To blog or not to blog......

That is apparently the question!



I was talking with a friend of mine at a play date today and I asked what she thought of the new blog - she said she liked it. Then again, what else is she going to say? "I hate it. You're a boring self-absorbed lunatic!" That would probably be a conversation stopper...anyway - the question I have been asking myself lately is what are the limits? What do you blog about? How much do you blog? WHY do you blog?



I really don't know all the answers yet. I started this blog as a replacement to our family website that I designed and published last year. We have friends and relatives with whom we wanted to keep in touch with in a "non-obtrusive" sort of way. It was like a monthly "Christmas Letter" type of update, if you will.



Now that I am entering into the world of more "hard-core" blogging, I am seeing that it may have benefits and usage far beyond what I first imagined.



For example, I have seen the following usage for blogs that I have perused:



1) A blog is the perfect "passive-aggressive" way to call out your relatives. Your mother-in-law makes you mad? Write a clever little entry about your "MIL" and her hysterics! Your husband does something unusually stupid, blog it out! Your kids driving you nuts, blog, blog, blog!



2) A blog can be a way to put your political views out for the world to see. If you are an "Obama Mama", say so!! If you love McCain, dust off your walker and give him a shout out! (OK...that was a little bit of a low blow....sorry all you right-wingers!)



3) A blog can be used to sell stuff. Seriously. People are using their blogs as a way to create revenue. Although I still can't for the life of me figure out who I would want to sponsor my blog.

Brought to you by "'Sally's Straitjacket Emporium".

Napa Merlot - it's not just for play dates anymore!!

Buy your tickets now! This bus to crazy town leaves in 10 minutes!



4) A blog can be used to give the world a better view into your life. Really. A BETTER view! Not the real view...because really, who would want to read about your REAL life. Your blog can be a way to live out the fantasies that reside in all of our minds anyway.



In my mind, my house is always clean and my kids are all angels.



Clearly, I need medication to stop the delusions.



I guess I will just figure things out as I go along. I am not sure the direction that I am going, but I can say this: I will NOT be venting about my family on here. Like a moron, I actually told them where the blog was and send them updates to it!



I will not be venting about the stupid things my husband does. That's what the daily phone calls to my BFF are for.



I won't be getting on my political soapbox and trying to convert anyone to any political stance. All I would ask is that you VOTE. How you vote is your own business.



I won't be selling anything. Unless there's a retail demand for "Chaos", in which case, we have a whole a**load of it for sale here!



Maybe someday I'll get it figured out...in the meantime, stay tuned. Who knows when I may go and say something FASCINATING! And you wouldn't want to miss that, would you?

Tanner Update

Even though I wish I could stop time somedays, it just keeps marching on. I can't believe that it's been 5 months since Tanner joined us. They say you "forget the pain" of labor as a mom. It's been 5 months and the memory of the so-called "joyous occasion" is still sharp in my mind.

It would be a rare feat indeed to be able to forget staring certain death in the face and prevailing! (and yes, I did just compare natural-childbirth to a near-death experience...walk a mile in my shoes before you judge!)

Anyhoo - back to the precious bundle that was our gift 5 months ago today...he's a doll! He is doing all the things he's supposed to be doing - eating cereal, sleeping through the night, trying to sit up, napping when the mood strikes him, loving on his big sissy and brother, etc., etc., etc.

Anyone who knows me knows I am so NOT Competitive Mom, but the boy is d*mn near perfect as far as I can tell. I was holding Tanner the other day as I looked at Tucker's screaming face in the naughty corner and thought "THAT comes from THIS?" I think not! But, I do remember, there were those days when my sweet little Tucker was just a compliant noodle too...how I long for those days again....

I am enjoying this milestone as it is one that has no added trip to the doctor's office for shots too. 6 months won't be such a nice day!

In the meantime, I am just going to enjoy the heck out of the "no moving, no talking, no DRAMA" days. Lord knows we could use them around here!!

Wordless Wednesday

Public Service Announcement by Tanner

He started "chatting" and just wouldn't stop - lasted for about 15 minutes. Don't know what he was so fired up about, but whatever it was, he meant business!

