The Summer Winds of Change

AKA: "Shaking Off the Lethargy of a Long, Long Winter"

I'm lazy. That's what it all boils down to. Sure, I've thought of other excuses - we've been traveling, had company, the weather was terrible, we moved, I'm pregnant, etc. But in the end I think I have just let myself become lazy. So things are changing around here.

#1 Dig the new blog design? I've been working on it for quite some time and figured I'd better get it up so I can enjoy it before it's time to dress it up for the Fall.

I also updated and changed our lists of blogs - they have been categorized and put into Blogroll format, which now includes a mini-feed to see when you've updated your site (this nifty feature is available through Blogger now - just go to customize, add page elements, add Blogroll). If you have a problem with your blog being on here, not being on here, or how it's listed, let me know and I'll fix it. My deepest apologies to all the blogs for "James' Homies" - I was entering addresses as fast as I could when the page refreshed and I lost all that I had worked on. I was about 90% done and didn't feel like restarting. But I will get to it (as I've asked James to and he has refused).

#2 The Staycation. Shortly after receiving our Utah Valley Adventure Passport in the mail, I decided it was time to figure out what the heck to do with our time this summer. I made a list and then started scheduling things that had definite dates - concerts, fairs, etc. - on the calendar. But I couldn't stop there so I went ahead and tentatively scheduled the rest of the events as I saw fit. Here, if you're interested, is our list of places to go and things to do. You might just see us there!

• Hogle Zoo (for Zoe's Birthday)
• UVU Library Grand Opening - June 30 - Come see James' new office!
  
• Drive the Nebo Loop
• Payson's Scottish Festival
  
• Heber Creeper
• Timpanogos Cave
• Utah County Fair (it's free and in Spanish Fork)
• Golden Onion Days (Payson's answer to Orem's Summerfest)
• Thanksgiving Point Farm Country
• Wilco Concert (though we have yet to obtain tickets to this sold out event)
• Camping, Camping, Camping
• A Wedding
• The Copper Mine
  

The only thing missing is a trip out to California to visit friends and family. We are in desperate need to see you people but we just can't seem to make it work. With James' work schedule and some of our scheduled "must do's" - not to mention that gas is sitting at $4 a gallon and rising, oh yeah, and pregnant ladies don't like long car trips - we just don't know how to fit it all in. But we haven't given up hope yet!

#3 Scheduling Makes Perfect. After penciling down our entire summer, I thought that I should attempt to put my days and weeks in some sort of order. For a long time I've been envious of the cool stuff my friends do with their kids. They seem to have it all together, but getting it together just seemed a bit too daunting to me. Finally I mustered enough motivation to organize my life.

First I broke my day into half-hour units, then I thought of all the possible things I would need time in the day to accomplish, and finally, I scheduled like I have never scheduled before. For Zoe, I can gather activities and fun stuff to do with a focus on different topics each week. For me, I've scheduled in time for housework, projects and reading books that don't have pictures. Hopefully our days will be much more productive. It takes me a while to change, but when I do, I pretty much embrace it fully and go well beyond what is necessary (for better or for worse).

I'm excited to have some structure so Zoe and I can enjoy these few months we'll have of being together in the warm weather before Fall, and Owen, come and throw a wrench in everything.