Monkey Me, Monkey You

More Mexico

2011-12-17T16:59:00.000-08:00

Mayan Riviera, Mexico

2011-12-10T18:28:00.001-08:00

Dec 2 – 9, 2011

Just got home from a week-long trip to Mexico. Having a little siesta now, but will post more pics soon.

Merry Old England

2011-06-08T11:31:00.000-07:00

Special thanks to Sara for taking me to England!

xoMonkey

London, England and surrounding areas

2011-06-07T13:57:00.000-07:00

May 23 – Jun 4, 2011

Monkey just got home on Saturday from a whirlwind vacay to his homeland of England. He hopped along as a stowaway with my friend, Sara. More pictures to come as they're organized. But for now, here he is at Stonehenge! He looks so happy.

. . .

Rio Bueno, Jamaica

2010-12-11T15:55:00.000-08:00

Dec 1 – Dec 8, 2010

Had a great time, mon!

Taking off again

2010-11-30T20:44:00.000-08:00

Off on another journey…

Will report back in a week after plenty of sun, sand and surf!

If you wondered who Monkey was cheering for...

2010-02-27T09:14:00.001-08:00

Sorry about the delay in game... Monkey had a hard tired week following his return from the Olympics, but here's one last post from Monkey's last day in Vancouver.

Started with some bannock and venison stew at the Four Nations Pavilion... yum.

On our way to the USA versus Canada Hockey game, Monkey ran into a long lost cousin who really, really wanted to buy Monkey's hockey tickets. No go Monkey cousin, no go.

There were lots of USA fans in the crowd waiting to get into the arena, but...

... there may have been a few more Canada fans inside the arena.

The players came out for a practice skate and Monkey had to decide who to cheer for: USA where he'd had such a good time on his travels? Or Canada, his adopted home?

Monkey picked Canada!

But alas, all that cheering didn't work though, USA won that game. But the rematch for gold is tonight. Go Canada Go!

Monkey on the waterfront

2010-02-19T16:38:00.000-08:00

Monkey on a bit of a wander along Vancouver's seawall.

Line up was too long to go into Ontario's 4D pavilion experience.

We went into Maison du Québec: le bon fromage ici, mais qui est cet homme? Il effraye le singe.

Molson Canadian Hockey House... an entire pavilion dedicated to hockey and beer. Go Canada!

Visited the friendly folk at Saskatchewan's pavilion, and got a green screen photo with Gainer the Gopher, the Saskatchewan Roughriders' mascot – he wasn't really there, it's magic. (Doesn't it look like Audra's wearing a crown?)

Met some people from the Russian Republic who threatened to wrap monkey up in their flag and take him back home. Net!

After the Russian incident, Monkey needed to relax and meditate in the shadow of one of the hundreds of mini Inukshuks along the False Creek bank.

Across from Science World (Socci Russian Republic Pavilion) and the Athlete's Village.

Um, excuse me? Did Monkey fly away from the winter olympics to a tropical locale? Nope. Still in Vancouver. In February. For the WINTER Olympics. (Where's my sunscreen?)

What's the answer to the question: "Will you hold the monkey?"

2010-02-19T16:05:00.000-08:00

"Absolutely" ~ Canadians

"Yes, ma'am." ~ RCMP

"Why not?" ~ Saskatchewanite

"Hai" ~ Japanese

"Sure" ~ American

"Da!" ~ Russian

Oddly, the Swiss will not hold the monkey.

Monkey see Canada win curling!

2010-02-18T20:17:00.000-08:00

What is this game where people slide on ice, throw rocks at each other while yelling at people sweeping the ice with brooms to hurry! hard! ? It's Curling!

They're lining up: USA versus Denmark; Russia versus Great Britain; Japan versus China, and; Canada versus Germany...

Here are some ladies who were cheering for Japan. Monkey doesn't read Japanese.

There's the Canadian skip (she's the boss)

And here's Canada lining up a shot.

Canada won! Boy was the crowd ever loud when they did. Monkey was also cheering for Japan and USA, but they both lost. But Monkey's birthplace Great Britain won - Yaaay!

Monkey see Stephen Colbert

2010-02-18T19:45:00.000-08:00

In the line up next to Science World in Vancouver, waiting for the crowd to be let into the park where the Colbert Report will be taped (episodes air next week);

Waiting for the show to begin.

Oh! There's Stephen!

Monkey doesn't think these are some of those protesters he's been hearing so much about. He thinks they were probably just trying to get on TV.

That was exciting.

An ocean view

2010-02-18T06:55:00.000-08:00

Might this be Monkey's first glimpse of the Pacific Ocean? (And aren't these the 'winter' games? Not that Monkey is complaining about warm weather after Winnipeg winters.)

Monkey has a hankering to try and get into a taping of a segment of the Colbert Report today and to watch some people throwing rocks at each other in a game called curling. More later.

A monkey without a country at the Olympics

2010-02-16T17:49:00.001-08:00

Born in the UK, a resident of Canada (I suspect an illegal immigrant), having seen more of the United States of America than most Americans, and currently stowing away in Audra's suitcase bound for the Olympic games in Vancouver...

Who will monkey be cheering for? Find out as Monkey's journey continues...

Monkey Family Reunion?

2009-06-19T14:30:00.000-07:00

After being inspired by ChristySews' intro to her new additions, I got to wondering who else was so enchanted by Monkey's visit that they adopted one of his cousins from Siansbury's?

I introduced you to my Beatrice a little while back...

Who else is out there?

Dear Monkey

2009-06-18T16:33:00.001-07:00

Dear Monkey.

I just wanted to let you know that your cousins arrived in the U.S. safely. I found Madeline Monkey to be quite pleasant, but I was a little shocked at her husband. When you said he was a captain, I thought you meant a sea captain. Did you know he's a bloody pirate and that he brought a sword? Monkey, you should have warned me. Oh yes, and I do have a question for you -- does he ever speak of anything else but rum?

I guess all will be okay in the end and I am happy to provide them with a home. It's difficult to move so far away from home.

And Monkey? I really will get that package in the mail. It's just that I keep forgetting to take it with me when I step out to lunch.

Well, that's all. Here's a picture of your cousins. Like I said, they are doing quite well ... all things considered.

Your friend. Christy.

Home again

2009-06-09T22:01:00.000-07:00

Look who's back in Winnipeg!

The little guy is home and not a moment too soon, after 14 months on the road.

Unfortunately, his passport has gone missing. If any of the past hostesses has it, please email me (lisagh@shaw.ca) and I'll send you my postal information to get it back to me. It really is the most important part... it's his travelogue and a memento for the whole trip.

Thanks to everyone for playing along.

. . .

While in transit...

2009-05-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

While Monkey is in transit, I will post his visit recap that is long overdue. My house was the first stop in the Sunshine State for our little Monkey.

The photo above is Monkey at Dinosaur World...ok, truth be told, we were at the winery down the road and only stopped for this photo. Didn't want mama Lisagh to think he was with lushes right off the bat.

The next day....we were off to the Super Bowl...yep, that Super Bowl. Monkey made friends with some bar patrons while we were at a pre-game pep rally for the Cardinals. Middle photo is me, Monkey and Barb on the right. No idea who those guys are with Monkey (no worry Lisagh I was standing guard).

After a weekend of fun, it was back to work...at home and at the office. Having an extra set of hands around was nice. Monkey meeting some of the family residents. The horse is Jolene, and this alpaca is Zorro. He was Monkey's favorite. Monkey wasn't too keen on farm chores, he really just like riding in the hay wagon.

We definitely rewarded Monkey for all of his hard work...what would Florida be without relaxing in the sun right? Note the golden retriever in photo below. Monkey was a little on edge.

Monkey decided swimming was in order, until he checked the pool temperature. He may be Canadian, but he's still not swimming when the water wasn't even 70 degrees. The lounge chair suited him just fine!

Lisagh, thanks for letting Monkey visit with us. He came at a time when work was hectic and we had a death in the family, but he was a nice distraction for a few days. Oh, and he'd like to know if you will be sending him back next winter ; )
Cheers!

Time to move on to his next stop

2009-05-21T07:14:00.001-07:00

We had a great visit with Monkey here in Lookout Mountain, Tennessee. He will be leaving us soon. See you next time. Thanks Lisagh for sharing him with us.

Monkey Adventures continue

2009-05-19T13:43:00.000-07:00

While Monkey was visiting another friend arrived all the way from Texas...Flat Stanley. We took them both to watch PE Boy play baseball and they posed for some pics.

Even Mr. PE got into the fun.

PE boy took them later that day to Ruby Falls.

Here they are by the water fall sign

They really liked the drum at the gift shop!

Until the next adventure...

The Preppy Engineer.

See Rock City

2009-05-17T22:00:00.000-07:00

After the Incline we headed over to Rock City Gardens. On the way we went by the "George Washington" Rock.

Do you see the resemblance?

Rock City Gardens is famous for the SEE ROCK CITY Barns that are all over the country. The history of Rock City is very interesting. Read about it here.

Monkey had a visit with the gnomes and enjoyed looking in the gift shop.

After touring, we enjoyed some fudge and a Starbucks and headed home for the evening.

Lookout Mountain Railway Incline

2009-05-16T22:00:00.000-07:00

Lookout Mountain is a beautiful place to live , but it is also a tourist mecca!
PE boy and I took in the sights with Monkey today after his baseball game.
First stop was the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway

The Incline is listed as a National Historic Site as well as a National Historical Mechanical Engineering Landmark. It was built in 1895. It is referred to as the "Most Amazing Mile". It runs from St. Elmo up Lookout Mountain. Monkey enjoyed the view form the observation deck of Chattanooga.

This is a view of downtown Chattanooga and the Tennessee River.

We stopped in the gift shop and picked up a few goodies from Lookout Mountain to send to Lisagh to thank her letting Monkey come stay with us for a few days

Next stop Rock City Gardens...

