Moments to Remember

I guess with any teenager, there are moments that you want to hold on to because the time goes by to quickly.  Probably fewer with teenagers given the hormones et al, that comes along with them.  Well, with the teen in our house, there have been many wonderful moments already, and I know there will be many more.  In an effort to preserve these times,  I am going to keep a running list here of those gems I want to keep in my pocket to pull out every once in a while to make me smile.

1. Getting out of the car for the first time at our house and hearing crickets and locusts, I hope these never lose their entertainment value.
2. Seeing a skyscraper and having your hold world view change in a moment.
3. Walking up the steps at Penn Station to come out to NYC and seeing it for the first time.
4. Sitting in Times Square so that you can take in all of the sights and smells and people.  Something so big takes some time to absorb.
5. Laughing and gawking at a grey squirrel, after all they are red bushy tail little menaces in Germany.
6. Trying Doritos, and double stacking "American Cookies" Oreos for the first time.
7. Chocolate Chip Pancakes Anytime of day!!!
8. Eating a real American sirloin steak @ Hard Rock Cafe New York.
9. Trying to teach your hopeless host mom a few words a day in German or Russian without her bursting out in laughter.
10. Going to the first real pig roast and barbecue, eating multiple sandwiches and every salad available.
11. Iced Tea and Fresh Lemonade.
12. Eating a Hot Dog and Churro for the first time at Costco.
13. Ordering Spanish Fries with Jalapeno's @ Copa then learning he and his friends tried to eat a jar of Jalapeno's when the were young:  outcome, not so good.
......and these were all in the first 96 hours.....

14. Seeing a real baseball for the first time and blurting out "I have never held a baseball!" 
15. Trying to teach your host mom strategy playing chess.
16. Unlimited Texting.
17. First Football Game
18. POP-TARTS
19. Real grilled hamburgers with yellow mustard
20. Not going out first in that Russian card game you taught your host parents, OH, you mean your host mother went out before you?  Thwap!
21. Virginia eating and/or moving your things. backpacks, shoes, socks, sleeping bags.....the list goes on and on.....
22. Your first lost sock in the wash.
23. Blueberry pancakes.
24. Log Cabin Syrup
25. Dexter Addiction
26. Waiting to finally see the elusive chipmunk on the front step.
27. Seeing an Armadillo getting swept out the door and having no idea what it was.
28. Twinkies
29. Pink Snowballs
30. Its fitting this is 30, because on Sept 30th, you got your host mom out to the door to NYC for burgers. Spacibo.
31.Shopping Day for hoodies, trying to commit suicide with a stiletto.
32. Trying on your suit for the first time and taking your host mom's breath away.
33. Condos.
34. TastyKake
35. Brighton Beach
36. Valencia Orange Juice, I wish I had stock.