I Have an Instagram Problem (and a Rambling Problem)

I will be the first to admit that I probably don't use my iPhone to its full capabilities. There's probably a lot more that I could do with it-- a LOT more (and let's not even go there with what I could do were I actually allowed to hook it up to my work computer). Still, in the almost year that I've had it, I don't think I could ever go back to another phone. I love the Facebook app. And my Kindle app (which allows me to read my books when I'm without my Kindle-- at least while my eyes are still good enough for the small screen). I love various news apps-- some local channels and then NPR and The Week. Gas Buddy helps me find cheap gas. Key Ring freed up my actual key ring as all of my loyal shopper/reward cards are on my phone now instead. Pinterest is addicting. Pandora feeds my music love. And I love a good Word Jumble or Rush Hour puzzle. Words with Friends, Family Feud and Friends, Angry Birds, and Plants vs. Zombies round out my games.

However, one of my FAVORITE apps of all time is Instagram. I love that vintage look it gives my photos with so little effort on my part.
I hadn't been using it for awhile. It was almost as if I forgot it. But alas, over the weekend, my Instagram love was renewed. Above: our Sunday morning music. Below: a boy and his doggy. Brennan isn't walking yet, but will stand for several seconds without holding onto anything. He loves Zoey so much and I'm amazed at how playing gently and not pulling her fur is almost instinctual for him. Eric and I keep saying that we'll never get another dog after Zoey because dog ownership is just hard. But really, it's only hard about 5% of the time (like when we have to take her out on a leash in the rain because otherwise she won't go out or when we have to find someone to watch her when we go out of town). I'm pretty sure Brennan will talk us into another one someday. I know it's still two weeks until Valentine's Day, but Cate and I started making some for her classmates. I was afraid that with 16 classmates and 3 teachers to make cards for, that she'd get bored after a few. She actually made 8 before she was ready to just color and not make Valentines anymore. And yes, I do know that there are convenient boxed Valentines that she could just sign her name on and be done with. But we got a letter home from preschool encouraging us to make Valentines. On the bright side, it was a good excuse to use all of that scrapbook stuff collecting dust in the basement (especially since Shutterfly books are so much more convenient-- I don't think I'll "scrapbook" in the traditional sense again).
And speaking of Valentine's Day-- those $1 gel clings from Target have been amusing my kiddos for days. Thankfully it's been about 60 degrees out for the last few days which makes keeping the front door open to play with them okay (in normal January weather, that door stays shut tight).
I know that last picture wasn't Instagram, but it does show you just how warm it is. Earlier today we put on jackets, loaded the kids in the wagon, gave them each a book to look at (which occupied them each for about 5 minutes), and headed out for a walk. We found some pine cones down the street which actually amused them for the remainder of the walk. Brennan loved being able to face his big sis. I loved being able to take a walk in January without freezing.

Happy Tuesday!
~Melody :-)

Alpaca Encounter

When we visited my parents over the 4th of July weekend, my sister took Cate on a fun expedition. Catherine's friend from high school lives on an alpaca farm. Hudson isn't a rural community, but there are a few farms still thriving.Cate loved getting to see the alpacas and feeding them treats.
She thought it especially funny when "Aunt C" kissed a llama. Domino, the one and only llama on the farm, is a close cousin to the alpacas.
The family that owns the farm raises them for their wool-- which makes great yarn (I even got a couple of balls of alpaca yarn while visiting, which I intend to use to make a winter hat for Brennan). They had recently been sheared.
We're hoping to go back to see the alpacas next time we visit Hudson. The day we were there, there were several mama alpacas within a week or so of giving birth. So we want to go back and check out those babies. This four month old one was pretty cute though:
My animal-lovin' girl loved those alpacas. I think she'd be in heaven if we ever moved to a farm-- which we'd never do because keeping up with our small house, small yard, 2 children, dog, cat, and fish is quite enough thank you.
But we can visit often. Cate made another friend at the farm too-- Ravenna, the barn cat. Thanks to Sam and family for letting us visit with your alpacas! You made Cate's day!

~Melody :-)

The Newest Members of the Riggs Family

About a month or so ago I jokingly said to Eric that we should get Cate a goldfish, like Elmo's (shown below).
So last week Eric came home with this:
Cate saw the fish and immediately said, "Dorothy!" Dorothy is the name of Elmo's fish. She was super excited to have her very own Dorothy.

As it turns out, Eric's coworker was looking to find a home for her fish since she'll be moving within the next few months. It was a package deal though-- we also got a Betta fish, whom Cate named Mater, like the tow-truck in cars. The Betta was originally called Vader by Eric's coworker, and we told Cate that, but I think she just thought we said Mater.

Incidentally, we renamed our dog when we first got her too. Her original name was Sugarbelle and Eric said there was no way he was going to have a dog with that name.

But back to the fish...Cate is learning how to take care of them (as much as a two-year-old can). She feeds them every morning and evening with Daddy. She also "helps" clean out their bowls. Mater hangs out in our room while Dorothy's bowl is perched on the dresser in Cate's room. She loves having fish. We love teaching her how to help and take care of them.

Cate also helps us put dog food in Zoey's bowl, gives Zoey treats, and helps to put water in the big bowl that Zoey and Sierra (our cat) share. We pour the water into a bottle with a very thin spout and Cate in turn pours that into the bowl. She's pretty good at it.

All in all, I think pets are a great way to teach kids how to help and take care of things. What other ways do you help your children learn these things?

~Melody :-)