Day 26: Cozy With Family

As a family we don’t really get snuggly on the couch, under the blankets or the like. Our “cozy” moments in the normal sense of the phrase are few and between. We do more “Crash and Eddie” moments.

Day 16: Your Morning Walk

Our walks are usually done in the evenings, but every now and again we will make an exception and head out in the morning. We have a set route that we will walk because we know it is safe, and safety is everything when you are out with a toddler. Trying to take photos when it’s just the Bug and I is a bit of a challenge because this is a girl who does not like to be still.  When I first thought about it, I didn’t think I’d find many opportunities that would really fit the prompt’s guidelines that the author had in mind, but I was pleasantly surprised to find several opportunities. Even more, I was thrilled with how the shots turned out since they were each quickly snapped so that we kept in motion.

Rory is so used to me having a camera or my phone in hand pointed her way snapping shots, and most times, she continues what she is doing, will pose or hide depending on her mood, but rarely tries to grab the camera. Today, as we stopped to say hi to “her dogs” along the route, I tried to get a shot of her looking at them, but at the last second, she turned to the camera and reached out to touch the lens just as I pressed the shutter button. The resulting photo made me laugh and is one that I’m glad captured a spontaneous moment rather than a set one.

With a very emphatic “no” when we returned home, we got settled back in the house with a snack and some Mother Goose Club, but there was a closing shot that I wanted to get here at my own house.  Outside my back door is a rather large Orb-weaver who has taken up residence in the same corner of the porch for weeks now. We leave him alone, outside of saying hello to him or showing him to Rory, teaching her respect for this and other arachnids. Just a note, this coming from someone who has been working at getting over arachnophobia for years is HUGE.  While taking a few shots, he waved one of his legs at me, I’m sure it was to tell me to get back, but I’m going to go with he was saying hi. It has been through photographing spiders and webs that I have mostly gotten over my fear of spiders and I’ve started finding them more fascinating than scary. This does not mean I want one as a pet or to hold one. This disclaimer is added for my husband.

All in all, this morning’s walk was a relaxing, fun trip around the neighborhood as it rained in the earlier hours so it was cool and actually felt like fall, even though as I write this the temps have already climbed and it is hot and humid once again. It was refreshing seeing the same sights with new eyes and capturing them as a physical memory and I’m looking forward to the next outing with the Bug.

Day 15: Daily To-Do List

My daily to-do list is a mundane set of tasks no one would be interested in reading an entire blog about. Laundry, dishes, dinner, chasing a toddler and all the toddler tasks, not an exciting day as most people have some of these things on their to-do lists themselves. By nature I am a list maker with just about everything as it just keeps me on track.

Instead of focusing on the daily plan, I took this prompt’s photo a different directionwith a to-do list of places we want to hike and visit. Of course, the list is much more extensive than the few places I wrote down, and I’m sure that if I were to sit and make that comprehensive list, it would be multiple pages long. I mentioned in an early blog that we are currently working our way through hiking the state parks of Oklahoma. My goal is to knock this out by the end of the year so that we can start looking broader and making the national parks the next list of to-do hikes.

Another travel list we have is of places we want to take our granddaughter to explore as she has inherited our love of being outside and on a trail. Any way that we can enrich her life through adventure is a priority and something that will always be on our list of things to do.

As for today, the big thing on the to-do list is to go outside and play in the sandbox because Rory has her own list of things we are going to do in any given day as well. May your lists keep you on track to completion.

A New Direction

When I had originally started this blog, it began as a place to share about the marching band my kids were in and their accomplishments. Four years later, three of them are now graduated from high school and pursuing their own dreams and chasing their adult lives. Now, we have one left at home halfway into his junior year.

Over these last few years my husband and I have developed a love for hiking and geocaching, and I personally have been pursuing my love of photography. This is the driving force behind resurrecting my blog which has laid dormant for far too long. I am looking forward to being able to share about the adventures we take, as well as showcase some of the photos taken on these trips.

Our hiking goal is to hit every state park here in Oklahoma. There are some truly beautiful places here in our state that are just waiting to be visited, photographed and enjoyed. There are also geocaches at the parks as well, so it’s an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. To date, we have hiked twelve of the thirty-four parks, not including the Little Sahara since it is more an ATV playground and not set up for hiking, and sand in my boots is not appealing.

I guess it boils down to, welcome to my new trip journal. I hope that it inspires you to hike, take photos, and pursue whatever your passions are. I hope that it encourages you to get out and explore the amazing state you live in, whatever state that is. You don’t have to travel very far at all to experience and see some beautiful and amazing places. To see the full photo albums, come and like my Facebook page and for the bursts come follow me on Instagram. Live, love, hike and take photos!