weighted subject.

BUT GOD PULLED THROUGH!

We knew He would.

There were definitely days when we weren't sure how He would, but we knew He would.

God always pulls through.

When I wrote earlier...
I'm going to try and write this correctly: We make plans and God laughs at them.

...I'm always messing up phrases like that. For instance, I love to say, When worse comes to shove. Instead of, When worse comes to worst, or When push comes to shove.

So if I've typed something incorrectly, please just smile ;)

Another side note:
Life is short. Talk fast!

So. This year has been full of trying times. {I just asked Zack if that is the correct way to write that. See, now I'm getting nervous!} I know there was a purpose to it all, but six months ago I wouldn't have been confident {or comfortable} saying that. For over a year I was absolutely against moving out of state. I had never lived out-of-state until now and I didn't want to be away from our families. I still don't like being far away. But God has taken that control away from me and says, Trust me.

A lot of credit needs to go to the people that God has placed in our life. They've helped us get to this point. Without all of them we certainly wouldn't be living in Minneapolis! YEAH for College/Etsy/Babysitting connections!

Just yesterday I painted my fingernails with some nail polish that Sunshine Meg mailed me!!!!! {Hot pink polish, baby!} She's a blog friend of mine and has been encouraging us these last few months to hang in there. Meg is a super awesome friend!!! Other people, like our family, respond to our e-mails with encouraging words.

I feel like I'm getting a bit off track here. Basically, a big thanks to everyone that has been super awesome and encouraging to us. Life on this side of the clouds can be a bit hard to swallow some days. I'm really praying things continue to look up for us.

Taking a break from planning life's plans has made a lot of things easier. It's hard to admit that, but it's true.

What is something you'd like to work on? What is something you think you'd have a hard time doing differently?

What is going on with you? I know I've been mega MIA for almost a month now.

Shoot me an e-mail and GUSSY to me :)

***************

I'm hoping to find some time during this long, restful weekend of DO NOT DISTURB I'M RESTING AFTER 40 DAYS OF CHAOS to sew.

<3

I've stopped counting the days of non-sewing activity. I know at one point I was at day 16. That is heart-breaking. Ugh. I wonder if I'll even remember.

Dear God,

Please help me remember.

Love,

Gussy

***************

OK. Me and my pink fingernails are going to keep on keepin' on. Hope to hear from some of you. Middle of next week our internet will be installed. Once that happens I'll have a much easier time staying in touch with you all :)

Happy Labor Day weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS. One of my wallets was featured in Pregnancy & Newborn magazine. A reader saw it while at the doctor's offer and contacted me. That was so awesome. A real highlight! :)

{sewing withdrawls.}

oh. my. gush.

it is nearly day 2,857 of no sewing and i'm going crazy.
like, no-sew crazy.

just ask Zack.

OK, fine. it's actually day 16.


for most of our drive out to Minneapolis i dreamt of new products...

i hope to sew them up really soon :)

i have updated the ship date on all upcoming orders. i'm estimating that by september 7th i'll have everything organized {like whoa} and i can sew + ship then. at first i estimated september 15th, but that date is long a part of the past.

or whatever the saying is.

september 7th.

that's the big day.

roughly 10 days to go.


sigh...

***************

we are packing our house today.

{!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!}

both neighbors on either side of us are moving, too.

big day for our street!



thank GOODNESS we have great families who are so eager and willing to help :)

Sunday morning we ship out to Minneapolis.

what plans do YOU have this weekend?

***************

if i may, i'd like to get a head count of all those interested in the travel diaper + wipe cases i made a few years, i mean weeks, back. several of you mentioned you'd like to place an order back when i made the reveal.

i'm wondering if you're still interested?



if you'd like one, will you please leave me a comment saying YES!

{i'm already planning my first day of sewing in Minneapolis.}



I NEED TO PLAN SOMETHING BECAUSE THESE LAST TWO WEEKS HAVE BEEN NOTHING BUT!!!

ahem.

i mean, i love to plan. so please, help me plan?

ok, thanks :)

PS. all cases come with a pack of travel wipes; sorry, the wad of fabric to show diaper depth-ness isn't included. many apologies in advance.

***************

accessory cases.

love them?
hate them?

what are your thoughts?


***************

need a unique gift? check out the sale section of my Etsy shop for some super discounts.

