Long post, lots of words, no pictures

Well, I'm officially back at work. It's good, because I'm not the new person this year, and I'm teaching all the same classes this year as I did last year, something that hasn't happened in any previous school year. I actually feel prepared, and that's a great feeling. The first day of school isn't until the 25th, so I have a lot of time to make copies and organize bookshelves and make sure all my cameras work and figure out a way to spend the money that we made from yearbook profit (!) last year. Does anyone remember how when I started at Bradshaw the yearbook was $15,000 in the hole? Yeah, this is definitely a different place. Where people actually buy yearbooks.

I'm sure everyone has been watching the olympics over the past few days. Last night we watched some of the girls' gymnastics competition, and I had a hard time watching the girls from China because they were so skinny. They all looked like they had eating disorders. Or maybe they just haven't hit puberty yet. I know there's a question of whether or not some of them are even old enough to be in the competition. Can't they do carbon dating or something to see how old they are? I mean if we can do it with inanimate objects, surely they can do it with people. Just a thought, scientists.

Speaking of watching things, Chad and I have decided it's time to take the plunge into the 21st century, or step over to the dark side as my mom calls it. Yes, that's right, we have officially signed up to be slaves of satellite television and its just-as-"necessary" twin, DVR. Of course, you can't watch that on any old 19-inch TV, so we got a new TV to go along with it. We ordered it online from the same place I got our camera from a year ago, and the bonus was free shipping, no tax, and cheaper than any of the stores we looked at. Now, I know some of you might be disappointed that we've decided to take this step in our lives, since we've made it almost 5 years of marriage with a little TV and no cable, but I'm sure all that disappointment will vanish when you come to our house and don't have to watch channels that are tinted green while we turn the dial of the antenna. Don't worry Shawn and Emma, it should be up and ready to go for "The Office" season premiere when y'all are here in September.

I didn't get a chance to post any words on the last post (maybe you're grateful for just the pictures), but I wanted to explain a little bit. We got a call last week from Scotty Witt, who founded Camp Blue Haven (he is an amazing person and it is an amazing story if you don't know it...but that's for another time) and also has a cabin in the canyon. He noticed that they had started work on ours, and called to ask if we wanted him to send us the pictures he had taken of it. Um, yes please! It's been wonderful to have this community of people who have been so helpful and welcoming to us since they have found out that we will be their neighbors. Another couple who has a cabin out there noticed that their neighbors were getting rid of a stove/oven and a microwave, both in great shape, and he salvaged them for us and is storing them at his cabin until we have a place to put them! Scotty also sent us a note with the pictures and has apparently named our cabin. The tradition out there is to come up with a cutesy name for your cabin and then make a sign for it and post it at the gate entrance. Plays on words and alliteration are both popular--for example Scotty's cabin is called "Witt's End." Anyway, he deemed ours "Montandon Mountain Mansion," and I like it.

I've started a new diet. I'm telling the world that reads my blog so you can hold me accountable. It's called the Best Life diet, and I started about 2 weeks ago. You've probably heard of it because the guy goes on Oprah quite a bit, although not as much as Dr. Oz. I have lost a little over 3 pounds, but I'm already cheating because you're not supposed to weigh yourself for the first 4 weeks and I'm just too curious. So...be looking for updates on how much weight I have lost, and if I don't say anything about it, don't be bashful to ask. I might need the help. I've also promised myself that I can only buy new clothes after I have lost at least 10 pounds.

Okay, that's about it for today. Talk about a post about nothing. See y'all later.