Just following orders...

So tonight as I read several blogs that all ordered me to NOT post on July 4th, I think what they really meant was to not post July 4th, 5th, and not until late night on July 6th :) Really we were out of town following orders...spending time with family, taking 342 pictures, (until my camera could take it no more and my battery died) playing at the beach, enjoying the beauty of the Earth, spending time with the babies, and generally forgetting any challenge in life that may exist.

As I read a few blogs tonight (Sandi Johnson in particular) the tears streamed down my face and I was more grateful for the time to get away: to run around like a fiend taking baby pictures from every view imaginable, enjoying the PERFECT weather...I mean who ordered that? Sunny, not a cloud in the sky, light breeze and 75 degrees...are you kidding me? PERFECT!! Oh, I digress, walking instead of taking a car, celebrating this great country (despite our current challenges...(thank you Dubya), oh AN my firecracker brother's birthday. That's right, born on the 4th of July. The rest of us are wondering when there will be fireworks across the country for our birthdays! I fondly remember his daughters when they were about 3 and 4 years old driving down the street (well I guess really riding, not driving) and saying "There's a flag for Daddy's birthday!!!" At the top of their lungs in their tiny voices. Those same girls who are raising my super sweet great neice and nephew.

Yes, I tried to download the 300+ pics but to no avail. The batter is just pooped out! I will for sure purchase a new battery tomorrow to accomplish the mission. I am also committing to send these pictures into snapfish to be developed for use at our next scrapnight. I am terrible about letting my pictures sit on my never to be seen again hard drive, but am vowing to send them in once a month to get them developed. It's a fourth of July resolution.

I totally slacked off tonight when I got home, didn't unpack, didn't do laundry, didnt' check to see that we all have clean clothes tomorrow, and to top it all off...I think I'll head straight to bed and hope for the best!

I did find a new blog, that may help me in my endeavors. Check it out here...

And hey Shana...sure can't find your blog address anywhere...(I had a glitch when reformatting my blog list and poof you're gone...) please send it to me k?!?

Until next time...

No Pressure Blogging

"I just want to live...I don't want to blog about it" Should there be pressure that goes along with blogging? How many days without a post makes one a 'bad blogger'? Is there such a thing as a bad blogger? How often should one read blogs? These are just a few of the topics we discussed at scrap night last night. Just to clarify...all those choices are our own. What I most enjoyed last night was sharing each other's ideas about blogging, what we read, what we write, how other people's challenges have helped us keep our lives in perspective and how we all follow strangers that no longer feel like strangers. I had such a good time at Anne's house for scrap night. Firstly, I love her house....it is so cute, and so Anne! Secondly, I love her Baby...I could surely take her home and keep her forever!

I am thinking that soon I'm going to host a girls night with no scrapbooking...just dinner and chatting...maybe game night! Last night I only made two pages, well really 3 (Yes, I the one who always give others a hassle for only making one page! ) I stretched out on the couch instead, read some magazines, and chatted...with my very best friends. Our scrap nights are so....indescribable. There we solve the world's problems, we fix our marriages, we bounce off child rearing ideas, we talk about work, the economy, sex...really no topic is off limits. Perhaps we could film our own version of 'friends' I wouldn't trade these nights for anything. It doesn't matter how tired I am, how disorganized I am, how I should be doing this or that...scrap night takes priority. It became my escape once I started school, and now...it is just time to be with my friends. We are all different...some like dogs, some no, some are great grandmas, some are trying to have babies, some have kids, some do not, do we only have scrapbooking in common? Nope, we are friends....and that is enough!

So my point is...be yourself...if blogging once a month is enough...I'll appreciate reading it. If you can do it everyday...great! But do we sacrifice our own time, our down time, our family time to blog? Not on your life! What I love most about my friends is they are all different, and all special in their own ways. By knowing this great group of ladies I am honored to call my friends...I am truly blessed. Reading their blogs is a bonus!