Need Some Blogging Help

I have been asked to teach a 20-minute Enrichment Night workshop on blogging. I am certainly no expert so I would like to ask for all of your help! Please take a minute and answer these questions for me-- Why do you blog? What got you started blogging? What sites help you be creative (name specific sites that help you do slide shows, templates, movies, music background, etc.)? How did you come up with your blogging name? Do you find it easy to manage or is it sometimes a headache? Is it worth your time? Any tips on security issues? What's the main thing you like/dislike about the blogging world? Have you ever surfed blogs of people you don't know? Anything else? Please answer as many questions as you can in the comment section of this post. If you have lots of info (which I welcome) email me at calm57@gmail.com . The meeting isn't until mid-August, so feel free to think on it or if you find new ideas or sites next month, come back and add to your comments. Thanks for your input! Liz

A Soldier's Prayer

There is a family in our ward whose daddy just came home from Iraq. He served two consecutive terms. He had been gone for two years with only a short break after the first year. When the family walked into church yesterday, the smiles were incredible. His kids hung on his arms and sat on his lap throughout the service. He was asked to give the benediction in sacrament meeting. I have never heard such a personal and sincere prayer before. There is one phrase that he said that I can't get out of my head. He prayed, "We are grateful that we have one more day to prepare to be with Thee." I keep thinking--What am I doing with my day today to help me prepare to be with God again? Our soldier was looking death in the face every day. He was a very good soldier in an elite group and was fighting in the most dangerous areas of Iraq. But, we also face death every day. We never know when we will be called home. Are we ready? What are we doing to be ready? Isn't that the purpose of our life here-- To be ready to go back?

Joke of the Day

Here's another joke for you Marnie .... (as told by Stefanie)

There's a blonde driver and a blonde police officer. The blonde driver gets pulled over by the police officer and asks for her driver's license. The blonde driver looks all through her purse but can't find it. She asks the police officer what it looks like. The police officer says, "It has your picture on it." So she looks through her purse and finds her mirror. She hands it to the police officer and the police officer says, "If I knew you were a police officer I wouldn't have pulled you over."

Joke of the Day

Husband: Will you still love me when I'm old and overweight? Wife: Yes, I do.

Have An Armadillo Day!

Isn't it funny how some sayings stick with us? We find a funny or catchy word or phrase and start repeating it. Pretty soon it's part of our every-day vocabulary and even makes sense to those around us who know the history of the saying.

Last fall when I was walking Benj to school we were lucky enough to see an armadillo. This wasn't your usual road-kill, bloated, feet-in-the-air, dark red blood variety. We have been here 9 years and have only seen dead armadillos. The armadillo that we saw on this morning was alive and running! We followed it through 3 or 4 neighbors yards and around the corner. There weren't any other kids close to us to see it, too. It was just a moment for Benj and me to share. The rest of the way to school we talked about how cool it was, about where it was and where it ran to, and basically cherished the moment. Well, our day was not ordinary anymore! We had seen an armadillo and followed it for almost a whole block! We were so happy about it, the entire day was great. We were having an armadillo day! And, even now, when the stars seem to be aligned and everything is going great, we say that we're having an armadillo day!

Some pics of our latest escapades

Ready to go!

Prom girl got a corsage.

From Chris' trip to Switzerland--going up Mt. Rigi in a tram.

Luzernne, Switzerland --definitely gotta go there.

Benj a week later. Less swelling, more color.

Benj soon after dumpster diving--lots of swelling.

Stef going to 8th grade dance.

P.S.

I have been feeling so out of control I'm right back to my lists. Things were calm before. Sheesh. I think I need to vent. Two days after my last post, we were at a ward service project--great idea for a ward activity--family service day. OK, so we were cleaning out a couple of houses in a neighboring ward that needed some major help. Kids were in and out of the dumpsters all morning having a great time playing in the trash. Someone that didn't know there were kids in there heaved in a heavy table and it landed on Benjamin's face. Chris and I were inside scrubbing walls when we heard screams. Worst nightmare ever. When I climbed up on the side of the dumpster and looked in there was blood everywhere. I reached over the side and hauled him out (he was standing up and Jace was boosting him). Anyway, I carried him in the house and assessed. I always knew that you could bleed a lot from head/face wounds but this was ridiculous. He had a TINY cut right between the eyes that produced blood all over his face shirt, shoes, the dumpster, and me. It was like a fountain. His right cheekbone looked like it was starting to swell up so we got ice. We needed to treat him for shock. We took him home, gave him some ibuprofen and he was fine. No concussion, no broken bones, no stitches. He was up and running around within half an hour. Kids. It did look absolutely horrible and was so swollen all across his face that the school nurse insisted on icing him every hour for a whole week. We got that under control and then I got bronchitis. Lovely. Right when I was doing my visiting teaching conference. Luckily I had already done all the planning and arranging. I just had to show up, smile, and teach one of the workshops -twice. I had no energy, no voice, and was very out of breath. I love cough syrup with codeine. It is my friend. I'm going to make my bottle last a long time. Oh, did I mention Chris has been out of town most of the last 2 weeks? And we're making mother's day projects in preschool (which at the age I teach is mostly a teacher project), and swim team has just started. Practices every day. Oh, and did I mention I'm in charge of concessions? First meet is this Saturday and I haven't even pulled the book out from last year. All I really know is we're going to order chick-fil-a and not do hamburgers this meet. I did have a productive day today, though. I bought Gracie some more doggie meds. She's got a weird flea problem from all of the squirrels and possums she catches and it's hard to get rid of. She scratches and bites herself so much she gets sores and then infections. Very expensive at the vet. I 'm halfway done altering Erin's prom dress. Just got to tack the lining back down. (note to self: When Cait goes to prom, order modest dress 3 months early.) I finally sent J&K's baby gift today. I hope the outfits still fit. I got everything checked off my list today except changing the oil in the Mazda. There's always next week.