Meet the Pets and Cosmic Bowling

2009-05-16T10:49:00.000-07:00

Friday Monkey was introduced to the pets in the house hold. Here is Monkey with Sparky our dog and Ben Roethlisberger our hamster.

Here is Ben giving Monkey a big hug and welcoming him to our home.

Can you find Monkey hiding?
It was hot so he took a dip in our fountain.
Friday night, I got to go to a friend's farm and have a girls night out. Mr. PE and PE boy took Monkey for cosmic bowling.

Everyone had a great time.

Until tomorrow....

Errands

2009-05-15T09:56:00.000-07:00

After Monkey arrived on Thursday evening , we had to run an errand. We loaded up in the car, put our seat belts on, added our wireless headset so we could watch a DVD on the way and we were off.

We went to one of my favorites.

PE Boy needed some new in line skates. We picked those up and a few grocery items. I hope Monkey likes Special K red berries. It is one of our favorites.

Along the way Monkey got a bit distracted. We found a game called Bananrama and he had to have his picture taken. He was in heaven with all those bananas.

Then we ran into a friend.

After a quick stop at the Starbucks for a Strawberry Frappucino it was on to the house and to bed. All and all a boring evening but more adventures await Monkey in the coming days.

Until then...

The Preppy Engineer

Greetings from Lookout Mountain, Tennessee

2009-05-14T18:29:00.000-07:00

We had just finished dinner and were cleaning up the kitchen when the doorbell rang. I opened the front door and there was a box of packages. (I like to shop online!) There was a box from an address I did not recognize. Could it be who I thought it was?

Yes, Monkey has safely arrived at Lookout Mountain, Tennessee! In case you have never heard of it, we are a suburb of Chattanooga.

We opened the box and found Monkey safely tucked in his plastic box. It is decorated from all of his travels. We will have to think hard about what we will add from his stop here.

Monkey was very happy to get out of the box and stretch his legs and meet PE Boy and PE Teenager!

What 16 year old wouldn't want his picture taken with a sock monkey?

Until tomorrow...

The Preppy Engineer

More than just technical difficulties!

2009-05-04T19:22:00.000-07:00

Home from awesome trip... and ready for another.

Both kids were home sick today. I was a little worried it could be the flu but thankfully it is not! Just a viral thing. We all slept most of Sunday (damn I was pooped!) and we were at the doctors first thing this morning.

I have great photos to share. I tried really hard to get them off of my camera today but work and a slow computer prevented progress. Boo!

Where?

2009-05-02T15:55:00.001-07:00

Is Monkey? Has anyone seen him?

Guess Who?

2009-04-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

Well, we haven't heard from Monkey in a while, but his new cousin Beatrice has made her appearance--in record time, no less--Sian, you're the best!! Come say hello to Beatrice over here!

While We Wait...

2009-04-23T07:56:00.000-07:00

...to hear of Monkey's next great adventure, I just had to share an announcement about one of Monkey's newest sisters!

While some of you may have seen her on the amazing Sian's Etsy Store, I'm waiting to post her official debut until she makes her way across the pond.

I'm so excited about the newest addition to the Diva family. Of course, because I have my own boys, I requested a girl for adoption. She's a Diva, so she'll fit in nicely. Her name is Beatrice.

Beatrice juggles the hectic life of working monkeyhood, raising her three monkeycubs alongside authoring five novels, one of which made the Monkey Times Besteseller List 2008. She also finds the time to act as patron to several charities close to her heart, overseeing the organisation of two annual charity dinners which raise much needed funds and publicity for sock monkeys in need.

Can't wait to introduce her to you all when she arrives!

Update from Lisagh

2009-04-17T07:29:00.000-07:00

Just in case anyone is worried about Monkey's whereabouts, I heard from his current hostess yesterday. She had an unfortunate family issue last weekend, so her touring plans were postponed for a week. She promises to have a wonderful weekend planned for Monkey and updates for all of us very soon.

Want a Monkey fix in the meantime? Why not go sign up to be his fan on Facebook? Click here to join.

Happy Weekend!

. . .

So Long, Farewell,

2009-04-07T14:03:00.000-07:00

Auf wiedersehen, goodbye.

Monkey is officially on his way to Tennessee. I know one guy who is already sad.

We really enjoyed his visit.

Monkey's Big Weekend

2009-04-06T06:28:00.001-07:00

Monkey had an action packed weekend! Friday night he accompanied me to a Braves exhibition game.

We were able to get a few quick shots around the stadium.

This is a tribute to Hank Aaron's home run record.

And for Baseball fans, my husband had Monkey recreate the "Sid slide" play...whatever that means. :)

Saturday Monkey found himself road tripping it with us. My husband is part of a mentor program for "at risk" youth. He had to go to a training session in Fort Stewart, GA. Monkey tagged along. And witnessed history.

Monkey witnessed me getting my first ever speeding ticket. SIGH. I'm not even a speeder, but I was on this road for 30 minutes with nothing in sight. I just wasn't paying attention and went a little over the speed limit. Which is a no-no on base. Monkey and my husband had a great laugh over this one.

Monkey on base at the youth academy.

Once we left the base, we went to Savannah for a little getaway. I know, Monkey already visited Savannah.

He still had fun, especially hanging out on the hotel balcony!

Back in Atlanta, we visited a few fun spots in downtown.

Here is a view of downtown.

The CNN Center as seen from Centennial Olympic Park.

Centennial Olympic Park.

The Georgia Aquarium.

The Coke Museum.

Another one in the city.

So today Monkey is a bit tired and will spend the day resting before he heads off to Tennessee.

I may sneak in one more photo session with Monkey and Winston! :)

Ahhhh Choo!

2009-04-03T10:16:00.000-07:00

Someone send Monkey a Claritin, STAT! The poor guy isn't too sure about Atlanta. It rained all day yesterday, and today he can barely walk outside without his head exploding. Who knew monkey had allergies?

The pollen is outrageous. Or at least that is what Monkey said.

Even though everything blooming is gorgeous...

We have sightseeing plans for later today and this weekend.

Oh, and just for the dog lovers out there...My dog is in love with Monkey.

Who's In The House? Who's In The House?

2009-04-01T17:34:00.000-07:00

Monkey's in the hou-house! Monkey has arrived in suburban Atlanta. Woo Hoo! Since he just arrived this evening, we haven't done much.

Introductions were made...

(Whoa, watch the ear Winston.)
And a nice unhealthy southern meal served...

Oh, fried chicken and fruit punch isn't the norm at your house?!

I'll properly show Monkey around town over the next few days!

Monkey's last day in KY

2009-03-29T20:00:00.000-07:00

Monkey, we have truly enjoyed your visit. You never fail to bring a smile to every one's face. The kids have been so great about sharing you and taking care of you.

We had hoped to go to the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory. We woke up to a storm warning of snow. Monkey has already survived a tornado from last night, I did not want to get stuck in Louisville.

When I saw this pink and green tree, I had to take a pic. I knew his preppy mommy would love it! Since we made cookies the other day, Livi and I make Monkey a little felt one to keep in his backpack. He told us he was tired of that cupcake!

A little disclaimer about Livi in this film: she was pretending to be Will. She has one of his swimsuits from last summer. She wanted her hair pulled back so it would look short like his. She's crazy I tell you!

Lisagh, thank you so much for sharing your Monkey with us! This was a delight to host him.

Monkey goes to Fort Knox, KY

2009-03-28T20:11:00.000-07:00

On Friday, Monkey went to work with Husband. He tried to get a shot in front of the Fort Knox Gold Depository But there were too many signs basically saying, "Don't take pictures!" Oh well, let's be Safety's friend and just keep on moving to the next thing.

Fort Knox is the home of the armor's General George Patton Museum. The museum offers a glimpse into Patton's legacy and accomplishments.

There are many of his personal memorabilia from coats, and medals, flags he carried.

"Hey, look at this fun tank. I can drive a car, I bet I can drive this tank!" The Patton museum is like walking through the history of tanks. You can see the most basic of tanks from WWI to now.

"Okay, it is a little harder than it looks. Maybe I can just hang out here. "

"I think I need a star on my shoulder. After this Spring Break Getaway, I have earned it!"

Fast forward to Saturday evening.......while putting the kids to bed, I heard this sound that I have come to dread. A high pitched siren from outside.....DANG! I just got Will settled into bed. Husband put Livi to sleep a little earlier. A tornado warning was sounding. We live in a two story home with a basement. OF COURSE the bedrooms are on the second floor. I ran to get Husband, we each grabbed a kid (and I grabbed my Iphone ...priorities you know) and went to the basement.

Don't worry, Will has taken to sleeping with Monkey. So he was safe and sound in the basement. Nothing like a little excitement on a Saturday night.

Happy weekend, y'all. We have one more activity in store for Monkey before he heads on his way.

Monkey : kid style

2009-03-27T17:02:00.001-07:00

What started out as kind of a "drooly" day, as the kids would say......turned out to be fairly busy.

First thing in the morning, Monkey noticed that we had a dog. He has had his fair share of dogs on this adventure. Josie, our French Bulldog, is about as easy going as they come. Monkey had to give her a little poke to even wake her up! "Oh yeah, I can handle this one!"

"Come here, little puppy....let me read your mind??"

Will had to see what all the forehead bumping was all about! Sorry little Monkey, all I know are some sight words and a few knock knock jokes!

Once the "drooly" rain let up, we headed outside to get some of that energy that Monkeys and kids seem to have an unlimited supply. Will was sure to show the little Monkey some tips and tricks on the trampoline.....complete with scratching of the pits and ooohhh oohh awwee awwes!

Now this is more like it...a teeter toter, you do all the work. I am just hanging on here.

Do you kids ever stop?? I am tired! Okay, okay....let's go inside for some quiet time.

