We try regularly to take our kids on “dates” alone. I knew with Emma leaving for Africa the summer is all of a sudden much shorter. Her all time favorite place in Durango to eat is The River Rat and it’s only open from May to August. Just before she left for Africa we decided…

Emma had an idea before leaving for Africa….why not collect Beanie Baby type little stuffed animals to take? She went to yard sales and and bought a bunch and then went to thrift stores and asked them if they would be willing to donate some. Before long she had collected 204. It was really fun…