Friday, July 10, 2015

The Usual Suspects


We made it to Chicago this summer for a visit with our "Favorite Boy Cousin" Johnny.  We are going to have to modify that with the upcoming arrival of a new boy cousin anticipated in August...maybe Favorite Big Boy Cousin?  For whatever reason, perhaps because they are the same age, Johnny and Davey have really hit it off in the past few years when they get together.  Davey loves to talk about his favorite boy cousin, Johnny, and has been planning a trip to Texas to visit him for at least a year.

This photo makes me laugh every time I look at it.  Does this look like a lineup or what?  This is quite likely the most photographed generation ever.  Their entire lives have existed with digital cameras and cell phone cameras. Their parents are constantly with a camera.  I try to be conscious of not over documenting their live and making everything a photo shoot. I believe in living in the moment and just enjoying the experience.  But when your Favorite Boy Cousin lives many states away, I think it is important to get at least a picture or two for you to look back on in twenty years and remember the day.  This one should make them laugh someday, too.

When we get together, it is all Chicago fun with trips to baseball games, museums, the park, and in this case, the zoo.  It was probably a good 90+ degrees the day we went, so we were particularly keen on anything that could be viewed indoors, like the penguins and the insect house. The highlight of the day, oddly, was watching the flamingos fight.  We stopped by the flamingo exhibit as a passing thought, looking at it on our way to somewhere else.  But the flamingos were fighting each other.  Aggressively.  And it was fascinating to watch.  The feathers were literally flying.  (Now I know where that expression comes from.)  The kids thought it was both shocking and hilarious.  "Look mom--those birds are fighting just like we do!  Do you think they are brothers and sisters?"

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