wait, you DON'T sew?!

Remember that time we scoured for JUST the right Halloween costume? It had to be a Cookie Monster onsie. And it had to be JUST the right onsie. We needed one in just the right size and fit to match the Elmo onsie the BFF will be wearing. Amazon for the win!

HOWEVER... those dag nab eyeballs. It was all good until we washed it. I mean, it came shrink wrapped in plastic, but it still felt like it needed a wash. You just never know. And even though it never saw the dryer, those eyeballs came right off in the wash.

It took a slight minute, but I found matching thread and like a good mama, I sewed those eyeballs right back on. I have always been able to sew. It's not perfect by any means, but I am good at fixing things. I am in the process of teaching my daughter the basics of sewing so we never have eyeball emergencies again 😂

Learn to sew. It's not hard. It's an important skill when you have a kid. If you have a kid who is a scout, think of ALL those patches and ALL those vests! You also have wardrobe adjustments, broken straps, hemmed pants or skirts, stuffed animals that have been nibbled by the dog, you know. The usual! The costume emergency has been fixed and we are now ready to trick-or-treat.

family fun at the zoo

I don't know what it is about animals, but they are fascinating. They are magestic. They bring families together for a lovely day out. They provoke smiles and conversations (my favorites!). They are just fun.

Our lovely local library had end of summer giveaways and my kid and I each won family passes to the Brookfield Zoo. We invited a few different people to go and ended up with a rag tag group heading into Brookfield, IL. It was our first trip there, so we left early with plenty of snacks, drinks, sunscreen, road trip games, and battery life in our phones.

Despite the day being September 30th, it was really warm outside! We laughed and walked and saw all the animals. The zoo was lovely. It was set up so that each animal felt more at home in nature with natural looking habitats and enclosures. I would highly recommend this zoo for anyone willing to make the drive.

We even did our good deed and gave away our last free ticket to a family who wanted it. We had an extra. Since there's only so much room in my car, that means one less seat to fill so one extra ticket left. I hope I never get to old for a day at the zoo. AND I hope my daughter always finds joy in family time, nature, and the outdoors.