I was fairly certain soccer practice was going to be cancelled. But after a good few hours of sunshine....off we went. Oh yeah....my Mommy taught me to drive. yeah yeah whatever....buckle up you silly little Monkey!

Look at those blue skies and all that greem grass. After the horrible ice storm this winter...it feel so good to see and feel sunshine.

"Monkey, you kick the ball...not hang in the nets!" PS...yes, Will has a black eye. Monkey was showing him some flips on the couch. He tried them as well!

Kind of a mundane Thursday...but very true to our life! We are loving having this little Monkey in our home!

Monkey in a Movie

2009-03-26T11:50:00.000-07:00

While trying to figure out a setting on the kids' camera, I found out it could record audio. Who knew? Note...lower your volume if you don't want your speakers blown out. Livi starts singing REALLY loud!

Welcome to Kentucky, little Monkey

2009-03-25T18:03:00.000-07:00

Monkey, welcome to Kentucky! We are so excited to be your next host on Monkey's big adventure. After uncurling himself from his box, I turn around to see him heading for the door. I guess being cooped up in his traveling case made him want to see the great outdoors. Please excuse that blurry dot in the middle, it was drizzling rain. I think a spot of water must have landed on my lens!

After seeing there were only some white blossoms, which made him sneeze endlessly, he came back inside for some lunch.

Can you see Will saying, "Say aawww....."?

While the kids had some quiet time, Monkey saw my laptop was open. "How do you spell her blog's name? I need to check in with my mommy!" Can do, little Monkey. "Hey, she got a new car....AND the top comes down! That is too cool!"

After a bit of quiet time, we lugged out the Kitchenaid. We made Peanut Butter and Chocolate cookies.
"Hey, whatcha mixing up in there?"

Ready to plate and share with the neighbors. PS..the cookies really weren't that good. They were kind of like dry vanilla wafers that tasted like peanut butter...and they were a pain to make those two kind of drizzles.

I told the neighbors if they accepted the cookies, they had to be on Monkey's blog. Both agreed in a heartbeat! The kids look like they had to hand over Monkey as well!

Neighbor B is a uber awesome scrapper lady! Check out her blog if you do scrapbooks: Defying Gravity

Cookies, smookies....isn't it five o'clock around here?

More adventures in store! It is amazing to see how one little Monkey can bring smiles to so many faces.

Monkey is in KY

2009-03-25T16:48:00.001-07:00

Just letting everyone know, Monkey made it safe and sound to KY. I will post more tonight.

Good Times in Louisiana!!!

2009-03-24T16:10:00.000-07:00

Monkey immediatly grabbed the remote and headed for the recliner- typical man!!!

Monkey meets monkey dog...

Spring has arrived in Louisiana! Monkey loved the azaleas!

St. Patrick's Day- Monkey and I went four-leaf clover hunting to celebrate

Lucky!!!

At the gates of Britney Spears' "Serenity".

Welcome to my world!

Crossing Lake Ponchatrain on the Causeway- the longest bridge in the world. I must say, Monkey was a little afraid and hung on for dear life!

...at the edge of his seat!

Superdome

The Elms Mansion on St. Charles Avenue

The former MTV Real World New Orleans house

Chickory coffee and beignets!

Monkey artwork near Jackson Square

St. Louis Cathedral

Katrina artwork

Blue Dog Gallery

Sewage Meter- there's a BIG issue with people stealing them for cheap souvenirs- Monkey resisted temptation!

Pat O's- one hurricane from here will knock your socks off!

I tried to tell Monkey that Voodoo dolls were NOT to be played with!

enjoying some music...

Following in the footsteps of Elvis who once stayed here.

Bourbon, at last!

Showing his behind on Bourbon!

Monkey, worn-out from all the excitement, taking a break overlooking the Mississppi River.

Thanks for visiting us, Monkey- we welcome you back to Louisiana anytime!

Laissez Les Bon Ton Roulette!!!

2009-03-17T17:20:00.000-07:00

I made it to Louisiana, safe and sound, yesterday afternoon.

Last year, when I was home with you, the weather was quite chilly during this time. Not here! It's in the upper 70's and spring is here, mom!

Things are relaxing in small-town Louisiana. I made myself right at home and claimed the tv remote and recliner.

I promise to post pictures as soon as blogger cooperates, mom.

Cobbler for a Day

2009-03-08T16:11:00.000-07:00

Hi Mom,

What a wild ride it was to Stuart.

The Post Man must have tossed me around a half a dozen times,

I thought I was going to fly out of the box. It was a blast!

Don't worry, I'm fine. I'm fine.

I finally made it to the Stephen Bonanno Sandals Factory where they were so eager to show me around, but I told them first things first ... I've gotta go meet Miss Vivian. Did you know the crew at the factory nick named her the "Dragon Lady." Seriously?

It must be an inside joke cuz she was super nice.
She let me hang in the window and watch all the pretty girls walk by ...

Later I got to meet "Rippy."

They call her their Scottish Terrorist ... gulp.

nice doggie ... what a big nose you have.

I later learned Rippy was disappointed she wasn't allowed to de-gut me. Grrrreat.

Hey, I think Rippy's starting to like the way I taste. Hello! Someone. Anyone!

The very next day:

We started our day with a cup of coffee, pool side.

... then off to the factory. I'm loving this Florida weather.

You're not going to believe this, but ... I got to work closely with The Stephen Bonanno. He's a pretty cool dude.

He showed me how to stitch the soles of the sandals ... then let me give it a try. It was awesome!

I got to last some sandals ... this is harder than it looks.

I was told the "Clicker" machine was a bit too dangerous for my long limbs so I just watched as Rosario did all the work.

I got to work with Mr Domenick in the Monogram room. I tried to get him to tattoo my tail with the letter M ... but he wasn't going for it.

Instead he let me practice on a sample shoe.

... then off to the shipping dept. where everything gets packaged up and shipped out.

I got to monkey around with Stephen and Carmen. It was so much fun.

... and bury myself in bins of leather sandals.

... the one time I wish I was a girl. JUST KIDDING!

I'm pooped. Time to chill and get ready to be shipped out.

I'm gonna miss everyone at Stephen Bonanno Sandals,

but I'm looking forward to some R&R when I get to Kentwood LA.

Stephen Bonanno Sandals

2009-03-02T14:08:00.001-08:00

Monkey arrived today!!!!
The box was a mess, but Monkey was safe and sound.
We're heading out to have some fun and to make some sandals.

I'll post pics a little later.
Vivian

Monkey's on Facebook?

2009-02-28T09:23:00.000-08:00

Come be a FAN! xo, Brie

Monkey goes Junior League

2009-02-23T12:29:00.000-08:00

Knowing how the Junior League is near and dear to Lisagh's heart, I was 'specially happy to be able to bring Monkey with me to my Junior League placement today! This year I'm co-chairing the Jr. League of St. Petersburg's longest standing committee, Library Puppets. For over 75 years the League has been performing puppet shows for kids at the Main Library; this year we've performed "Horton Hatches the Egg" by Dr. Seuss for more than 3000 children. Because I'm in the show, I wasn't able to get any pictures during but here are some before and after's:

From empty stage....

to (almost) full house!

Monkey meeting some of the cast - Mayzie and Orangutan. (Horton wasn't available.)

We're saying goodbye to Monkey tomorrow morning as he heads off to his next destination. I have to say he's been the ideal houseguest - neat, quiet and undemanding. He's welcome here anytime! Bon voyage, Monkey!

Super Saturday

2009-02-22T08:37:00.000-08:00

The West coast of Florida is known for its beautiful, pristine beaches - and we're lucky enough to live within a 15 minute drive from many of them. Yesterday it warmed up enough for us to take Monkey to the beach for a picnic lunch at Ft. DeSoto Park, which was named America's #1 beach last year.

First we showed him the huge Sunshine Skyway bridge, which connects the peninsula of Saint Petersburg to the mainland of Florida. Can you see it off in the distance?

See the people in the picture below? They were a whole vanload of Japanese tourists visiting the park. They thought it was so funny that we had Monkey at the beach and wanted to take his picture (for their blog?). I could tell they were asking what we were doing, but due to language barriers I had a hard time explaining to them why Monkey was at the beach.

Here's Monkey enjoying the sunshine. I know it looks warm, but it was really only about 63 yesterday. Too cold to swim!

And here's Monkey and the kids eating a picnic lunch.

All in all it was an awesome day! I've always thought February and March are the nicest time of year to go to the beach - summers here are way too hot and humid. And if you're ever in West Central Florida, don't forget to check out Ft. DeSoto Park!

good times never seemed so good

2009-02-20T16:05:00.001-08:00

A long, long time ago, Monkey came to visit me. We did a lot of fun things. I told you about some of them, but blogger wouldn't post the pics of our last adventure and I just realized I never came back to it, so while Monkey is traveling, here is his final adventure with me.

Monkey got to have a long visit with me because I had a very special date and the end of the week he was scheduled to visit. I was headed to see Neil Diamond with my mom and her friend in Charlotte. His kind mama, Lisagh, allowed him to stay on a little longer so he could go too! It seems that Monkey is becoming quite cultured. It looks like he's already seen Bruce Springstein and John Mayer too!

Monkey and Mikey were excited to experience this part of the journey together. I didn't have a carseat with me, so we made due with a Vera Bradley CD case.
They both arrived in one piece, but Monkey had a hard time resisting his animal instincts to check out the local sights. Here he is trying to see if he can catch the UNCG soccer players in action.
Before the concert, the boys were glad to join the ladies for a few drinks.
Monkey really does bring people together. Someone caught me fetching him from my bag and couldn't resist asking about him. He was so excited to hear about Monkeys adventures, he was sure we would want to get his priest in on the action, so he volunteered the priest, and his photography skills, for a photo op.
Alas, when we arrived at the concert, no cameras were allowed, so I don't have any great shots of Neil, but he was awesome! Monkey sang loud during Sweet Caroline and Seemed to know all of the words to Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show. I'm pretty sure I even saw a tear in his eye during Coming to America.

