My 200th Post!. . . and August

Wow! I have posted 200 times on my blog! That's more blog posts than journal entries since I've been married. Should I maybe not have admitted that? I am horrible at keeping up with my journal, but once I discovered blogging, I had a much easier time. (Blogging counts as a journal, right?) So, what's the difference? Why do I prefer to blog over write in my journal? 

There are three reasons, I decided:

1. It's public. Well, kind of. It's more just out there for friends and family, but only a select few view it anyway, so it's not even that really. My kids like it, though, and that's enough for me. Someday, they are really going to enjoy how ridiculous they once were. ;) And, since I rarely blog about all the bad stuff that happens in life, maybe they will look back and think that only the good stuff I blogged about happened. They won't even remember the bad, right? Right?

2. PICTURES! Journal entries never include pictures. Bo-o-o-or-r-r-i-i-ing! Unless you are my daughter, Sarah, who illustrates her day-to-day life following her almost-daily journal entries. She let me read a few the other night and they were hilarious. I'm telling you, pictures make a big difference.

3. Typing vs. hand cramping. I suppose one could keep a journal on Microsoft Word or some online journal to avoid this, which I have also done, but seriously, who reads those? I enjoy opening up old handwritten journals and reading them on occasion, but I never go back through the journals on my computer. It reminds me too much of my school days and writing assignments - like I am proof-reading a research paper or something. Not fun.

Anyway, enough about journals and blogs. On to August:

I love August. It might be my favorite month of the year along with music camp. I love reunions and camping and fun family stuff in lovely weather. I pretty much just love summer. Here are several pictures of the Burt Family Reunion held at Heise Hot Springs. (Actually, there were so many pictures that I turned them into several collages.) 

Oh, man! How I love my Dad's dutch oven raspberry/peach cobbler!

Jared's family brought a dog that they were dog-sitting at the time. His name: Bobo. The kids loved him!

My awesome mom always has a craft for the kids to do. And, I promise, I was not trying to get Will with his finger up his nose. It just happened. Ha!

We celebrated Anna's 9th birthday while we were up there. The kids (even the older ones) had a blast breaking open the pinata! Aunt Kathy also brought Grandma Burt up to visit for a while. 

The older boys worked on making leather sheaths with Granddad, and Magan braided my hair. (I have finally figured out how to french braid my girls' hair, but I can't do my own.)

The whole gang! Well, almost. We missed Ryan and Alyse, and Lance and Becky and their families. However, Cameron joined us and Kevin visited us for an evening. Note: There's at least one person in this picture who looks like she's all funned-out! ;)

But....that wasn't the end of our fun. Jared and Nicole came with our family to do a little shooting before heading home.

William spotted a Praying Mantis. It was probably praying that we wouldn't shoot it. 

Turns out William is not only good at finding cool bugs, but he was a really good shot with a .22!

August to be continued. . .