Monday Moments #1

Last year on New Years Day I vowed to try to post something each week on the blog. I said then that I am not usually one to make a New Years Resolution and I'm still not. That said, I started posting a "Sunday Snapshot" each week that provided a quick peek into our lives. Posting each Sunday made it routine (so I wouldn't forget...usually) and also held me accountable. Now, one year later, I don't think I can stop. I know I won't have any blog posts that go viral, that is NOT AT ALL why I post. I have a few loyal readers, very few to be honest. I am completely okay with that. I share these posts for 2 reasons; I want our family and friends that live far away to know what we are up to and I want to remember the little moments. Just before Christmas this year we sat up late watching videos from when the girls were young. The girls loved it! There are so many moments from the past 6 1/2 years that I'm sure I have forgotten.
This year I am changing my posts slightly. First, I am going to post on Mondays (since my Sunday posts seemed to get posted later as the year went on it only makes sense). More importantly I want to focus on the "moments" this year. Moments that I don't want to forget. Moments that I want recorded so I can look back later and say "remember when..." I know I have already been doing that sometimes in the Sunday Snapshots but I am making more of a conscious effort this year. You might not notice much of a difference I guess, but I will.

So here goes... My first "Monday Moments"

We'll start with a slightly "funny" moment. While visiting my Grandma Jo's house last week I snapped this picture. My grandma and mom are both on their smart phones, Christa is on her iPod and her laptop and Camryn is playing her DS. To be totally honest I was also on my phone just before I took the picture. Elody and my dad were doing puzzles on the floor. Kudos to them for not being totally addicted to electronics :)

While driving near the ranch Christa noticed a faint rainbow in the sky. We stopped to look and noticed that it was actually sun dogs. The girls (and Christa) had never seen or even heard of Sun Dogs. This moment is actually what made me realize what I wanted to focus on. These moments are becoming more rare as they get older but I love when I get to see their excitement about something that is totally new to them.

As I was headed into my Uncle Bob and Aunt Peg's house I found Camryn on their deck with Mr. White Toes, the cat. It wasn't long ago that I had to watch Camryn very closely with pets. She meant well but sometimes tried to love on them too much. She is growing up and maturing so quickly. She is also quite the lover of animals. I snapped a couple pictures before she realized I was there, then I snapped this one as she heard me and turned around. That smile is pure joy, not forced and not posed.

On the way home we stopped in North Platte at Fort Cody. I admit it is a lame tradition from my childhood that I just can't give up. Actually... not quite a tradition but more of a convenient place to stop that is about 1/2 way between Hyannis and Hastings. But the girls love it, just like I did when I was little.