We did get a shot outside of the stadium. Since we couldn't take any shots inside of the concert, Monkey wanted me to be sure that I captured a picture of him with his ticket and the sign he made. I know Neil loved it, Monkey. (By the way, a wreath makes a wonderful propping spot for a friendly little monkey).

On our way out of town, I shared my new favorite tradition with Monkey. Since Charlotte is slightly more evolved than Greensboro, I always have to visit their Trader Joe's for some of my favorite staples. Monkey loved it just as much as I do.

Hey y'all!

2009-02-20T13:37:00.000-08:00

Greetings from sunny St. Petersburg! We are so happy to have Monkey here with us for a few days especially since he brought some wonderful Canadian weather with him. It's supposed to be in the 30s tonight! Brrrrr! We had planned to take Monkey to the beach to see some other snowbirds, but it's too cold and windy today. So instead we played in the yard for a while:

We decided to take Monkey on a tour of some of our favorite local places. Here we are at Embellish, a great place for cute monogrammed totes, kid's stuff and party supplies.

Here's Monkey with the beautiful and stylish owner, Michelle B. Pardon my daughter's expression. I just told her we weren't buying anything today.

For a brief moment Monkey thought he was back home, then he realized this was just the shop's Bonanno's display:

We decided to go to the playground next, but first had to stop by The Cupcake Spot for a wee snack:

Here's Monkey with Spencer, keeper of the cupcakes. If you look closely you can see my favorite flavor, Butterscotch Babies, in the case directly below Monkey. YUM! To the left of those are the S'mores cupcakes. I could go on forever about cupcakes. But I won't.

Our favorite playground is near the St. Pete Yacht Club.

You can also see the St. Petersburg Pier way off in the distance:

We could only stay a little while because it was pretty cold -- I bet with the wind chill it was only about 60!! Monkey enjoyed the sun until my son got hold of him and conducted an impromptu (and unwelcome) inspection:

Thanks for hanging around with us today! We're looking forward to a great weekend!

Monkey's Last Day

2009-02-18T15:47:00.000-08:00

Today is Monkey's last day with us, so I thought I would make the day special. I told Monkey that there would be a surprise for him at the office. He tried so hard to guess what it was.

At first Monkey thought that he would get to work at the reception desk. I had to remind him that most people do not like to hear "knock-knock" jokes when they are trying to conduct business.
Then Monkey spotted this King Cake. He actually thought that he was going to get to eat an entire cake. I have to say that Monkey was a tad bit disappointed when he found out that the cake wasn't today's surprise. Soon the waiting was over and it was time to reveal Monkey's surprise for today...
Friends!!! Yes, a very nice couple, Mr. and Mrs. Monkey came by the office to play with Monkey. He was so surprised. At first he was a bit intimidated by this nice couple. They seemed so refined. They were so nicely dressed and had very good manners.
It only took a couple of minutes before they became great friends.
Monkey soon found out that even though Mr. and Mrs. Monkey were nicely dressed, they were loads of fun. Monkey also learned that you cannot judge a book by its cover.
I tried to get another serious picture of them, but every time I told them to "smile", they quickly flopped into goofy positions. They really did get a kick out of taking funny pictures.
When they got tired of playing, they settled down for a nice picnic lunch, courtesy of Monkey.
Soon it was time for a little more sightseeing. I looked all over for them (just like I had to look for Monkey yesterday -- you don't have to tell me who planned this little escapade) and finally found them. They were more than willing to climb out of the plant when I told them that I was going to take them across the street to MacDill Park.
They all seemed very excited to go outside to the park. You should have heard the oohs and aahs (yes, oohs and aahs -- not ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, aaah, aaah, aaah, aaahs, just oohs and aahs) when they saw the red sculpture (which I am powerless to explain -- I guess it's some sort of modern art or maybe it's just a recycling project -- who knows?) because they thought it might be nice to climb. I had to explain to them that (a) the sculpture is in the grass and if I walked in the grass, my heels would sink into the dirt, which would make me very unhappy and (b) it was just too darned windy. We would have had flying monkeys and not in a Wizard of Oz way.
The ground rules having been explained, we crossed the street to the park. Everyone got a kick out of this bird. It was so loud!
Monkey insisted on another picture of the news media building.
I tell you, he couldn't keep his eyes off of the bird.
Here's a candid shot I got of the three of them longingly looking at the red beams and discussing who could climb higher.
DIGRESSION: The park is a tribune to the men and women of the Armed Forces. For those of you who don't know, MacDill refers to MacDill Air Force Base here in town. It is a relatively new park along the Hillsborough River with benches placed so you can look out over the water. The trees are immature, but I really think the park will be nice once the trees mature enough to provide shade. All around the park are tributes to the military. It is one of my favorite places downtown.
Monkey also asked me to take a picture of him and his friends with the water in the background. Monkey was very excited to see the water since Brandon is landlocked.

It certainly does bring a smile to my face to see new friends having a good time just hanging out. While we were waiting for the wind to subside enough to take this picture, we all started to sing "I get by with a little help from my friends".

But alas, all good things must come to and end, and it was time to go back inside. One of us, you see, had to return to work. Before we went into the building, Monkey asked me to take one more picture. He really liked the palm trees in the background.
It was really hard for Monkey to say goodbye to his new friends today. We walked them into Christina's office, she was kind enough to take a short break so we could have one more group picture. Monkey remembered his manners that Lisagh taught him and thanked Christina for bringing Mr. and Mrs. Monkey to the office to play with him.
After a group hug, we were on our way back to Brandon.
Monkey was exhausted when we got home. It had been a very exciting day. But I had one more surprise for him. Sock Monkey fabric!! Monkey was amazed to see a fabric with his picture on it. He asked if it was for him and I told him yes and no. Yes, it was for him in a way, but no not really for him. The fabric is actually for his mom, Lisagh. So Monkey, while you are on your way to St. Petersburg, the fabric will be making it's way to your house along with the Tampa souvenirs that we picked out yesterday.
Of course, once Monkey found out that the fabric wasn't actually for him, he was a little disappointed. But not to fear, I had a few more surprises up my sleeve. I finally let Monkey ride on the iRobot vacuum (he had been asking for days) AND
I let him use my foot bath.
All in all, I think that Monkey had a good time with us. I know we had a blast and really enjoyed his company. And Monkey, with everything that is going on in the world today, it really was a pleasure to take the time to play with you. It reminded me of a very important lesson: every now and then you really have to stop and smell the roses. (Real roses, not the "pull my finger" kind of roses -- just so we're clear).

As you can see from this picture, Monkey is already asleep. It has been a very busy 4 days and he's exhausted. I have no doubt that he is dreaming of his next adventure in St. Pete!
Thanks for the memories Monkey!! Everyone (but Bootsy) will miss you!!

Take a Monkey to Work if You Want to Have Fun!!

2009-02-17T17:39:00.001-08:00

First of all, let me start off by saying that there really should be a "Take Your Sock Monkey to Work Day." Monkey and I had so much fun today.

We started off this morning with a hot cup of coffee. Monkey decided to have his sitting in front of the microwave.
While I finished getting ready for work, Monkey decided to read a little "Chic Fiction." I'm not sure he really cares for it, but it did keep him occupied since I was taking so long.
The morning started off as it always does with catching the express bus downtown.

Here we are on the way to the office.
When I pointed out my building, Monkey insisted on taking a picture.
Monkey was very quiet while I got the computer booted up and ready to go.
He played a little on the computer while I put my things away
and then we went for coffee. Monkey really liked the coffee maker and insisted on watching it fill the cup.
While I was busy working, Monkey did his best to help out. It took a while to figure out the copy machine, but after that...there was no stopping Monkey.
He checked out the books on the shelves.
and did a little filing. Then Monkey decided to show off for one of the ladies and oops!
filing mishap. Note to Monkey: Don't try to stand on the file drawers!!
After Monkey's ordeal with the file cabinet, he decided to walk around the office to check out the view. Here's the Hillsborough River and the University of Tampa.
The Tampa Tribune building as seen through a port hole.
It was a beautiful day to day and as you can see, you could see for miles.
Monkey could even see St. Petersburg, his next stop on his vacation.
Monkey eventually got bored with looking at windows and decided to go and visit some of the people in our office. He went to see Tonya
Laura (While we were taking this picture, Laura's phone rang and Monkey just had to answer it. Luckily, she grabbed the phone before he told a knock, knock joke.)
Then Monkey tried to go the South Park web site.
After visiting Laura, we stopped in to see Stephanie (Monkey was very well-behaved this time.).
Of course, the minute I turned my back, Monkey was back to his old tricks. He actually made copies of his heiny!!
Well, by this time, I figured that Monkey was starting to get bored, so I suggested a little sightseeing in downtown Tampa and then lunch.

We visited City Hall
and walked by the tall buildings (Monkey really liked the one in the background).
Monkey really loved this wall the best. I had to talk him out of climbing the building.
We even met some new friends.
Monkey wanted to actually drive the fire truck, which was parked in front of a fire hydrant (hilarious), but the fireman didn't want to trust the truck to a monkey that had just learned to drive yesterday, so instead we climbed into the passenger seat.
Imagine our surprise when we learned that the fireman had their mascot with them!! Monkey was thrilled to meet a new friend with such an exciting job.
After so much excitement, we decided to go to my favorite spot outside City Hall for lunch. Monkey spotted this time capsule and just had to have a picture of it.
We took our picture and then settled down for a nice leisurely lunch.
Before we knew it, it was time to go back to work.
I didn't see much of Monkey after lunch. I found him in the most unlikely place.
Monkey and I had quite a day today. I have a special surprise planned for him for tomorrow, his last full day with me. After that, it's on to St. Pete.

