Dear "STATS" Tab

I have been avoiding my blog. Like the plague. I haven't been too busy to blog, and we have even had a few sweet moments at our house this month that I normally would have photographed and blogged about, but I did something terrible a few weeks ago ...

I tried to redesign my blog.

That's not the terrible part. The terrible part came as I was looking at all the "Dynamic" blog designs and thinking to myself, "Yes, I do believe I would like for my blog to be more dynamic. This is going to be fun ..." and then I saw it. A little tab off to the side that said "STATS". I do not recommend that you ever click on this tab ever. Ever. Just take my word for it.

Needless to say, if you are reading this post you are one of two people who will read my blog this week. I don't really have anything witty or cheerful to say about that. In fact, I would like address my despair in a productive way ...

Dear "STATS" tab,
You are worse than my unforgiving full length mirror that adds five pounds to my rear end. You have ruined my blissful disregard for my absolute irrelevance. You have awakened the need in me to have my voice heard. To say something that actually matters. To do more than report the daily comings and goings of the Rice family, but to find some sort of meaning that relates to humanity and draws people to laugh and cry and feel rage and joy ... darn you "STATS" tab. You have ruined blogging for me.

Sincerely,
One Depressed Blogger

So there it is. I have been avoiding my blog. I can't seem to find the words to describe all the things I am learning, all the joy I experience, all the pain I feel, all the people I love ... at least not in a relevant or meaningful way.

Monterey Bay

Monterey Bay is one of my favorite places on the planet.

I say that about a lot of places, don't I?

I guess any place where I can be with both my loves is my favorite place on the planet.

Our little family took a mini vacation to Monterey to play at the Dennis the Menace Park, visit the aquarium, and play at the beach. It was the perfect way to end 2011 and a nice get-away before this baby makes her debut next month.

Dennis the Menace Park ... Look at the bliss on Larkin's face.

The aquarium ... SO MUCH FUN!

The Children's Museum ... Larkin's favorite was talking on the phone. Seriously.

The beach ... we would feed the birds so that Larkin could chase them. Feed the birds so Larkin could chase them. Feed the the birds so that ... you get the idea ...

I love these two!