{just a few more details}

holy moley.

so much has happened since two weeks ago.

the biggest event is that I have a full-time job. this is probably the most exciting thing right now. I HAVE A JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

also this week I found out my GUSSY products were accepted at an army-base gift shop in North Carolina called the Buy N Bragg. pretty darn exciting!

everything this week is moving super fast.
Gussy can hardly keep up.

thanks so much to everyone who commented on my last post. i totally appreciate all the good thoughts/prayers you've sent!!!! if i may ask, will you please pray we have success planning our big move? we have soooo much to do in such a short of time. i think our biggest obstacle is getting approved to move into an apartment. usually the process takes 3-5 business days. we have approximately 2 to work with.

{deep breath}

ok. gotta keep truckin'

hope your thursday is rockin'
:)

PS. a girl from work forwarded me information on a big craft fair that is {i believe} near Minneapolis. i'm pretty pumped because it's really likely i'll be able to apply {the deadline is coming up fast}.

MY FIRST CRAFT FAIR!

i didn't share this, but a few weeks ago someone contacted me about being a vendor at a craft fair near the Detroit area. i was so bummed because the fair looks awesome! and i couldn't participate! ugh. but now it looks like God had other plans for us.

and that's OK with me :)

{attention world}

attention, attention:

we are moving to MINNEAPOLIS this weekend!!!!!!!!

i have a job!!!

yeah! :)

super exciting!!!

more details to come.

Love,

Gussy + Hubbs

{an update, a giveaway, and a SALE!!!}

Good morning, you and you and you! :)

There is a whole lot of fun + good things going on in the land of Gussy. I'll do my best to share everything that I can.

Zack and I arrived in Minneapolis early Sunday evening. While we are gone we have someone staying at our house and we are staying with a friend. It's the perfect set-up. Our friend, Nikki, has a killer apartment and the view out her living room is breath-taking. Every morning I wake up and see The Basilica of Saint Mary.

It is so nice to be on this little trip. Why? Oh, well... because it means we are thismuchcloser to finding permanent work. We are both SOOOOOO ready to be working again. Actually, I was so ready that I started working Tuesday morning!

Whoa.

Umm, yeah.

It is amazing :)

And we're now staying a few extra days because I have work!

Double whoa!

I am working for a downtown advertising agency and it is the best feeling ever {!!!} to be needed outside my sewing room. Now I have four entire floors of people to talk to.

Just kidding.

I have roughly 80 hours of work already, so there's no talking. Unfortunately :(

I'm so excited to be working again because it can get pretty lonely working alone all day long, day after day. Now don't you think for one second that I don't love to sew. Because I do. And I'm having a hard time being away from my sewing machine. But I found out my friend Lori has a sewing machine at her house here {near Minneapolis} and she actually is about to start a project and asked me to help, so I just might have to get my hands on it and sew up something fun.

Whoaaaaaa.

Look at that run-on sentence.

Ick.

But in all honesty, things are going very well here in this big, fun, lively city. We are having a rough start with housing. Boo. But we know God will take care of that area, too. Patience is definitely a virtue I've come close to mastering. I mean, so many things are "over" in our lives the end of August, and here I am with my hubby and friend, hanging {and working!!!} in downtown Minneapolis, working away like a Gussy that has experience in The Sweat Shop.

I wonder how Minneapolis would feel about The Sweat Shop?

I'll have you know that since I've been in Minneapolis, I've spotted a fabric shop. I haven't been inside it, but I FOUND ONE!!!

That is the first step to having the A-OK to move here.

That, and the serious fact that there is a Target every five minutes. Sometimes there are even TWO Targets within five minutes of each other.

Say it with me: Whoaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

So, to wrap all things work-related up, life with Gussy + hubby is great! It's definitely a big adventure. We're praying my work turns into full-time, permanent work. We're praying Zack finds work and that we find a house to live in.

We're praying to find our self-worth again.

Is there anything I can pray about for you?

I welcome your e-mails and comments :)

*****************

To supplement hat I am gone from my beloved {my sewing machine} and not sewing, sewing, sewing away in The Sweat Shop, there are two things I must share with you:

1. Please visit A Soft Place To Land for an opportunity to win $40 credit to my Etsy shop or my online store. Are you excited? All you have to do is blog about a DIY-project you've done and then post the link on Kimba's blog. Click the link above {visit A Soft Place To Land}, and get going on the fun!!!

