Cross Stitch Retreat

WOW!! What a fantastic weekend!!! I LOVE going to the ILCS retreat each year. We had so much fun. The designers from: MyMark, Twisted Threads and Monsterbubbles came and stitched with us. MyMark and Monsterbubbles held a small trunk show. We were able to visit 3 LNS so we could buy new stash.

Debra, Meari and Berly wrote up an excellent review of the retreat. If you click their name you can read about it. I didn't take that many pictures but I did find some funny things.

When we were in the Historical Section of St. Charles, I had to go to the bathroom. I popped over to the public restroom and just about died laughing about how they protected their toilet paper.

Karin and I went to the Zoo on Sunday. We try and visit the zoo of each place we visit. What a FABULOUS zoo!!! I highly recommend this zoo. One of our favorite exhibits were the penguins. We were so close that you could reach out and touch one.

We saw both saw something that we hadn't seen before. We were looking at the lion exhibit and we saw the lioness taking a nap in the tree.

I think the funniest thing was the orangutans. We saw this big blob and wasn't sure what it was until the worker explained it to us. It seems that orangutans in the wild will cover up with leaves. So they leave blankets around they like to cover up with them.

After the zoo, Karin and I went to the AKC Dog Museum. It hasn't been opened long but it was nice little museum. It had sketches, sculptures and paintings of different dog breeds. They also had different types of collars that dogs had worn in the past. While we were there they had a dog training class going on and they babies were so cute!!! They were learning to be show dogs. One room was devoted to dogs in service. The ones who work with the police helping them with drug busts, search and rescue and fire dogs. It was very informative. This is a Dog House with actual marble floors!!!

Sunday afternoon was a very long drive and I hit a major thunderstorm where the rain was coming down in buckets. I finally made it home around 8:00pm. The dogs were happy to see me...however Mark had sent me a message telling me that I couldn't come home without a stop to Dairy Queen...so I brought him home a French Silk Blizzard so he would let me in the house!!

I came home from the retreat with a suitcase full of things!! I was very happy with everything and can't wait until next year. I am saving my pennies!!!