Monkey -- thank you for making work so much fun!

To Know Monkey Is to Love Monkey

2009-02-16T18:15:00.000-08:00

Sunday:

Yesterday was a relatively lazy day due to my sinus infection. There were still commitments to be kept, so Monkey and I got up early. I had to read at the 8:30 a.m. mass and Monkey decided to come with me.
We got to church a few minutes behind schedule, which was totally my fault. Monkey kept telling me to hurry up, but I insisted on taking my time drinking a cup of coffee. I must say that Monkey was very well behaved and was very quiet throughout the entire service.
On the way home, we stopped at CVS for the newspaper and then headed home for a post-Church nap that lasted until Monday morning (more or less).
While I was laying in bed wondering if my head would ever feel normal again, Monkey and Bootsy got to know each other. Bootsy wasn't very keen on sharing her space, but to know Monkey is to love Monkey.
It didn't take long for them to become very good friends.
Monday:

When I got up this morning (our office was closed today), I couldn't find Monkey. I looked around the house and then came back to check with Bootsy.
Monkey saw the beer steins and had decided to investigate. Unfortunately, he got stuck inside because the door had closed. Monkey said he climbed in because he just loves the idea of a mug that holds that much beer. I explained to Monkey that we don't actually use the steins. He was saddened at this most unfortunate development.
Since I was home today, I drove hubby to work. But first, I had to find Monkey. I explained to Monkey that we were on a tight schedule today and I didn't really didn't have time for any of his exploits.
Thankfully, Monkey is a very nice house guest and quickly got in the car.
After we got downtown, I let Monkey steer the car since he had been begging to drive since we pulled out of the driveway.
Mr. Monkey, you really must watch the road when you drive!!
Here we are at Tampa General Hospital where hubby works. We dropped him and and were quickly on our way.
I don't know why, but Monkey wanted me to take a picture of the Tampa Port Authority.
Downtown Tampa. Look mom! No traffic!!
Once we got back to Brandon, we dashed into JoAnn's so I could get the zipper for the bag that I'm making.
Then we went home and got to work. Monkey was such a good helper. We managed to get lots of boxes of food packed up and ready to go to the food bank at the church.

Monkey wanted to stop here, but I was in the inside lane and couldn't get over. Sorry Monkey. Maybe next time. Plus, we still had work to do.
We came home and finished up our chores. Monkey got trash detail.
Now we are just relaxing. We really worked hard today. Plus, tomorrow is a work day. People at my office have been waiting a long time to see Mr. Monkey. They are going to be so surprised when he shows up tomorrow.

What?

Sorry, Monkey's calling me. He's having a hard time figuring out the channels on our FIOS network. Before I go, I'd like to share two more photos with you. Monkey saw this in the bedroom and thought it was hilarious.
Look...it's Anti Monkey-Butt powder!! My mom got it for my husband from Harley Davidson for Christmas. Long distance bikers swear by the stuff. (Hubby plans to use it in his boots!) I told Monkey he could try it later - he thinks that it might make Bootsy w stop sniffing his heiny. I think he should lay off the beer and chili, but what do I know?
Okay, okay!!! I'm on the way.

I gotta go.

Too late. Monkey just found South Park. I'm sure I'm going to be hearing some colorful language tonight.

Turn that down!!

2009-02-15T10:50:00.000-08:00

What fun we had with Monkey yesterday. Here's how it all began.

As you can see, everyone was very excited when the package came in the mail. We knew it was Monkey, so we worked quickly to free him from his traveling case.

Bootsy wasn't told that Monkey was coming so she was very surprised.
She was so anxious that she climbed up on the table for a better look (naughty Bootsy).
The first thing Monkey did was take a look around. We went outside and introduced him to the birds.
Then Monkey decided to check out Bootsy's house. (No Monkey! Don't go in there!!). Suffice it to say, Bootsy was not pleased and asked Monkey to leave her house.
A motorcycle ride was one of our planned activities. Monkey was so excited that he immediately rushed outside and started polishing the bike so he could go on his ride.
Monkey didn't have any riding gear, but we were happy to loan him a hat and goggles.
Monkey climbed on the back of the bike in anticipation of his long-awaited ride.
What Monkey didn't realize is that there would be a rider in front of him. He thought he was going to do the driving! (Yeah right, Monkey -- you can't even reach the pegs).
Monkey really wanted to see the sites, so he climbed on front, I belted him in and they took off.
Wow! They really were really moving when they came around that corner!
Monkey really looks like he enjoyed that ride.
Of course, the first thing Monkey asked for when they returned was a cold beer. Actually, he asked for a "cold one." (Apparently, Monkey is well versed in biker talk.) Luckily, I knew that Monkey would ask for a beer so I had plenty in the refrigerator just waiting for him. What I didn't know is that Monkey is a light-weight. One beer and he was asking me to pull his finger.After his beer, Monkey climbed onto the wall unit for a little R&R, without a dog sniffing his heiny. (Gee Monkey, I wonder why the dog kept sniffing your heiny. Perhaps you played a little too much "pull my finger"??)
Eventually, he came down from there since the recliner looked so inviting.
Riding takes a lot out of you, so everyone turned in early.
Monkey tried to talk to Bootsy, but all she wanted to do was sniff his head.
Having had enough of the sniff test, Monkey climbed up to the top of the headboard for some well deserved rest.
Money, you sure are a fun house guest!

He's Here! He's Finally Here!

2009-02-14T10:59:00.000-08:00

Monkey has arrived. Yes!! We have been waiting for his visit for so long. We still can't believe he's here. Monkey is getting settled right now and getting some well deserved rest after his trip.

Christy

P.S. Another dog. I can't believe it. Another freaking dog. And this one tried to bite my leg. And I thought that retriever was bad. What is it with these Floridians and their dogs?

Monkey

A letter to mom...

2009-01-29T19:56:00.000-08:00

Mom,
Monkey here. These people have a golden retriever. I may or may not have suffered some post traumatic stress tonight. This nice lady kept a little space between me and the dog, but it sure looked like it wanted to carry me off in the sunset (in its jaws). Next time you decide to come up with some crazy plan to send me all over the US, can we get a disclaimer that my hostess shall not live with a golden retriever? Thanks!

xoxo
Monkey

Sunshine State!

2009-01-28T18:19:00.000-08:00

Monkey has landed in the sunshine state. Came home tonight to a package waiting in the trees. In the country, UPS just drops packages off on the property against a random tree on our drive. I did a little happy dance knowing my visitor was inside.

Monkey wasn't even out of his traveling case when we broke out the wine. Just a quick photo to let mama Lisagh know he's a-ok. We've got a full day of work tomorrow and a dinner at the tiki bar.

Can't wait!!

2009-01-22T19:04:00.000-08:00

Monkey...be happy you'll be arriving when we have running water again : )

Monkey's Progress Was Delayed!

2009-01-19T06:24:00.000-08:00

All - I had planned on sending Monkey to his new hostess on Friday, but was waylaid by a work emergency. All is well and Monkey will be on his way tomorrow (Tuesday, January 20). I'll also plan to post the 2nd leg of his tour of Savannah in the next couple of days.

Time to go to the Historic places now

2009-01-11T18:41:00.000-08:00

After a fun filled shopping spree and seeing the boats,the shops and other sites we decided to head on over to the city market.We were walking along and ran into one of the greatest dogs ever MURPHY!!! I knew Monkeys history with doggies but cmon,does this face look like a killer?Big props to murphy's mommy and daddy,you guys were so great to talk to :) We went down to Broughton Street to go see the sites and get some ice cream(sorry about Monkeys diet but it was warm out and you havent lived until you have had Leopolds Ice Cream in Lemon Souffle Cheesecake flavor so off we went...

More to post tommorrow night as we havent even started showing the good stuff yet,but I am tired from all this Monkey business lololol...

Sweet ,sweet treats

2009-01-11T18:33:00.000-08:00

After monkey got done with being a Captain we went to a wonderful little spot known as the Savannah Candy Kitchen to get the treat known as a Praline.I had never heard of one till I moved down to the south but OMG,they are pure love wrapped in pecans and sugar.I had to stop Monkey and Isabella from eating too much because of the sugar buzz and I didnt want to have two hyper Monkeys on my back LOL!!!

Monkeys Yacht!!!

2009-01-11T18:32:00.000-08:00

What can we do on River Street???

2009-01-11T18:26:00.000-08:00

Well,We saw the Bridge,we saw the cargo boats but was Monkey happy,HECK NO,He wanted to get on the big boat and steer so Isabella,Monkey and I did.This beautiful boat is moored here in Savannah from Brazil and you are allowed to walk about on it.There are areas roped off but did that stop us???NOPE,Thats right,Monkey is now a Yacht Captain!!! Ok,so look at the picture of Monkey steering and look at the guy at the door looking at us BUSTED!!! I told him Monkeys story so he let us play

Welcome To Savannahs River Street

2009-01-11T18:14:00.000-08:00

Without further ado,I bring you Savannah Georgia...But first a history lesson

Savannah is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Chatham County, Georgia, USA. Savannah was established in 1733 and was the first colonial and state capital of Georgia.[3] Savannah attracts millions of visitors, who enjoy the city's architecture and historic buildings: the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low (founder of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America), the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences (one of the South's first public museums), the First African Baptist Church (one of the oldest African American Baptist congregations in the United States), Temple Mickve Israel (the third-oldest synagogue in America), and the Central of Georgia Railway roundhouse complex (the oldest standing antebellum rail facility in America).[3][4] Today, Savannah's downtown area, the Savannah Historic District, is one of the largest National Historic Landmark Districts in the United States (designated by the U.S. government in 1966.

