Hello???

Is this thing on? Is there anybody left out there who checks this thing?

Needless to say, I have been a crappy blogger lately. I don't even know why. I still love reading blogs. I still take pictures of things with the thought that it will make a good blog. I just never actually sit down and do it. Life hasn't even been that busy. Just full.

In the past three months we have had four birthdays. Jillise was baptized. I went to Youth Conference and Girls' Camp. We took a trip to Idaho for Brian's sister's wedding. We had a vacation on the coast. School got out. We got gerbils. The girls passed a level of swimming lessons. Brian got a new calling. Again. We have had a heat wave. I have joined another "lose 10% of your body weight or lose your money" challenge. Brian was on antibiotics for a "very angry toe." Jaren has become a very funny little man. I choral directed a musical. The girls danced in a ballet recital. Brian went golfing with my dad. And all the other "normal" things that go on around here.

Some of these things really do need a blog post. Jillise's baptism and our family trips, for sure. I don't know that Brian's toe needs any more attention than it has received already.

I do hope to get back on here. Maybe now that I have taken the first step there will be more. I keep getting less than subtle hints from Terica that I need to update this thing more often. I think the past few months have been an interesting time for me. Lots of changes. There seem to be a lot more things that demand my time and I have less time to dedicate to "me." My calling has certainly kept me busy since the start of the year. I love love LOVE what I am doing, but it requires quite a bit of time on the computer organizing, typing, emailing, and printing. I am trying to spend more time doing things with the kids this summer, instead of just hanging out around the house. During the school year I teach 16 piano/voice students. There is always something more I should be doing around the house, though I have been doing a good job of keeping the "public" areas clean. I don't know. When I get "free" time I tend to just do NOTHING. I have told a few people that I just feel like I am in a rut. Like I know I am on the brink of big things and big changes. Big possibilities. But I can't bring myself to just go for it. Part of me is just being stubborn and lazy and not doing ANYTHING. I think I am coming out of that. This diet challenge has gotten me exercising and eating better. I am excited about the school year when both girls will be in classes all day and I have six hours with Jaren to play, go on little outings, and go into town. For the past five years our lives during the school year have rotated around SOMEONE being in half day school - whether preschool or kindergarten. It is really hard to get much of anything done when you only have 2.5 hours to do it in. Add Jaren's nap to that and I was practically homebound.

So. How's that for a welcome back blog post? I don't even know if it made any sense. I rarely understand myself, so if any of you see anything in there that resonates with you, feel free to let me know what it is. I can use all the help I can get. :)