It took me about 2 weeks to sit down and write this post

And it is all very ironic.

In 2008, I posted on this blog 369 times. How in the world I did that, I don't know! In half of 2009, I've only come up with 52 posts. I feel like a failure, even though I've stuck to my resolution of posting photos on The View Across Town every day.

I've mentioned before that Twitter has made it more difficult for me to find the time (okay, maybe find the effort) to write a whole post on here. I do feel like I'm a bit crazy to be able to keep up with this blog, the photo blog, Facebook, Etsy, Twitter, my school email, yahoo email, gmail email, school website ... and my offline world! Somehow I do it all, but it still takes time.

Now that I'm following over 200 people on Twitter (many of them now in my PLN - Personal Learning Network), there are MANY links that are tweeted that I click on and then find time to read later. Well, 2 weeks ago, I clicked on two interesting articles about the downfall of blogging due to Twitter's popularity. I finally read them today and realized that these articles could have been written about me ... but I hope that doesn't happen to me. Here they are:

Blogging is Dying and Twitter is to Blame

When the Thrill of Blogging is Gone

Go read them. Not all of you will find them interesting, but seeing as how you are reading my blog (and maybe you've complained to me that I haven't been writing enough), you might find them worth the read.

Some people don't understand Twitter and why you would care to read what people are doing throughout their days. While much of Twitter is people Tweeting with a "Don't u hate using public bathrooms .......", that isn't really the stuff I'm interested in reading. I've found an online network of other educators (4th grade teachers, SPED teachers, autism advocates, technology teachers, principals, etc) that post meaningful links, ideas and suggestions. I've thrown a question out there like, "Suggestions for where to seat a student who talks nonstop to her peers? She's looking for attention." The response is immediate and starts a great discussion between educators.

Don't get me wrong ... I've also shared lots about my daily minutia like, "I guess it's time to actually get out of bed since my schnoodle is growling at me & I am tutoring in just 45 min. Bed, I'll miss you :("

I know that not everyone cares and that is why you don't have to respond to everything that everyone writes. You can quickly skim by it when the Tweets are 140 characters or less! Mom said the other day that she thinks Twitter is narcissistic and is is ridiculous of people on Twitter to think that anyone cares what they are doing throughout the day. Well ... she may be right about part of that. HOWEVER, can't we say that Twitter is just a shortened version of Blogging??? Why do I think that anyone cares about anything that I post? Well, if they don't care, then they don't need to read it. I can tell when people aren't reading or really don't care about what I've posted because there aren't any comments. Days will go by without comments on this blog and even the photo blog. I'm not offended. I can tell that people are still reading.

Anyhoo ... I just wanted to share these articles and to let you all know that I'm still here. I think part of the difficulty in me sitting down and posting is now that I've been taking photos EVERY DAY, I feel the need to share some of those photos and that just takes a little bit longer.

I will try and I hope that if you are interested in what I'm writing, you should comment and let me know. If you hate it, let me know that, too!

Happy Blogging to all ... or maybe just Happy Twittering to those of you that have fallen off the blogging bandwagon with me!

It's been so long since I was visiting Julie ...

... that she's even come home to visit for a week and gone back to Ohio! That means that I'm WAY behind on my blogging about my trip to Columbus.

The trip started with a v.e.r.y.l.o.n.g. day at the airport in Kansas City, Tampa &

finally Columbus and then ended with two tired friends, an exhausted dog and lots of pictures to share the weekend.

Here are my survival supplies for waiting in the KC airport for 4+ hours, then traveling to Florida and then up north to Ohio. Originally I was supposed to get into Columbus around 4pm on Thursday, but I didn't get to Mike & Julie's house until 10:30. I was exhausted that night and we pretty much went straight to bed.

I did get to meet Hayes Thursday night, but we got to spend a lot of time playing on Friday. I left with TONS of photos of the little girl, but this is one of my favorites. I think she looks a lot like Minners :)

Julie & I had a semi-successful day of shopping at the outlet malls. It was a good thing that my suitcase expands.

We walked past Huntington Park baseball field on our way to dinner. I got some great pics!

Here are Devan, Katie, Mike & Julie walking across the street to Boston's. We headed to dinner in the Arena district and there was a lot going on down there that weekend.

My GIANT beer! It took me quite a while to get through it :)

Julie & Me waiting for our food.

After dinner we walked a bit to get to an outdoor festival that had a rap cover band playing (that was actually really good), tons of food & drink tents and we had a GREAT time doing some people watching. Last time I was visiting during the summer, we went to a wine tasting festival there. The girls were getting tired of just standing around and we had to make a decision. Go home to bed, or keep moving & do something else.

On our way to dinner, we had walked past The Big Bang Dueling Pianos bar. We weren't sure if we could get it, but we did ... and we actually got tables right up next to the stage. I've only been to see dueling pianos twice (in New Orleans during the Final Four weekend, and here in KC on the Plaza), but it is always a good time. Instead of just 2 pianos, they also had someone that would play the drums or guitar if the song could use it. There were about 6 musicians that rotated through and all of them were AMAZING! We stayed until they closed and heard every song you could ever think of to request. I would definitely go back next time I'm visiting!

