Steph's 'Run-Down'

I've decided that having a blog is like having a pet. I already have five kids, and every time they ask for a pet, I point to their one year-old brother and tell them that we have him instead of a pet. I'm not romantic about pets, I know they take a LOT of work and commitment, even the ones that are supposedly low-maintenance. Now that I have reluctantly joined the blogites, I realize that every mess my kids make or every funny thing they say or do, or every annoying or redeeming quality they have, or every beautiful or weird place I see (I know, English majors, this is a run-on sentence at its worst) I have to remember to put it on "the blog". Obviously I don't actually put it on the blog, though, I just wake up in the middle of the night mad at myself that I didn't put it on the blog. In the analogy of a pet, it's like worrying about cleaning up the you-know-what, or checking the food and water bowl, or taking it for a walk regularly. I won't tell you what happened to some of the pets I had when I was younger, but look, my kids are still alive and healthy (for now). And even though (I know, English majors, avoid starting sentences with the word "and") I'm not an uberblogger, this site will stay alive. I know there would be a huge backlash if I cut you guys off now. So even if I don't document every brilliant thought I have, or dirty diaper I change, or injury I heal, or load of laundry I do, or romantic gesture by my husband, I will push down those competitive urges to blog like no one has ever blogged before, and just be content with mediocrity. Now when my kids ask for a puppy or a goldfish, instead of pointing to Jason, I'll tell them mommy already has a pet- named Blog.

As I view most people's blogs, I realize I have very few talents. I'm not a photographer, I'm not a crafter, I'm not a scrapbooker, I haven't run a marathon, I don't sing. But I'm a decent cook, I'm pretty good at Trivial Pursuit, I can tie a knot in a cherry stem with my tongue, I'm well-practiced at laundry, AND I can do this semi-difficult, not-so-pretty yoga pose called the "crane". This is my self-affirmation for the day!

Since this is new to me, I have found about 10 pictures that sum up last year for our family, and I can think of at least 10 things we did that aren't necessarily documented and you'll just have to take my word for it! Wait for it...Wait for it...