2. I am having a Back To School sale!!! All orders received now through August 25 will receive FREE SHIPPING.

Etsy Shop --- You can either message me before checkout so I can adjust your order, or I will refund your order via PayPal once it is placed.

Gussy Store --- All shipping charges will be refunded via PayPal.

{All orders will be shipped on Thursday, August 27.}

{Happy Thursday!!!}

:)

{we had a real good time}

Oh my goodness, OH MY GOODNESS!

My sweet nephew, Collin, says that phrase all the time. And I mean all the time.

**************

Last week I spent a handful of days watching and playing with my nephews, Collin {4 years} and Jack {16 months}. I was their full-time go-to gal. It was so fun. And so exhausting. So exhausting that Monday night I went to bed right after I put them to bed.


Did I mention raising kids is exhausting?! But man, we sure did have fun! Not only did I sit Collin in the chair by the window so we could play "senior portraits", but we went to the park, went on a scenic drive, had lunch at McDonald's, only sat in time out once {Collin, not me. Ahem}, played bikes in the driveway, and went on a walk.

Plus another handful of things, but I can't remember. Oh right: laundry, bubble baths, puzzles, making/eating homemade cookies, intense discussions on hiking adventures, and reading books.

Collin and I share the same passion for talking. Here he is, telling another story :)


Anyhoo, it was really, really, really, really, really fun being with the boys. And since they love to chit-chat as much as I do, it was really super fun! Ha ha. Jack doesn't speak English, but he speaks Jack lingo. He understands 85% of everything we say to him. And he babbles like he is speaking English. But he isn't. For sure, he is not.

While I was there, I woke up at 7 a.m. {aka: the scariest time ever}, hopped in the shower, and then went downstairs to tell Collin to stop stomping on the kitchen floor. This happened every. Single. Day.

!!!

{For extra emphasis.}

I would tell him, Brother Jack is still sleeping, and since it's hardly 7:21 a.m. I'd like him to sleep a little bit longer. You'll understand this in twenty years ;)


Isn't he precious?! I love spending time with Collin.

However, most times I {or Zack and I} do more activities with Collin simply because he is older and we have more options. But last week I was able to spend a lot of time with Jack. It was awesome. It made me realize we don't have to take Jack somewhere to make a memory with him. And not that we have to with Collin -- we all just like to go on adventures with him.

So, we sat on the porch swing, chatted about life and it's hardship.

We had a good time.

A real good time.



Some times we even sat on the swing together and held hands.

Ha ha, I tried to hold his hand. Most of the time he let me :)


Other times I watched him play.


This is my all time favorite picture of him. I'm taking this as his, Aunt Maggie, you rock and this is my YOU ROCK signal.

Ha ha, so hilarious!!!



While I had Collin sitting in the chair in the living room {for senior portraits, remember?!}, I put Jack in the toy shopping cart. I'm pretty fun. I wish I was small enough to fit in it. Oh wait, I probably could fit in a normal shopping cart. Whoa.

Anyways, Jack is in the shopping cart. I can only assume Collin sat in his chair all big-eyed and watched the following unfold...

I LOVE MY NEPHEWS!!!

In conclusion {what is this, a term paper?!}, I decided to make a little list of the top 100 things I said daily, while visiting.

Just kidding, how does top 5 sound? I'm a little young to be counting triple digits.

• Hands off the wall! {This phrase was repeated every other minute, especially when we're having a "learning moment" aka: Big Brother is about to be in time out {so listen up, ya hear?!}

• Please don't touch the door/door knob
  

• Nuh-uh is not a word. Please say "no" instead
  

• No standing on the couch

• Please don't throw your food
  

Ahh, that was fun skipping down memory lane.

Back to all things sweet and chirpy.


Guess I wasn't done typing.


Collin sure has learned to say the cutest things. Whenever he wants to do something special, like play a game or watch TV/a movie, he says, Umm, Aunt Maggie? I'm going to ask something nicely. OK. Can I... I mean, may I please watch _____?

It's almost like he's telling me, Umm, Aunt Maggie, I'm going to ask nicely once, OK?...

Ohh, great. My nephew has more sass than I do...

{Hello, Minneapolis, I'm GUSSY!}

I posted this video a few months back. I'm here to share it again. The composition is so truly beautiful, it gives Gussy goosebumps. I love to listen to it.





