Show & Tell Sunday

Raise your hand if you noticed that there was no Friday Favorites this week.

For the first time ever.

In the 15 month history of this little blog. 

I'd be terribly disappointed in myself (along with the 12 of you who noticed) if it weren't for one thing. 

I was busy.

I know, lame excuse. Plus, if I had a dime for every time in the past 15 months that I've been busy yet still managed to write a Friday Favorites post (by cheating and writing the post on a Thursday or *gasp* on a Wednesday) I'd have like $1.85 (because there was that one time I was busy but only wrote half of it Thursday night).

Actually, it wasn't quite as simple as "I was busy". 

Here's my full excuse: *takes a deep breath*

I was out of town from last Saturday to late Wednesday night and didn't get to watch not to mention write my Bachelorette recap until then which didn't get posted on Tuesday like it was supposed to and instead got pushed back to Thursday when I was crazy busy with laundry and appointments (that included a trip to the neurologist) and a three hour play and then I blinked and it was Friday and I had to take Thing 2 to the orthodontist and go grocery shopping and to Target and get on the road to my happy place before all the terrible traffic plus since Facebook hates bloggers no one seemed to see my Recap post so I thought I'd better leave it up on the home page an extra day. 

So there ya go.

Totally understandable and justified, right?

But don't despair, all you 12  Friday Favorites fans!

I'm combining the Show & Tell Sunday (which I've decided to do every other Sunday (or ever other-other Sunday) simply because I always forget to take Instagram photos) with the belated Friday Favorites today!

I know. 

Craaaazy.

But it makes sense, because pretty much everything that would've gone into my Friday Favorites post this past week was Instagrammed. 

Lucky you.

So have a seat. 

Show & Tell starts.....right now. 

Let me preface these first few photos with a little story, if I may.

(And since it's my blog — I may.)

From 1996 - 1998 we lived in the lovely little college town of Bloomington, Indiana.

"B-town", for those of us in the know. 

Husband was getting his MBA at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, and my little Thing 1 and I were filling our days with playgroups and trips to the park and riding the carousel at the mall and (our favorite), the Indianapolis Zoo (she was 10 mo. - 2 1/2 years old when we lived there). 

Last week we returned, for the first time in 15 years for my not-so-little-anymore Thing 1 to visit IU to see if she might want to apply there this fall. 

Pass the kleenex -- full box, please. 

Here's a few highlights from our little trip down memory lane.

Cool sculptures in the Indy airport. My favorite parts were the teeny tiny people that were sitting on or under the benches. 

Spending a day at the fabulous Indianapolis Zoo, just like when she was two.
Favorite!

This mama and baby elephant were definite favorites.

Here's the Things, hiding behind their glasses.

The IU campus is, no question, stunningly beautiful.
The giant Hoosier - squirrels are pretty cute, too.
They almost make me rethink my evil pellet gun plan for fall '13.

Thing 1 and I made a short stop at College Mall to see the carousel, where we passed a lot of pre-napping hours back in the day
and which was a definite favorite.
Sitting on the counter of the bank kiosk where the carousel used to be, feeling blue.

Indiana has some of the prettiest hiking trails I've ever seen.
Returning to an old favorite. 

Some of my favorite memories associated with Bloomington are associated with the winery.
Surprised? 

And because photos like this will warm my heart for years and years, I'm adding it to Show & Tell.

Hitting the Mall of America on the first official day of summer. 

I've got a big week ahead, you guys.

Actually, I'm totally lying.

More on that tomorrow. 

See you then.

CLICK THIS BOX if you want to see a picture of Ryan Gosling's abs.