Monkey is in The Garden of Good and Evil !!!!

2009-01-08T09:20:00.000-08:00

Monkey arrived and was at Isabellas school today!!! I will be posting his fun filled action packed time in Savannah Georgia this weekend.He is having a blast and the kids ADORED him....More later

Monkey Departs...

2009-01-05T11:42:00.000-08:00

Monkey departed Charleston for Savannah this morning. And since it is just a hop, skip, and a jump to Georgia, he should arrive tomorrow. Monkey will be missed!

The Holy City-Charleston

2009-01-03T13:22:00.000-08:00

The Holy City, Chucktown, Charleston, whatever you want to call it has a special magic to those who visit. Everyone ends up wanting to live here after an afternoon strolling through the cobblestone streets looking at houses with unbelievable gardens behind wrought iron fences, beautifully preserved landmarks, old churches whose cemetaries are final resting places for some very famous people we all read about in American History back in High School. Today was rather gloomy, and Charleston did not photograph as well as it would in the sun and with flowers in bloom. Sorry about that!! But it was, as it always is, packed with tourists everywhere we went on our quick little tour. We didn't make it to all the famous tourist photo ops, like the Pineapple Fountain, but the weather was iffy, and we didn't want to push it.

Tommie mentioned her husband went to The Citadel. So, we made that our first destination.

This is a VERY prestigious school here in the Lowcountry. It has an interesting past as well. The original mission of the school when it was established in 1842 was to train and educate young men whose duty was to protect Charleston from threats of slave rebellions. Despite a legal scandal over allowing female cadets at the school in the mid 1990s, The Citadel has come through, and still remains a highly respected school in the South, with male AND female graduates. As you can see, the Bulldog is the mascot for The Citadel. I assured Monkey that he was only a statue and wouldn't bite!!

This bigger one is in front of the football stadium...

Our next stop was Battery Park. This area is well known for several reasons. During the Civil War, artillery was kept there. Also, from the upper stories of the antebellum homes, the wealthy of Charleston had a good view of the beginning of the Civil War, as Fort Sumter was bombarded. Nearby in Whitepoint Gardens, a monument commemorates the hanging of pirate Captain Stede Bonnet and nearly 30 0f his men. Many of the barrier islands around Charleston are said to hide pirate treasure. The Battery is also the location of gorgeous and pricey real estate. Cars are usually parked along the Battery, and people are known to fish in the Harbor, go running with their dogs, and tourists flock because of the Harbor, the monuments, and the mansions. Monkey was mostly interested in more stories about pirate treasure...

Here, Monkey sits astride a cannon.

I've heard the Civil War being referred to as "The War of Northern Aggression" by many Southerners. South Carolina is one of about a dozen or so states that observes "Confederate Memorial Day". South and North Carolina both observe it on May 10th.

A new monument to William Moultrie, a general in the American Revolutionary War, and later a Governor of South Carolina. He also has a Fort named in his honor, Fort Moultrie on nearby Sullivan's Island.

Here Monkey checks out the most popular location for weddings in Charleston, the gazebo. During the Spring and Summer months, you almost always see a wedding ceremony taking place here.

All that history is making Monkey TIRED!!

He perked up when I told him that one of the most popular places to spend a couple's wedding night was right across the street. 2 Meeting Street Inn. My husband and I stayed there for our fifth wedding anniversary and stayed in room five. The home was originally a wedding gift from a father to his daughter. Monkey thought that was a pretty darn nice gift alright!!

Monkey saw a beautiful home with two pig statues at the base of the stairs. He wondered the same thing I often wondered when I first moved to the area. What is with the pigs? Someone finally told the that the owner of the Piggly Wiggly Market grocery stores lives in the home. Makes sense now, but I bet many a person has either walked or driven by wondering out of all the statuary you could have in your yard, why two pigs??

There are many brightly colored homes in Charleston. This one, I was told, is pink because it was once owned by a dentist and he wanted people to think of pink healthy gums. I don't know if that is true, but it sure made Monkey want to brush and floss!!

Speaking of colorful homes, behind Monkey in this picture is Rainbow Row, probably one of the most photographed parts of Charleston. The buildings may be repainted when needed, but they must be these exact colors, since they are historical and a huge tourist attraction. And it wouldn't be Rainbow Row if someone moved in, and went all Beige on us all, now would it??

Pink, green, if it's colorful and happy, people in Charleston LOVE it!!

Here stands Monkey at the "Four Corners of Law", with St. Michael's Episcopal Church behind him. This particular intersection is so nicknamed because of the buildings, St. Michael's (canon law), plus Federal , State, and municipal law being represented in the U.S. Post Office, the Courthouse, and City Hall.

St. Michael's is kind of close to our hearts since we are members and our little Emi was baptized there. It is built on the site of the first Anglican Church in South Carolina. The current church was opened for services in 1761. George Washington once worshipped there, and depending on when you get to Church, you can sit in the same pew he once sat in. The pews actually have doors. I told Monkey it was to keep naughty Monkeys in their seats during ultra long services!! Monkey was also interested to find out that two signers of the U.S. Constitution are buried in St. Michael's churchyard, Charles Pinckney and John Rutledge. He was held up for me to photograph by one of the sweet basket weavers I'm going to talk about in a minute.

Across the street there is a park, and Monkey was interested to see a monument to Andrew Jackson's (seventh President) mother, Elizabeth. She died of cholera while nursing Continental Soldiers.

These super ladies ( a mother and daughter team) are Sweetgrass Basket Weavers. The basket weaving is a skill that has been passed down for generations and originates in Africa, that is still practiced by the Gullah community here in the Lowcountry. Unfortunately, Charleston was once the most important port for Atlantic slave trade. There are many plantations still standing in and around Charleston, and where slave quarters survive, it is a bleak reminder of a sad time in American history. Hopefully the careful preservation of slave relics and this wonderful art of basketweaving will serve as inspiration and remind people that the great plantations would not have been nearly as profitable had they not been created on the backs of enslaved men, women and children. My daughter is lucky enough to have one of these baskets which we use each year for her Easter basket. I'd recommend a basket as an investment if you ever happen to visit Charleston. Warning, don't fall over when you pick up a basket and you see the price. They aren't cheap. I've seen some pieces run into several hundreds of dollars. You can pick up little pieces inexpensively, however.

Whew! Enough gloomy history!! Next up was King Street. If you like fine antiques and high end stores, you've ARRIVED!! With stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Louis Vuitton, and Bob Ellis where you can get your Choos, Blahniks, and Louboutins on, get ready to drop some serious coin. Of course there is Palm Avenue to feed your Lilly addiction. They were having a sale, but alas, much to Monkey's disappointment, we did not stop in.

I showed Monkey the store that makes me crazier than a new dress from Lilly ever could. Williams Sonoma. When I walk through these doors...

I almost hear an angelic "Ahhhhhhh!" After a couple of purchases, we followed our noses to Andolinis Pizza, and had a slice.

Monkey was dining with two of Emi's good friends, Hoops and Yoyo.

After our excursion, Monkey happily hitched a ride in the WS shopping bag.

Whew! It was quite a day. We didn't get to see half of what Charleston has to offer, but I hope Monkey had a good time anyway. Monday morning, he will be taking a trip to the UPS office and embarking on the next leg of his journey, Savannah. Thanks for stopping in Monkey! Come back for sweet tea anytime!!

The Skunks at the aquarium

2009-01-02T14:31:00.000-08:00

A little video of the two skunks in the aquarium. I loved the way they waddled about. They smelled though!!

The Aquarium Wharf and South Carolina Aquarium

2009-01-02T13:30:00.000-08:00

The Oyster Roast was a success, but messy and smelly, so we kept Monkey at a distance. Otherwise Paris and Boston would have potentially torn poor Monkey open to find the oysters and shrimp! But we did take a trip to the South Carolina Aquarium. It has some of the best views of Charleston Harbor and the new Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. (During the opening ceremony of the bridge, my husband actually got to fly over it, and then fly along side it.) While outside overlooking the harbor, we saw a pod of dolphins surfacing in the water, but they were too quick and unpredictable to capture on camera.

Here Emi is running toward the Fountain Walk on our stroll toward the Aquarium, with Monkey and Carolina in tow.

A glimpse of the Bridge...and the Spirit of Charleston tour boat. You can hop on and take it out to Ft. Sumter, which received the first shots that began a very infamous war. The Civil War.

Another shot with the Bridge in the background...

Monkey trying to get a closer look...
No visit to the Aquarium is complete without a picture with the frog...

Here Monkey is mesmerized by the jellyfish.

Enjoying the Great Tank that holds tons of big fish, including Carretta, a Loggerhead Turtle.
Here Monkey is sitting by a replica of a turtle nesting area. There are "Turtle Teams", groups of volunteers that walk the beaches during nesting season, and mark nests. If the nest is in a bad spot, trained volunteers move the nest, and continue to monitor the eggs. Since Loggerheads are protected by Federal Law, it is a crime to disturb nests. There are also "Lights Out" times during hatching seasons where beach houses are not allowed to have lights on at night, because the little hatchlings get confused and march the wrong way, toward the beach homes, instead of the ocean.

Camp Carolina is the current special exhibit at the aquarium, and it features local wildlife. It is a big hit with the kids, and of course educational.

Above, are Emi and Monkey looking through a "hole" in the porch floor to view indigenous snakes. Scary!!
Monkey and Carolina enjoyed a nice artificial campfire with glowing embers and crackling fire sounds. Very realistic!

And I know it is a crummy picture, but in the background over Monkey's shoulder sits Liberty. A female Bald Eagle who was injured and no longer able to live in the wild. Even crippled, these birds are majestic and can cause serious injury, so she is in an enclosure.

Tomorrow we will try to do a quick run through of Downtown Charleston before Monkey makes the trek to Charleston's Sister City, Savannah, Georgia. Hey Monkey, we might drive over that Bridge tomorrow!!

one more post from cottage bethy...

