Day 56. Treasures.

My youngest child has started collecting pinecones to give to me.  Don't you love it when your children give you similar gifts?  Dandelions.  "Special" rocks.  Blades of grass.  :)  Artwork from school.  Chewing gum from the  bottom of their shoe  :)  ... if it's interesting to them, it's a very generous gesture that they willingly part with it to give it away as a gift.  I have an awful time throwing any such things away.  I started taking pictures after VBS weeks, of all the crafts and projects they come home with.  That way, I feel better about discarding them later.  But there are some things I will never ever part with... locks of hair from their first haircuts.  Sweet KG paintings.  Handmade Mother's Day cards.  Oh, they are precious treasures!  As we approach those precarious teenage years, I'll look back on these memories as a needed reminder that they once loved me!  :)

MC (middle child) wanted to take a photo, too, while I was "capturing" my pinecone memories.  As often as I can, I try to oblige them when they want to take pictures.  I encourage it, because I want them to ALWAYS take pictures.  It will mean a great deal to me when I'm a grandmother one day.  :)  His preferred subject was his mommy and our puppy.  Yes, she actually does love me.... she was just more interested in what was going on in the backyard, so I kind of headlocked her there for the moment.  Don't worry, it was an affectionate headlock.  She didn't mind.  She's a very snuggly dog.  We love her!