Ten Photos of Daily and Occasionally Spectacular Life

For this week’s Finish the Sentence Friday, Kenya suggested sharing 10 photos from our phones, which I thought would be easy (after all, I could show you 10 of puppy Nugget and be done with it because she really is that adorable). Turns out, it was more difficult than I thought. I ended up choosing ten photos of daily and occasionally spectacular life. The moments we capture show the daily, the blurry, and every once in a while, the spectacular hidden within.

Since moving to Colorado (thankful for Colorado!!), we walk to school – a simple daily task. But also, spectacular. Here’s our view. Look how much it’s already changed in a few weeks.

It snowed yesterday but I didn’t get a photo. It looks different already.

***

We’ve been to a few different pumpkin festivals this year, including one in Erie, Colorado where we shot zombies with paintball guns from the back of a wagon and experienced a super-creepy haunted house. It was one where there were mannequins and also actors so you’re never sure which’ll jump out at you.

At that festival, we found a cool blue pumpkin. “Let’s keep it forever,” Tucker said. “Well, at least until it rots.” Daily fall life. Also, spectacular.

Random adorable puppy photo of Nugget hanging out by the shower. Most photos of her taken outside are blurry. She’s actually blurry most of the time. Daily and spectacularly. Here though, she’s still.

Speaking of pumpkin festivals, my mom came out for a visit recently. Which has nothing to do with pumpkins or the festivals held to celebrate them, but we did go to a hot air balloon festival, and a super-cool Mexican restaurant on a river. Here’s Tucker with his Grandmo at the restaurant. And yes, he’s nine and taller than she is. He’ll be taller than me soon too. Gah. And, spectacular. She brought him her dad’s real mining pick axe and it’s his favorite thing ever.

Grandparents! There’s a better transition than pumpkins to my mom… my dad turned 80 years old recently and had all four of his awesomely amazing grandkids in town. It’s the first time all his grandkids have been together since we were all in Memphis a few years ago. 80 years old. Spectacular.

Can you believe my dad still has all his hair? Also, speaking of hair, for the first time in many years, Tucker’s hair is above his ears. And yeah, I know that’s a weak transition but this ten random photo thing means the photos aren’t related. I do what I can.

I miss his long hair a little, but he’s gotten great compliments on this new style, which I love. I don’t so much love the time it takes in the morning for him to be sure it looks perfect. Mostly, because I’m never sure day-to-day what “perfect” means. Sometimes, perfect is messy and spiky. Sometimes, it’s neat. Like life.

On a recent random weekend, we visited Rampart Reservoir. I assume it looks like this every day. Tucker brought the mining pick axe my mom brought him. Because of course he did. He also sat on this rock for a really long time. Outdoors. Spectacular.

Another view of Rampart. I must have 40 photos of this place on my phone.

Tiny puppy (who has already almost doubled in size) in a huge beanbag. It looks like a black and white photo, but it’s not. Nugget and the beanbag are both just black and white and gray. Like daily life. And the occasionally spectacular. There’s something about each day that’s both.

This has been a Finish the Sentence Friday post. This week, while I’m still freaked out about special education support, I’m focusing on Ten Photos of Daily and Occasionally Spectacular Life for our prompt of sharing 10 photos from our phones. My wonderful co-host Kenya Johnson of Sporadically Yours came up with the prompt and I’m thankful to her for the reminder that within the daily tasks, and moments that become blurry with time, there is the spectacular to be found.