Phone pics...better than nothing

More and more I'm remembering to grab shots with my phone. This is bad, because my phone camera is pretty mediocre. This is good, because it's easy to forget stuff. I'm trying to get in the habit of instagraming when Afton does/says something hilarious that I want to remember. I'm trying to grab a shots of the garden, from swim practice, all the details of the daily routine. I believe that quote, “Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you'll look back and realize they were big things.”(Robert Brault) Ideally, I'd be capturing them all with my good camera--with perfect composition and lighting--but my phone is usually in my pocket so it will have to do.

Here's to preservation!

We've been hitting Dollywood this summer.
Here's Afton freezing after playing in the sprinkler area in her clothes. 

Right after school got out, Ben headed to Washington DC with the safety patrols. He had a great time!

For the church talent show, Emma and her friend Caris sang a song while Emma played it on her guitar.
This was cool because she hasn't been playing very long, but she really caught on fast.

Lydia listening to Scott tell a bedtime story at Grandma's house one Sunday evening.

Bedtime stories are his specialty. 

Afton and Lydia decided painting small rocks would be fun. They were right--it was.
Normally, bring rocks/sticks/etc in from outside it not allowed, but this was an exception.
Afton was excited about this break with protocol, and chattered as she painted,
"And Mom, we're allowed to bring anything in the house except cats, right?" 

We went to an Avett Brothers concert (awesome!). 

We did a triathlon. It was hard, but not as hard as I thought it would be.

The Langfords took us out boating (thanks!), and Emma got up on the wakeboard...

...Scott surfed the wake...

...and Afton surprised us with her unmatched thrill-seeking.