Why we blog...

Okay, here it is. My last ditch attempt to bring you blog fence-sitters to the blog world. I won't name names but if I SHOULD (Jessica, Candice, Tiffany, my sister in-laws...) I would just recommend you to give it a shot. No more questions! No more, "well, maybe..." It's time.

1. I started the blog at the request of a friend. After some hounding they finally convinced me that it was not as hard as it looks, and you know what? THEY WERE RIGHT! It is free and it takes less than three minutes to set up your account.

2. My original thought was that it would simply be a good way to keep the grandparents up-to-date on the grandkids. Why would anybody else care what my little family is up to? I just thought it would be a quick and easy way to share all the cute little things they say and do that aren't necessarily phone-call worthy. Who knew that it would turn into something SO MUCH BIGGER!

3. Blogging has reunited me with long lost friends! I love that I get to see and hear all the details of their lives. Life is crazy and sadly a weekly phone call to each friend is just not possible. This way I can "talk" with friends weekly and sometimes even daily through their blogs.

4. It has become one of my biggest SUPPORT GROUPS! Who needs therapy when I can complain, vent, and brag all online. By reading others blogs it has been a huge comfort and reminder that we are ALL human. We all make mistakes, we all have good days and bad days.

5. I am SO motivated by my blog friends. I get so many wonderful ideas from them. Craft projects, dinner ideas, inspiring words of wisdom, motivation to work out more, eat healthier, or play with my kids more. All of this from simply being a part of this network of wonderful people who are willing to share their blogs with me.

6. It has taken a HUGE amount of pressure and guilt off of me about falling behind on scrapbooking. I actually stopped taking my camera places because the thought of one more picture that needed to be scrapbooked was too overwhelming. Now, the camera goes everywhere AND I actually enjoy scrapbooking again. My friend sent me a link that shows how you can publish your blog into an amazing book. My plan is to publish a book for each one of my kids about once a year. My blog has become my mini-scrapbook and journal.

To learn more about publishing your blog check this out -

http://www.blurb.com/create/book/blogbook

Here is a link to a girl that shows what her book that she had printed actually looks like.
http://hairyshoefairy.com/2007/10/05/im-published/

And that's about it. I laugh at how addicted I have become. Instead of doing laundry I am usually checking people's blogs. Instead of cleaning the house I am trying to post something my kids have said or done. Blogging is actually one of the things I look forward to the most in my daily schedule. (I know, it's pathetic). It's like getting letters in the mail everyday but I don't have to walk through four feet of snow to get it. :)

Thanks to all of you who have let me be part of your blog. One has said that it is somewhat pretentious to think that people out there really care what they have to say. But, you know what.... I DO! Keep posting!