2009-01-01T18:40:00.000-08:00

sorry, but i never told you, i did kiss him goodbye. it was a hard, hard day and i wish i could have packed a macbook pro into that suitcase to send off with our little monkey. i just wanted him to know how much we care about him. we were able to read him the christmas story right before he left. i am satisfied that at least monkey left us knowing that he is loved, even beyond us.

no matter what antics are in his future...

South Carolina

2008-12-31T13:13:00.001-08:00

Monkey arrived in South Carolina! We got home last night from South Dakota, and were greeted by a big box from Charlotte, North Carolina. Needless to say, we were all smiles as we opened Monkey's little travel "pod". Carolina was thrilled to finally meet her cousin, and she asked him to join her in a little basking on the front lawn. It is quite warm here today, and the sun felt soooo good in the midst of winter!

Curious about what the numerous coolers on our front drive contained, Monkey investigated. Hmmm...a little champagne....

Some beer....

And another cooler filled with shrimp covered in ice. Had we wandered across the street, the coolers over there would have revealed oysters. Yes, it's true! Monkey will be able to take part in an Oyster Roast!! Several of our neighbors get together with our kids, and we roast oysters on New Year's Eve. I think this is the 4th year we've taken part. One year we did local crabs along with the oysters (also local), but this year decided that local shrimp sounded good. After eating, we set off fireworks for the kids. And if someone over indulges, it is a quick hop, skip, and a jump into our respective homes.

Monkey and Carolina discovered what we're having for dessert....s'mores! I'll try to snap some pictures of the festivities tonight, but it will be dark so I can't promise anything. For now, Monkey and Carolina are catching up on hugs and kisses...

Old Salem

2008-12-28T21:20:00.000-08:00

On our way down to Charlotte to see Neil, we had to make a pit stop in Winston-Salem to pick something up. Since it was dark when Monkey was there to meet with the girls and help out at the food bank, we drove through Old Salem. Old Salem is a reenactment village set up to demonstrate what life was like in the 1700s when the Moravians first traveled to North Carolina. Old Salem is also the home to my Alma Mater, Salem College. The village is full of traditions and handicrafts year round, but is especially buzzing at Christmas time. He couldn't believe the line for the Candle Tea and it wasn't even dark yet!

Monkey was so excited to see the horse and carriage and begged for a ride, unfortunately, we were in a hurry.

Monkey thought the buildings were pretty and enjoyed learning a little bit about Moravian culture and architecture as we drove through. he is with some of the older buildings. The yellow one is the Salem Tavern. They housed and fed George Washington back in the day and one of my bridal showers back in '07. :) He was especially intrigued by the setting with historic Old Salem in the foreground and the~~Penis buiding~~ Wachovia building in the back ground.
Monkey was so fascinated by the building, he made me get a little closer for a better shot.

His mother's child, he couldn't resist checking out the shops for a minute too! He helped me make a pressed penny for Freddie and tried out a few of the traditional Moravian holiday items.

We made friends with the gift shop lady and she said that Flat Stanley had recently traveled through. Too bad we missed him!

Monkey really seemed to enjoy Old Salem. He was trying to talk them into making this one of their new post cards.

I'm especially grateful to Monkey for encouraging this visit. It was my first time visiting the fancy schmancy new visitor's center across the street, and I always love Old Salem when it's decorated for the holiday.

no more monkeys jumping on the bed

2008-12-28T21:17:00.000-08:00

Before Monkey and I hit the road to Charlotte, he had to do one last thing. It seems Jack has been teaching him some bad lessons. (Please ignore my naked walls!)

tardy

2008-12-28T21:05:00.000-08:00

Sorry these are late, but Monkey and I had a few more adventure before he made his way down to Bethy's house. Lisagh said it would still be alright to share them, so here goes.

When I heard about the opportunity to host Monkey, i was especially excited because I have my own little traveling friend. His name is Mikey. My husband actually had a Mikey doll when he was a small fry and loved him to pieces...literally. When I first moved to Richmond several years ago, I found his twin in perfect shape. Now, when I'm gone for long periods of time, new Mikey comes with me (original Mikey is a bit too fragile). New Mikey has been to Ghana in West Africa and all over Europe. He was especially excited to meet Monkey and share stories of their travels.
The boys even let Original Mikey join in the conversation. Together, they helped monkey compile his passport entry for this leg of his journey. Mikey told Monkey how we collect patches from every place we visit and helped him put one from his trip to Old Salem on his suitcase.

Happy Birthday!

2008-12-28T21:02:00.001-08:00

Monkey, I meant to post this on December 23rd, but the holiday madness caught up with me. I hope your first birthday was a great one!

~Amanda
(Mistah B?! That's a man's name!)

christmas day

2008-12-26T18:49:00.000-08:00

monkey came down the stairs on christmas morning to find that santa had come to cottage bethy and he had left a great big candy cane in monkey's stocking!

monkey was especially fond of his stocking because it was handmade by his very own lisagh (she had given it to me last christmas - not even knowing its fate!).

but then poor monkey went through everything under the tree, sadly, santa did not leave him a macbook pro. maybe next year, monkey.

but we didn't forget our monkey friend. after seeing how much fun he had with the gingerbread houses, we found the perfect gift for him -

play-doh!! and since we realized monkey turned 1 during his visit with us, we had a play-doh birthday party for him! it was a wonderfully happy day.

our christmas eve with monkey

2008-12-26T18:30:00.000-08:00

monkey went to church with us on the night of christmas eve.

we sang carols and lit candles.

afterwards, we drove around and looked at christmas lights.

then we all went home and went to bed and waited for santa....

a message from monkey

2008-12-25T11:30:00.000-08:00

my date

2008-12-24T10:08:00.001-08:00

i took monkey out last night.

he liked my friends.

and they liked him.

but he is still my (monkey) man...for now :)

Does anyone know where Monkey is today?

2008-12-24T08:19:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone ...
I was calculating the time Monkey could arrive at the Bonanno Factory and I'm thinking it's about this time ...

Last week Domenick checked our mail box and found a key that unlocks a bigger box for packages. When he opened the bigger box it was empty. He left a note for the mailman.

Yesterday Domenick found the key again in our box and it donned on me, the package could be Monkey! but this time the key didn't work. We left another note for the mailman ...
so now all we can do is wait.
I feel so terrible Monkey could be stuck in a hot box through Christmas.

Hopefully the package is shoe repair and Monkey is enjoying the holiday, hanging from someone's Christmas tree.

Merry Christmas
Vivian

gingerbread

2008-12-24T07:46:00.000-08:00

yesterday, after monkey finished painting my bookshelf, i took him to see a gingerbread house contest.

we saw so many beautiful and yummy houses! we couldn't believe they were all 100% edible, especially when we saw this...

yes, if you look close enough, there is something in that toilet - gross!

but most of the houses looked delightfully delicious and our little monkey just couldn't resist...

i was so embarrassed - i am such a rule follower and there were signs everywhere asking us not to touch! we ducked out of there quickly and to satisfy him, i brought monkey home to create his own little house.

not as pretty, but just as yummy!

all i want for christmas...

2008-12-23T09:44:00.000-08:00

is a macbook pro. at least that is all monkey has on his christmas list. i explained to him that they are very expensive and that it is highly unlikely for even santa to go to such an extreme, but he said he was going to keep dreaming and he wanted me to put it out there for all you readers...

i think monkey might be holding out hope that i might even splurge on him. today, i caught him doing some very bethy-like chores around here. i have to say, it is making me think he is worth it. :)

decking the halls

2008-12-20T18:04:00.000-08:00

i have been decorating.

my theme this year is "peace on earth." it seems that after spending five months with middle schoolers, all i could think about was peace.

after putting some finishing touches on our tree, i sat down to have a drink. my mind went immediately to our guest - poor neglected monkey! thankfully, i have some children who can help entertain him.

i went looking for monkey and found him in the playroom. he was watching the grinch with joseph. :) christmas coziness, we are loving it here!

*sorry about my picture quality, i will get my good camera charged for the next round :)

lo - i bring you good news!

2008-12-18T16:50:00.000-08:00

today, i got to tell monkey some exciting news. i received a telegram (okay, an email, but telegram sounds so old-school-christmas quaint) from lisagh that monkey will be spending christmas with us in charlotte!!! we are all just beyond tickled - especially monkey after seeing all of my teacher treats. i told him what's mine is his.

one more day of school and the happy holidays begin!

school

2008-12-17T15:22:00.000-08:00

monkey was the perfect student. he sat quietly while we reviewed "author's voice," and i found him the perfect book to read. after class, monkey told me that language arts is his favorite subject.

shhhh...

2008-12-15T18:43:00.000-08:00

monkey arrived in charlotte, north carolina! he told us he had such a delightful time with amanda and he looked quite tuckered. i told him we rise and shine here at 5:30am, so he was quick to ask for his accomodations. i wanted monkey to feel cozy here at cottage bethy, and all we had available were king beds - i was afraid poor monkey would get lost in the duvet! so instead, i made him up a little drawer. i know he has been treated like royalty on this venture, so i worried he would turn his nose up on this idea. but not our humble monkey. he hopped right in, rolled right over, said "sweet dreams," and he has been snoozing ever since. he is off to school with us tomorrow...see you then!

monktisse

2008-12-12T10:16:00.000-08:00

Monkey did a little pottery painting today.

Little Betsy was a big fan of Monkey. She wanted to take him home. Her mommy and I told her that he's not yet finished traveling. She accepted that and settled for a bite of monkey's banana.

dinner time

2008-12-12T10:08:00.001-08:00

Jack is showing Monkey how he waits politely for his food.

Monkey thinks it's crap.

house party

2008-12-10T18:04:00.000-08:00

Look what I found when I got home.

