Picture-Worthy

Not being on social media for Lent has been really...hard. I'll say it. But also very good for all the reasons I thought it would be and more; it's extremely growth-inducing thus far. 

The one thing I miss in many ways is playing amateur photographer. This social media fast has shown me that taking pictures does simply makes me happy, whether I'm sharing them with the masses or not. It's also been interesting to see the shift in how and what I capture from day to day, now without a specific social media "audience" in mind. It's a subtle shift, but it's there.

I'm taking fewer pictures overall, but in a lot of ways there's more meaning behind the picture I decide to snap. I'm not taking it for anyone else--I'm taking it because I, myself, find it photo-worthy. I'm not worried about how I'll caption a shot or whether it'll make my feed look nice. I simply capture what I want to remember: a glimpse of beauty, or a moment that evokes an emotion worth revisiting. 

Altogether, it creates a fun little trail of breadcrumbs for my tired brain to say, 'aha, that's what happened yesterday [this morning/last week/whatever day that was].' And it's lovely to know that it's first and foremost for my own satisfaction that I've created this little string of memories. 

So here are some of those moments that I deemed picture-worthy in the last two weeks. A few with some edits, because making pictures prettier is something that still makes me happy, but many without (like all of the outdoor photos--because Colorado is its own perfect filter!).

Fluffy Old Man

Oh this pup. He's all over my camera roll and my heart as he continues to go downhill physically. His hips have been giving out once or twice a day and he needs help getting up when it happens. And overall he's just moving really slowly. But he's still being his cantankerous self trying to bark down the garbage truck or bikers who whiz by the fence or any other apparent threat to his kingdom. We're trying to make the most of all of our time with him, and party it up with him this weekend for his 11th birthday in all the ways he likes best. 

Caught in a frisky moment wrestling with his moose.

Clearly he's still got some puppy left!

His favorite spot for morning naps.

WINTER IS COMING.

Yes, I actually do mean winter. Because after a winter with record high temps where all the flowers and trees are fully tricked into thinking it's officially spring, you know there'll be another (or ten) snowstorm(s) with a good six-foot dump...and at least one of them guaranteed to land on us again for Mother's Day. 

Don't fall for it, little leaves and buds! Go back to your home!

Fake Lent flowers + real flowers.

Sigh of Relief 

I lost my rosary right after we got back from our last ski trip. For any of you who know the story behind this rosary, you know that it's no little thing. I knew it had to be somewhere in the house, so I wasn't too worried at first. But after casually and then frantically searching everywhere, it still didn't turn up. I told all the kids to keep an eye out, and Marie said "um, why don't you just pray to find it, Mom? It's a rosary, duh." And I said "I definitely have, miss." And she said "well we should again," and she did. The next morning as I was getting in my car, I remembered that my purse had fallen and dumped as I rounded a curve a few weeks prior, sending stuff everywhere. I looked in passenger door compartment and there it was, safely tucked away where it had fallen. Phew! After 13 years of companionship, it was a big sigh of relief. 

Sweet Kiddo Memories

Interacting with kids in different ways, especially as they get older, is an adjustment. I really don't play with them often unless it's a family card game, I no longer have entertain/distract them in the car (Marie is always reading and the boys entertain each other), and conversations on my terms are always forced. So I'm trying to be more open to when and how they want to share. With Ethan, it's tuning into his non-stop chatter instead of ignoring it. With Erik, it's asking him to show or explain something to me and he'll launch into the details with glee. With Marie, lately it's at bedtime when her brain seems to be flying--she has all sorts of imaginings and story ideas and questions to share that require increasingly complicated answers. So I try to give her a few extra minutes of listening, even though my brain is more than done for the day.

Well, not too long ago she started asking to help with dinner, and has actually become quite the helpful little sous-chef. She's learning, I have a competent helper who is actually contributing  when I'm stressing about dinner, and we have delightful conversations too. Win-win. 

Just some snuggles in the big bed one night with my three loves.

New Sofa

After parting with our 10-year-old couches that were way too big for our living room, I dreamed for awhile about the perfect loveseat/settee for the space. The area has been a big empty space for many months now as we saved and searched. Well, the "perfect" piece is finally here, and though we can't exactly boast its comfort, I'm happy as a clam that my little vision is so beautifully fulfilled. 

The packaging wan an adventure all its own...

Girl's Best Friend

Speaking of Old Man Samson...these two and their unspoken bond get me in the heart every time. 

Weekend Fun...and Weekend "Fun"

Allllll the things converged this past weekend. I had drill all weekend, Peter had drill Saturday but not Sunday, the kids had a few parties, the boys had hockey Sunday, Marie had her last team practice and game... and oh. It was also the dreaded daylight savings spring forward. Which was extra cruel considering that we were all stumbling around at feels-like-5am for report time for drill and Marie's early practice which Peter got to drag the boys to.

But the highlight for sure: on Sunday, during Marie's last hockey game, the team won and Marie got her first hat trick [three goals scored by the same person in one game]. Not only that--the last two goals of her hat trick were in the last few minutes of the game. Most importantly, a very proud Dad was there to see it (although he couldn't throw his hat onto the ice to embarrass her because a net was in his way). I don't get into sports much, but Peter's play-by-play that night when I got home had me on the edge of my seat! Little Miss has decided that she's not interested in other sports and would like to stick with hockey through the summer and fall, please, so she can be on the Avs when she grows up.

Obnoxiously large end-of-season swag for lucky #13

If my loving husband didn't change the clocks for us, it would literally never happen.
My aversion to changing clocks runs deep.

When I realized bright (dark) and early on daylight savings morning that Erik and I matched. 

I also made the mistake of signing up for school conferences before school on Monday.
The Monday after a chaotic, exhausting, daylight savings. But we caught a beautiful
moonset (more below) and were only 5 minutes late!

Dinner School

Peter never wastes an opportunity to bestow knowledge on the kids, usually at dinner, and I find myself re-learning all the things that normal grownups forget (but not Peter). When the kids asked a question about degrees (in relation to weather), suddenly we found ourselves knee-deep in explanations over tuna casserole of True North vs. Magnetic North, latitude and longitude, circles, fractions, and the like.

Degrees of a circle, as demonstrated with chopsticks.

Which of course meant that we weren't going to be celebrating Pi day without an actual lesson on Pi and a few diameter/circumference calculations...thank goodness one of us will be able to help the kids with their Geometry homework some day!

Our "Pi." Because cake is way better.

Endless Skies

Clearly I have a love/love relationship with Colorado clouds.Five years in and I can definitely say I'm just as smitten with our ever-living, ever-changing mountain views and the whole glorious dome of Colorado skies. And I didn't edit a single photo here because the edits never look so good as the real thing. 

Leaving church on Sunday night.

Moon set with appropriately-themed clouds to accompany it.

Sunset, 3/14

And sunrise this morning, 3/16. When our window shades start glowing pink,
I know it'll be worth it to drag myself out of bed for a look.