I'm getting started ........

Surprise surprise surprise! For those of you who roll your eyes even a little bit on the topic of blogging (count me in), don't worry, this isn't a soapbox kind of blog, it's just a lazy kind of blog -- a way to write to a lot of people all at once. That, plus it looks a lot cooler than an email. I've been learning how to use this website and experimented with it for for awhile using Brad, Peter, John, and Mary as my guinea pigs, and now I'm think I'm ready to "roll it out" and get started. I don't know how often I'll update this blog - hopefully at least once a week or maybe more? - so feel free to check back from time to time. One of the things I'm excited about is that I can post pictures - which I'm not doing today but plan to do in the future. Mostly, it's a way for me to keep in touch with what's going on around here. And what IS going on here? Not much, really, just the usual stuff, with a little "going off to college" mixed in. Mary doesn't start school until September 2, but as she informed me the other day, in a voice filled with dread, "SUMMER'S OVER AS OF MONDAY." This is because Monday is the start of two-a-day volleyball practices. But the real deal isn't til September 2. In the meantime, the newest driver in the family is driving every moment she can, and the most nervous backseat mom is doing better than I did with the boys, but still not good enough. Brad is the super cool Dad in the front seat, which is a blessing since if I had to teach the kids to drive we'd all have to be on prescription medications by the time it was over with. John is SO excited to be heading off to Tufts soon, but in the meantime he doesn't have much time to think about it as he's working practically round the clock (90 hours last week) for the Obama campaign. He's a volunteer (er....intern) and he absolutely totally and completely loves it. Wisconsin is a swing state, so it's one of "the" places to be in the campaign. He calls voters, does canvassing, and has also been working to plan various campaign events going on. Next week is a big block party in downtown Milwaukee that he's been working to organize. Most of the other people in the office are kids in or out of college and from all over the country, so he's had great exposure. He loves it. Peter is working for a living, bringing home his own bacon, and is really enjoying his job at Panera. It's the third time around for him to work there, and this is his best time ever. He works almost every day, from sometime in the afternoon til close. He is the guy on the sandwich line and he's really happy there and has made a lot of friends at work. He leaves for school this coming Wednesday, the 20th. Now that he's an experienced college man, he is flying out by himself. He can't wait to get there and see his friends, especially his girlfriend Hilary. John is leaving about a week later, on the 26th. Brad and I are flying out with him. We plan to spend most of the day on the 26th stocking up at Wal-Mart and Target in Boston for all the things we couldn't fit in our suitcases. He gets to move into his room on the 27th, and that's the official start day for orientation. They have various programs for parents, a ceremony to get everything started, and by the end of the day we're supposed to give him a kiss and a hug goodbye and he starts orientation with all of his classmates until September 2, when classes begin. Brad and I fly out on the night of the 28th, so if there's anything else we need to do for John on that last day, we should have time. So that's what's going on here. How are YOU doing? Love, Sue