I knew monkeys liked to climb trees, but didn't know how much they liked Christmas trees. Unfortunately, my friend helped me put the lights on, but so far, no such luck on the decorations. (Jack couldn't resist trying on the christmas tree skirt.)

Later, Monkey wanted to visit Jack. Jack warned him about his previous relationship with monkeys. It's not that he's mean. He just loves too much.

Monkey couldn't resist though. Jack invited him in and was very polite. He showed him around his little apartment and invited him to spend the night.

Looks like the boys had a fun evening.

monkey says "hey, y'all!"

2008-12-08T17:14:00.000-08:00

Susan and I met up at Caribou Coffee this morning to make the monkey swap. It was such fun to meet this lovely lady in person. Susan was sweet and treated me to my favorite holiday beverage, the Ho Ho Mocha! We talked about life in the 'boro and the Junior League, and of course, her lovely little ladies.

We coudn't let the moment pass without a picture and monkey was all too happy to oblige. He climbed right atop the bear head and smiled away.

Our photographer was so kind and enthusiastic, she insisted on trying a different location because she was worried about the glare. Monkey really does bring people together. Our Caribou "barrista" wanted in on the fun too!

Afterward, I headed to Winston-Salem to meet up with one of my clients. She had so much fun reading Monkey's passport, she was sad that she wasn't on the Monkey bandwagon too!

Tonight was my last meeting with my group from Salem College (my alma mater and where I serve 10 hours a week as one of their campus ministers). We went to Crisis Control Ministries work in their food pantry and Monkey pitched in too. Monkey's not afraid of a little hard work. He climbed right in the big box to sort cans with Rebekah and Faith.

Next on our agenda was making boxes for Operation Christmas child. Monkey was kind to help us with quality control by playing with all of the toys.

Finally, we went to a Winston-Salem local favorite, George's Grecian Corner. George's is pretty much a hole in the wall located almost exactly under the I-40 bridge, but it is yummy and the staff is so sweet. It was actually featured in the movie Mr. Destiny.

At last, it was time to bring Monkey home. Apparently somebody couldn't wait to meet him. He was hanging out on the kitchen counter while I sorted my stuff out, but when i walked back into the room. I found that no introductions were necessary. Someone had already done that for me.
As you can see, we're all eager to make Monkey feel right at home.

Bye, Monkey!

2008-12-08T04:50:00.001-08:00

Monkey was a huge help decorating the tree this weekend. Later this morning, I'm taking Monkey to meet his next hostess for the official hand off. We have all loved having him here and are so sad to see him leave, but I can't wait to see what he does next!

Hanging with the girlies

2008-12-06T05:32:00.002-08:00

Maddy and Libby wanted to spend some time hanging out with Monkey yesterday. They decided that it would be fun if they all wore matching socks.

Then they decided that wearing hats would be fun. Maddy loves hats! Libby and Monkey weren't so sure. Maybe Monkey wanted the sweet pea hat and not the froggy.

Maddy and Monkey worked on their Rockette moves.

Monkey wanted to get up and look around for a bit.

Maddy and Libby showed Monkey how to do tummy time. He didn't seem to mind it at all.

Monkey heard that he may get to help with the Christmas tree today before he goes onto his next destination. Now if we could find a way that he could climb to the top of the tree to do the lights, we'd be all set!

A little League business

2008-12-05T05:23:00.000-08:00

Monkey knew that Lisagh is also a fellow member of the Junior League, so he thought it would be very appropriate to go see the new Junior League of Greensboro headquarters. Our wonderful new headquarters was gifted to us last year. It's amazing to think that our organization has been around since 1926, but we had never had a permanent home until this year. After nearly a year of renovation, she is now a beautiful fixture in our city.

Monkey buckled in and he marveled at how he matched my car's interior perfectly.

Hanging out at the entrance sign.

Monkey posing in front of the headquarters. We did get one horn honk as we were doing our photo session. What? Never seen a sock monkey in a photo shoot before?

Mischievious Monkey

2008-12-04T09:14:00.000-08:00

Monkey was a little bit naughty on his first day here ...

I caught him riding around on Zoe's back. He decided that she made for pretty good transportation, but he didn't take her up on her offer for a walk around the block.

He felt at home hanging out in the faux palm tree. No bananas though, so he ventured on.

Swinging from the chandelier was fun, but he sensed someone was watching him.

"What's this?" he said. "Other monkeys in the house!?" Monkey didn't seem very excited to see two other little sock monkeys peeking out at him. Luckily, he quickly became friends with Maddy and Libby's sock monkeys that they are getting on Christmas morning. (Shhhh, don't tell.)

Monkey arrived in NC!

2008-12-02T12:55:00.000-08:00

Monkey just arrived in North Carolina a few moments ago. Libby greeted him with several coos and shrieks. Maddy's still napping, but I know will be happy to meet him when she wakes up!

Monkey said he was a little tired after his trip, so he was going to look for a nice place to nap. I told him I was getting ready to make cookie candy and would save him a piece to enjoy after his nap. Stay tuned for Monkey's adventures in NC.

Monkey's time at the beach

2008-12-01T06:29:00.000-08:00

Monkey had a fabulous time at the beach and here are just a few pictures from his adventure:

Packed up and ready to go

The early part of the 6 hour journey. The smiles went quickly away around hour 3!

Daddy had to hold Emma's head as she was too excited to hit the beach and wouldn't sit nicely with Monkey!

Ah, feel that winter sunshine!

Buddies hanging out

Me? I do nothing! tee hee hee

The 3 of us.

It was then back to the beach house for some yummy Thanksgiving food. Unfortunately, Emma and I were stuffing our faces a little too much to snap a picture of Monkey enjoying his banana pie, but I'm sure you can imagine the little dude with crumbs all over his face!

He's now in transit to his next destination, with banana pie mouth and beach sand butt. Good times, good times!

We'll miss you Monkey, it was a joy having you hang out with the Minyon clan. Come back someday, OK?!
.

Monkey is going to the beach!

2008-11-26T07:26:00.000-08:00

I went to ship monkey to his next destination yesterday, but ended up coming back home with him. UPS said he wouldn't arrive in Greensboro until Monday, Dec 1st. Monkey should NOT spend his first Thanksgiving in a box in UPS storage! I asked when he would arrive if I shipped him on Friday from Myrtle Beach and they said the same date, Monday 1st.

So, he's coming to the beach with us! Woo Woo. Emma is so excited! He'll have a blast with the Minyon clan!

He is packed up in the car, ready to go. 6 hours on the road, but we'll make it. We'll post with vacation pics as soon as. I apologize I've not added more pics from his time in Richmond, but trying to pack up everything for a 9 month old is crazy!

Monkey's gonna love his first Thanksgiving, I'm sure of it!

Monkey Chills

2008-11-24T17:17:00.000-08:00

It was a pretty quiet weekend for Monkey and Emma. Monkey said he just wanted to chill out for a while, before seeing some Richmond sights. He's been teaching Emma some manners (sharing) and just getting back in to the groove, before heading out to his next destination.

Getting to know one another...

...before sharing some snacks!

Chillin' out, reading some Monkey literature!

A quick snap of the three of us!

Now that he's all relaxed, we'll head out for some fun pics. Check back soon for an update. Oh and we promise not to hog him for much longer. He has many more places to see and some fabulous people to meet!

We're so happy he's back!

WOO WOO

2008-11-20T10:21:00.003-08:00

GUESS WHO'S HERE?!! Yep, the Monkster arrived just a matter of seconds ago! I told the UPS man that monkey is traveling around the US and he looked at me like I was crazy. Certainly wasn't going to ask him to take a picture with the little dude. Shame really, it would have been cute!

Monkey immediately made a few other friends though!

Let the fun begin...

Renewed Itinerary

2008-11-17T21:35:00.000-08:00

When we last left our fearless hero, he was en route to Richmond, VA. Here's a list of the next stops. I'll be in touch with everyone via email when he's on the way to you specifically. The order of things might change or people may opt out of the trip - I've found this is a very organic process.

But fret not, I'll definitely keep you all posted. Thanks so much for your patience and continued support!
xoL

1. Richmond, VA – Chloe M.
2. Greensboro, NC – Susan D.
3. Greensboro, NC – Amanda L.
4. Charlotte, NC – Bethy S.
5. Goose Creek, SC – Melanie P.
6. Savannah, GA – Kelly S.
7. Savannah, GA – Eva M.
8. Clermont, FL – Cas J.
9. Brandon, FL – Christy S.
10. St. Petersburg, FL – Trish J.
11. Stuart, FL - Vivian B.
12. Kentwood, LA – Chablis T.
13. Johnson City, TN – Christiane C.
14. Elizabethtown, KY – Tommie A.
15. Suwanee, GA – Melinda S.
16. Lookout Mountain, TN – Joy I.
17. Defiance, MO – Sarah M.
18. Chicago, IL – Melissa M.
19. Kansas City, KS – Toi T.
20. Olathe, KS – Sarah P.
21. Oklahoma City, OK – Amy H.
22. Dallas, TX – Brittany M.
23. Palm Springs, CA – Stefanie G.
24. Las Vegas, NV – Jennifer W.
25. Berkeley, CA – Cindy F.
26. Portland, OR – Marisa M.
27. Gresham, OR - April B.
28. Bothwell, WA – Laura W.

. . .

Stay tuned...

2008-11-17T14:05:00.001-08:00

for the tracking number as Monkey makes his way to Chloe and baby Emma in Richmond, VA!!

Carolina thanks you...

2008-11-17T06:26:00.000-08:00

In light of this awesome news of Monkey's return, Carolina will be staying here at home with me in South Carolina. Thank you so much for the overwhelming response at my offer to bring a little cheer to a gloomy situation. Now, back to regularly scheduled programming...Go Monkey!!

Melanie