Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Hello? Anyone out there?

This blog is dying.....a.....slow......death. Haven't had the time lately. And then I went to use my fancy new pink laptop to upload some pictures. I took the memory card out of the camera and put it in my laptop, I was so excited that it had a memory card reader. But the next day, my laptop went kaput. So it seems it could not handle the memory card.

I think we are going to return it. I just can't keep a computer that is already having problems. I depend on it too much. Anyway, I might have to get a Mac because Ben thinks they are better. We'll see. They don't come in pink and that might be a deal breaker. BOO on Dell for sending me a computer that didn't work, then sending me a replacement that already doesn't work a few weeks later.

Our updates:

- We had a night away in San Diego last weekend. Our friend Brad tied the knot, congrats Brad!

- Anna is taking a dance class. Isabel won't stop talking. Adam is obsessed with trains.

That's about it - see, you aren't missing anything! I'll try to get a hold of some pictures and start updating again.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Debt, debt, and more debt

So, the markets are down and everything on the news is gloom and doom.

The U.S. National Debt is $10 trillion.

U.S. corporations are who knows how much in debt, at least $700 billion, a lot more I'm sure.

And U.S. consumers are in so much debt ($2.5 trillion NOT including mortgages) that they can't keep up with their homes, their cars, or their lifestyles. They are in SO much debt that borrowing is actually down for the first time since 1998. What a novel concept - if you can't afford it, don't buy it.

There are two things we try to do, and although we aren't perfect, I think the world would do some good to follow the same counsel.


Live within your means.

Stay out of unnecessary debt.



Two simple rules. Common sense, right? Obviously it is not that common anymore.

Friday, October 3, 2008

Animal House

It's been a while now, but Matt and Alex and fam were the last visitors of the summer.

One day we went to the San Diego Zoo for a few hours. 3 adults + 5.5 kids = outnumbered. It was exhausting, and fun. Poor Matt held Izzy on his shoulders for a while, and I don't know how Alex walked as much as we did with a baby on the way. I think we'll take the bus for part of the time when we go next.