Observations of 2006

Sorry I haven't been doing much posting. Michele's been down with the kids and we've done very little of anything noteworthy. Currently, Michele is delaying her departure, waiting for Traig to wake up. The poor kid seems to have a migraine (he threw up earlier) and was very scared of being in a car for the hour and a half drive back.

I've been busy working on my 2006 "Blurb" book. Blurb is the online company I work through to compile my posts and pictures in to a hardbound scrapbook of sorts. I never mentioned this on my blog, but I had it nearly completed (we're talking perhaps two posts left in December) when my computer crashed. I have no idea if the two issues are related (as I'd been having problems with the Booksmart Application shutting down on me repeatedly), but long story short - I lost the whole thing. Two very skilled (and nice) technician representatives worked on recovering it, but it was just gone - file corrupted. So frustrating, that was hours and hours of work. However, I didn't let it destroy me too much as it is entirely re-doable - it's simply a matter of re-importing the blog posts and pictures all over again - and then cutting and pasting them to fit on each page.

Right now, I'm approaching 200 pages - and am in the middle of December. So, I'm very close. It's "glitched" on me a couple of times which has had me very nervous (I don't think it was intended to have that many pictures in it), so I've been trying that much harder to just get it completed and done - and purchased and printed. I can't wait. The difference between this book and the one I did in 2005 will be huge. Bigger, much better picture and text lay-out, etc. That explains a bit why I'm not so creative in my new blogging.

So, since I have recently reviewed all of my posts and pictures of 2006 - TWICE - I've come up with a couple of observations of that year.

1. It was a very good year. We did some outrageously fun things, many that were captured by camera. I feel very blessed.
2. Working on the book is very parallel to living my life - I didn't enjoy the months of Jan-March at all, but it gets progressively better and better after that.
3. Ellie steals the show on many picture-taking occasions - and often it involves her eating something or playing with the food that she should be eating.
4. Natalia is beautiful. There is no denying that. However, her beauty is often downplayed by her inability - or unwillingness - to smile for the camera. Can't tell you how many pictures are in that book that have you thinking..... "If it weren't for Nati...."
5. Brayden needed a good haircut from about July though the end of the year. It's no wonder that we take him to a real salon for his haircuts. He has very think hair that needs to be thinned out for it to look good. I'm glad we now have a system that works for him.
6. We all look better with great tans......

But, there'll be none of that right now. It's a wonderful Oregon spring break - one in which you aren't sure if it's the plum blossoms floating down or snow flurries. Crazy stuff. Enjoy the remainder of it everyone!