Katie, me & Julie enjoying the show.

The boys performing in their own (air) band!

The next day, we slept in since we didn't get home until 3:15am. Julie & I took advantage of the BEAUTIFUL day and went to the pool. Mike got up early to golf with neighbors and then came home to work in the yard. Here he is relaxing after a VERY long day of making his yard AND the neighbor's yard look nice.

That night, we couldn't really make a decision of what to do, so I suggested that we just continue our lazy afternoon by staying in and enjoying the patio. Mike went to the grocery store and Mike & Julie prepared a super yummy meal for me. They were so nice and wouldn't even let me step in the kitchen to help. So, I sat outside and enjoyed a cool beer and continued to work on my photography with Hayes as my model!

Hayes is such a lucky girl to have a HUGE yard to run & play in. Minnie would be totally jealous if she saw it. I wish that I could have brought Minnie with me, because I know she would have enjoyed playing with Hayes. If only her plane ticket wouldn't be as expensive as mine ... maybe I would travel with her.

Here is Mike grilling up some great BBQ chicken for us.

And Julie setting the table. We had BBQ chicken, salad, corn on the cob, pineapple, rolls and maybe more. We were all very full ...

... but not too full to miss out on a trip to Graeter's Ice Cream! Graeter's has THE BEST ice cream around! I got a chocolate/peanut butter flavor this time, but in the past I've had their chocolate chip and the black raspberry chip (they are known for their French Pot ice cream & big chocolate chips)!

Sunday was another good day. Julie & I did some work on our 10-year reunion and we also ran a few errands. Here is another pic of Miss Hayes looking very cute!

Sunday night for dinner, we took Erik's foodie advice and headed to The Thurman Cafe in German Village. This place is TINY (I counted only 11 tables) and is such a dive & local favorite that it was featured on Man vs. Food on the Travel Channel this year. Erik assured me that our 1hr 40min wait for a table would be well worth it.

He was right! Check out this burger! :) I got just a simple (if you can call a 3/4 lb burger simple) cheeseburger, but they have about 20 different types of burgers and I'm sure they are all amazing! Mike & I were both members of the clean burger plate club and Julie had some great grilled chicken on a salad. I don't think you can go wrong at a restaurant like this.

I must have been in such a food coma that I didn't get any pictures taken of the last few hours of my trip. I left Monday around noon and got home around 2:30, so the traveling home was MUCH nicer. I even had front door service going to and from the airport. Thanks to Dad for taking me and to both Mom & Dad for watching Minnie while I was gone.

It was a great trip and it was very nice to see Mike & Julie and all their friends in their hometown again! Thanks for letting me come play! :)

Hey look! There's a hummingbird outside my window!

Check out this Funny or Die video. Our family friend, Tuc Watkins, plays one of the detectives in this video. If you are someone that likes crime dramas on TV like I do, then you will like this. Feel free to vote "Funny" after you watch it :)

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The Sentimentalist - watch more funny videos

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What a great day!

It was a GREAT day! I got to spend the whole day with Ellen since Molly picked up an extra day of work this month. We had so much fun, and I wanted to document our first whole day together :)

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I've been a bad blogger ...

Too much going on to really sit down & write a good post.

How about I just post some of my 2nd favorite pictures that didn't make it on The View Across Town. So, here is SOME of what I've been doing ... in no particular order:

Miss Ellen, watching Grandma. She was trying some baby snacks for the first time yesterday. She wasn't too interested in the rice cereal that started this week, so maybe she'll like other foods better! This sweet face is TOO CUTE to handle! :)

This was the warning on the side of Jill & Adam's pool. Mitzi & I thought these pictures were REALLY funny. Apparently, tilting fishbowls & creepy twins are NOT allowed at the pool, but laser eyes are A-OK!

Yes, that's Jilly hiding in the pool. This is the perfect addition to their backyard.

The happy family. Ellen is getting strong enough (at 6 months) to sit up without much help. Such a big girl!

My arch nemesis, Gracie. :) I've been afraid of her for quite some time. She seems very love-y, but then will bite you out of nowhere. She was very sweet the other night when we went over there. She even let me pet & scratch her head for a few minutes. Here she is sitting on Mitzi's lap!

We took a mini field trip to visit Adam at work on our way home from Old Shawnee Days. Doesn't he look official?

This was going to be my picture of the day and the title would be, "Nail polish choices for a DIY woman!"

I know this picture is grainy, but I took it in the dark while Ellen was sleeping. I still thought it was a pretty cool picture.

Day 1 of 2 for a district Reading Workshop.

My CLEAN classroom once I finally got it all packed up. Thanks, Emilie, for your help!

Minners, fully enjoying the new chaise pillows I got for my birthday.

A fun game of "Chicken Foot" dominoes on a summer evening.

Minnie & I playing with my Mac Photo Booth program!

Ellen & I doing the same thing. She was watching Erik :)

Okay, that's it for now. Hopefully I'll have some time and something interesting to post in the next few days so some of you will continue to come back and read. What are all of YOU doing during your summer?! :)