I hope your day, your entire day, is so very relaxing and where ever you are you are able to take a few minutes to breathe in and breathe out. Meditate and reflect on your life. I know for some of you, you aren't able to think much past today. Hello, that is my life. Only God knows the plans He carries for me and Zack. We are taking strong efforts to move to Minneapolis soon.

Whoa.

It is hard to write that.

I joked with Zack today that we could move to Grand Rapids, MN, and then I could say I lived in Grand Rapids, MI and Grand Rapids, MN. I tried to find a little humor in it. Potentially moving that far is going to be difficult. I need to remember it's just an adventure. An adventure God already has planned for us.

We have tried, oh-so desperately, to stay in Michigan. We are open to staying if we can find fabulous jobs.

Back to the song.

Isn't it lovely?

It makes me feel so relaxed to listen to it. I would like more relaxing in my life and less stressing, thankyouverymuch! ;)

So what is new with you all? I know I have new readers. Most of you haven't commented yet, and I invite you to introduce yourself to me. Comments or e-mails are always welcome.

Maybe you are a little intimated to comment... feeling a little shy... feeling like I should go first?

OK.


Hello, my name is Gussy. I'm young {a baby, actually! Thanks Nester ;) }, and I'm a newlywed. I love my family dearly. I like to talk, duhhhhh, and I like to sew. Make that love to sew. I started an Etsy shop in November and by February I was sewing full-time as my previous full-time job disintegrated right before my eyes. Since February I've been relying very heavily on Etsy to keep things moving forward. It was pretty scary. Then, in July, I hit 100 sales. HOORAY!




Rewind: I have an older brother, two adorable nephews, and a set of parents that have been married for over 30 years.

Fast-forward: I met my husband just over 5 years ago at Central Michigan University. We were both freshmen and were head-over-heels in love. College sweethearts, they say. We dated for 2 years, were engaged for 2 years, and we married June 7th, 2008.



Now, Zack and I are preparing to move to Minneapolis. Do you think Minne is ready for Gussy? Hmmm... I sure hope so...

Alright. That's my story, now tell me yours ;)


Two things before I stop typing:

1. EverythingEtsy.com -- be sure to enter in the GUSSY giveaway!

2. Don't forget to take advantage of free shipping. Everyone that commented on my last giveaway is eligible. Offer is good through Thursday, August 6.

{Collin, part 3}

WE LOVE YOU, COLLIN!
Thanks for visiting us at our home! :)

Your shampoo bottle is waiting! :)

{Collin, part 2}

Welcome to the Detroit Zoological Park! On Tuesday, Zack and I took Collin to the Zoo. It was a perfect, perfect day to go: 70 degrees, blue sky and breezy. While it was packed full of people, we loved the day trip! We brought the stroller because we expected to be there for a few hours. In fact, we were there for 3. The stroller saved us from going home early I believe :) I was a bit surprised at how content Collin was with riding in it, but glad, nonetheless.

See my beautiful necklace that my nephews made me for my birthday? I wore it to the Zoo and Collin kept telling me, Aunt Maggie, I made your necklace. I made it for your birthday!!! :) It is AWESOME!


One adventure we went on while at the Zoo was the Australian Outback Adventure. Lots of kangaroo's hopped and rested around us. I don't think Collin was too keen on them... he didn't have much to say as we walked through it. I was a bit surprised ;) He usually talks to animals like they are people.




He loved the giraffes, though. We were all amazed at their size. At one point over his stay with us Collin told me, One day you'll be big like Uncle Pony.

Ummm, think again sweet child. Aunt Maggie will always be 5'4".


After our picnic lunch we shared a Lemon Chill. It sure was tasty!






One character Collin loves is Curious George. He loves all kinds of monkeys, too. Here is a gorilla we saw. Collin was sure to notice {and share with us} that they have butts, just like people. Yup, you're right Collin!



I love that Collin is holding on to Zack's hair here. Hilarious! :)



The only other thing we spent equal or more time doing while at the zoo was looking at the map. Collin loves to look at maps and know where we are going next. I was told that Collin now says, OK! So, what's the plan? And I just know that is because Zack told him throughout our trip at the zoo, OK, Collin, this is the plan...





Another exhibit we saw was Amphibianville. This HOP sign was outside the exhibit building. Pretty cute.



To get to the front of the zoo fast we rode the train. Collin also loves trains and Thomas the Train, so he was super pumped about this final adventure.






Looking at these pictures makes me miss Collin so much. He is so full of personality and spunk. I have a large part of my heart reserved for him :)