niece – Ericka O Smith

Once a month, these two head out for a weekend of camping and adventure. These are special weekends spent bonding over learning new outdoor skills, cooking over a campfire, and growing ripe from days without bathing - you know, boy stuff. — Once a month, these two head out for a weekend of camping and adventure. These are special weekends spent bonding over learning new outdoor skills, cooking over a campfire, and growing ripe from days without bathing – you know, boy stuff.

For years now, the girls and I have been having what we call “Girls Only Weekends” once a month while the boys go into Bear Grylls mode.

When my sister and niece lived nearby, we included them in our adventures, like this one to an indoor ropes course…

417692_10150690577382915_1095526943_n — My daughter was fearless! This is right before we found out she needed glasses, but still. She earned a ton of street cred that night.

My niece was brave and tore through the challenges like a boss!

Over the years, we have also made some great memories with fantastic Mom & Daughter Duos like these at our Pinterest Party –

This Pinterest game was so fun... — This Pinterest game was so fun…

...the Moms decided to give it a go! — …the Moms decided to give it a go!

Making some good memories with these sweet Moms & Daughters — We made some good memories with these sweet Moms & Daughters, one game at a time.

These sweet Mamas & Daughters joined us for a Back-to-School Hair Bash one year –

Sometimes we do something completely new, like here when we volunteered with these cuties at a For the Nations Refugee Outreach event –

Or here when we volunteered in the community at the annual Plano Balloon Festival…

Or here volunteering to walk four-legged friends at the local animal shelter –

My sweet girl has such a soft spot for furry friends. Volunteering at the animal shelter is her most requested Girls Only Weekend activity.

We’ve camped out at a state park, just the two of us in the tent…

Thankfully we travel with books because this campout, it rained. We spent a lot of time chilling on the bed reading about the Netherfield Ball. — It rained, so we read about the Netherfield Ball – together.

And we’ve hit the trails, like here –

Tonight is another such night. It is the annual Mother/Daughter Lock-In at my church, where we have bonded over things like fashion shows and scavenger hunts, like here –

My daughter is too old for us to attend now, but the two of us will still arrive early & leave late…as volunteers. We will serve alongside other Moms & Daughters who have “aged out”, setting up, cooking, helping with crafts, organizing games, taking pictures and cleaning up. And in the doing of these things, we will add another mental image to the photo album of our daughter’s childhoods.

You, too, are in the midst of making the memories of your daughter’s childhood. Look for ways to turn the ordinary days into extraordinary ones. These are the days that will stand out in her mind in the future – and she will have shared them with you. Seize the circumstances that present themselves! Create your own opportunities! Invite other Moms & Daughters to join you. Or keep it simple, just the two of you. Ride a bike. Have a picnic in your daughter’s bedroom. Pick something from here or here or here. Just do something. Don’t put it off. They are memories that will be enjoyed by both of you long after the moments have passed.