Veggie Garden Update

We planted our first vegetable garden this spring. It was a small undertaking...a baby step into the realm of backyard veggie production. We planted carrots, zucchini, kohl rabi, grape tomatoes and beefsteak tomatoes. All in a 4'x8' plot. What started out as a nice, organized little plot now has turned into a total jungle.

I have never had a garden in my adult life. We always had one when I was younger, and my grandparents were both avid gardeners, but I don't know how much knowledge that I really gleaned from these influences. Apparently not much -

Our big beefsteak tomatoes are growing out of the confines of their rack. The little grape tomatoes are doing a number on theirs too. As for the carrots...I don't think the garden bed was deep enough and they look very, very puny. The zucchini...well, let's put it this way: we planted 2 zucchini plants and I believe that when we start our "harvest" that we will have enough zucchini to circle the globe one or two times.

Zucchini bread anyone?

The whole point of the garden was to enjoy some homegrown produce and let the kids experience the joy of plucking a ripe, fresh, organic veggie from the vine and tasting the fruits of their labor. They helped to build and plant the garden and they are enjoying the hunt for the new growth, but they still don't quite "get it". I am hopeful that after a small harvest, they will crave more. I mean really, I am 37-years old and I am in utter disbelief that it takes SO LONG to get to the good stuff...I think at this point the tomatoes could taste like dirt and I'll be excited! Just to finally be eating one!

I am glad we did it though. And I am looking forward to learning more and more as the years go on. We plan to expand our planting beds next year and hopefully we'll gain more knowledge on how much of each thing to plant and with what.

I fear if we don't our family could be buried alive by the "Zucchini That Ate Washougal"!!

Decisions, decisions

I was faced today with a choice that I didn't want to make. In the past, I have always been a person who makes swift and solid decisions. I am not one to waffle, dawdle, or any other "-le word" when at a crossroad. I could even be accused of being a "leap and then look" type of personality. And let me tell you, there have been times that I landed flat on my back.

But for the most part, I am usually happy with my decisions. Oh sure, I "Monday Morning Quarterback" myself to death, but after painful, extensive and obsessive analysis, I usually conclude that yes, I made the right decision. And if I didn't, I can usually find a loophole to slip through to at least convince myself that it was the right decision. However I have to make peace with it, I will.

I think from now on I am going to trust in myself a little bit more. I am going to listen to the little inner voice that tells us when things are going the right way or the wrong way. I can't say that I will slow down my decision making process, but I think I will stop trying to second-guess myself all the time. I know what's right for me and I know what's right for my family.

Bottom line - I am going to embrace the voices that I hear! If that doesn't scare all of you, I don't know what will!

Pure Americana

We did the Clark County Fair up in rare form this year! Every year on opening day of the Fair, there is a Pancake Breakfast and free admission into the Fair. We have been going every year since 2004 when Lexi was 17 months old. The first year we were on the local news station's broadcast because it was POURING down rain and we had the cutest baby at the Fair! This year, it was cloudy and gloomy, but it didn't really rain once on us all day. And again, we had the cutest baby at the Fair with us! But no TV appearance this year.

However, I would be remiss if I didn't share several quotes and happenings that really summed up our 2008 County Fair experience:

1. Overheard in the "Recycle" booth - asked of the expert by a woman in a loud, gravelly voice, "So, how do you recycle dog sh*t?"

2. Overheard by the "Spinning Bear" ride - screamed by a wound-tight, expressive crazy mom, "SHELBY!! DON'T SPIN IT SO FAST!! YOU'LL FREAK OUT YOUR SISTER!!"

3. Upon circling the parking lot for 10 minutes looking for a space after we returned to the Fair from our mid-afternoon break, Lexi announced, "Walking is BORING! Animals are BORING! The only thing fun is the RIDES!"

4. Said by a woman speaking on a cell phone in the exhibit hall, "Yeah. We're in Washington at the State Fair!"

5. This ironic sign:

6. This disturbing sign:

7. I would have bought the T-shirt for Mitch, but they didn't have it in "wife-beater" style...

There were more gems that I am sure I am missing, but those pretty much sum up the day. I always wonder every year at the Fair, "Where the h*ll are these people the rest of the year?" No judgement on my part, but there definitely is a "different" crowd than we are used to. The bottom line is every body seems to be friendly and it is nice to know that some things never change - the Fair means cow, pigs, quilts, rides, milkshakes and a slice of true rural America!

Until next year...