Your Mission...

if you choose to accept it is a squishin' mission!

Many of you know that when we go anywhere we are always on the look out for penny machines. Those machines that you place a penny in (as well as 50 cents) and then turn the dial and out comes a penny that has been squished and an image of some sort is imprinted on the penny. Usually the image has something to do with the city or place that you are at.

The tradition started on December 30, 2001 when Bill proposed to me at the top of the Sears Tower. On the way back down to the ground floor we noticed the machine and slid our 51 cents in to get our Sears Tower penny. After that, I continued to get a penny made where ever we went. We continued the tradition after we had Emma and now she has several books full (yes they actually sell collectors books) of pennies from various places. I keep a mini M&M's tube full of bright shiny pennies and quarters so that we are always prepared for a squishin' mission (the actual term for someone on a mission to collect squished pennies). Emma eagerly puts the coins in the machine and helps crank the handle at each machine. It is a much cheaper way to collect souvenirs from the places we have visited and much smaller to transport home and she loves adding them to her book.
Lately we have had a few people that have collected pennies for Emma to add to her collection, so what we have decided to do is start a separate book just to collect the ones that others have given to her. Which is where your mission comes in. Next time you are out and about at a museum, landmark, zoo, aquarium, or visitors center look for a penny machine. If you have a penny and 2 quarters on you, please make a penny and send it along to Emma for her collection. Even our friends that don't live in the US can penny squish too! If you are curious as to where there are machines in your area check out this website http://www.pennycollector.com/AreaList.aspx You can go to any state or country and see where they have machines. I love this site and rarely go anywhere with Emma without checking the site first.

So there is your mission....if you choose to accept it - and we hope you do!