What's Old is New Again

This is one of my favorite pictures. Ever. 

I love it so much because it's just so sort of random. So many things are happening here. Is it cold? Mom is wearing a cat and a sweater. I'm thinking it's cold. But dad's wearing a cotton (well, it is the 70s, so maybe polyester) button down short sleeve. So it it not so cold? And is it raining? I'm wearing an amazing yellow slicker. And then there's the cat that dad is holding. And where are we? Are we camping? It looks like there are some trailer-camper type things back there. And where's Vanessa? (Sorry, A, it's before your time!). So many questions! Besides the fact that I look like a duck-billed platypus. 

So. All of that together = one of my favorite pictures. It just makes me smile every time I see it.

So when Mom and Dad were here recently, I had a goal of staging a retake. 

But I didn't plan well enough, so there we were, the night before they were leaving at 5am, we decided to give it a try.  Of course we had no one around to take the picture, so first I had to remember how to use an actual camera (ah! iphone: why can't you also have a self-timer in the photo app!). And I'd forgotten the white for mom (though she said her head of white hair was close enough!).

So we started the photo shoot.

And we tried our best given the circumstances. We had to chase the cat around for a little bit. We had to to test the timer. We had to laugh at how ridiculous we were being at midnight in the cabin in the woods.

And our best efforts ended with this shot. Which is also a new favorite.

I love the mid-laughter of my parents. I love that Bella is trying so hard to get away. And I love that in the end the ever-ready selfie seems to have made the cut.