Dollop & Scoop – No. 3

This has been one of those weeks where I feel like I take one step forward and three steps back. I was trying to catch up after an event-filled weekend away from home. Then Monika came down with such a bad case of strep throat that she spent 24 hours vomiting. And then the kitten had to go to the vet. Maybe that's too many details, but I think you have an idea what the week's been like.

The wedding

The big event last weekend was Phil and Ashley's wedding. Since Glen was Phil's best man (Phil is Glen's younger brother) and Monika was one of the flower girls, we left for the wedding on Friday so that we could be there for rehearsal. The early arrival also gave the kids time to play in the hotel pool.

The wedding and reception were both beautiful. We all had a wonderful time. My only regret was not taking more time to get a nice family photo. We don't get dressed up all that often – heck, I can't even remember the last time I wore a real dress – so I was really hoping for a keepsake family portrait.

Unfortunately, we were in a bit of a hurry and taking photos with two cameras at the same time. So we ended up with half of us looking one way and half of us looking the other. And then there's always the challenge of getting everyone to hold still and actually smile.

We ended up with a couple of almost-keepsake portraits. And some super adorable candid photos.

Sunrise, sunset

We've had some absolutely stunning sunrises and sunsets this winter. I caught a glimpse of the sunset below while waiting in our entryway for the kids to finish getting their barn clothes on. I told the kids to come look and grabbed my phone to take a picture. Then I went and got my good camera. Neither camera (or maybe it's just the photographer) took a photo that did justice to the sunset's colors. So I tried, instead, to enjoy the beautiful sunset while it lasted.

I've reached the conclusion that breathtaking sunrises and sunsets like these, which seem to happen more when winter is at its most frigid, supply us with the rewards we need to continue our outdoor chores – or simply help us focus on something other than how blasted cold we are.

As I write this, though, we are enjoying unseasonably warm weather. (Thirty degrees in January is almost unheard of.) The kids can play outside without freezing their fingers and we've been able to clean out the heifer yard. We're even supposed to get some sunshine tomorrow! Maybe Old Man Winter feels bad about how he treated us last winter.

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Thanks for reading this edition of Dollop and Scoop. I've got my fingers crossed that next week will at least feel a little more manageable. I hope your week goes well, too.