"Of all the photos we have, THAT'S the one you use?"

Okay...so I sent my first post to MJB, who was a little concerned about my first photo choice. Granted, we do have lovely photos of our children, and some of our rocking beach cottage, but I somehow managed to post a photo of the inside of my car post-road trip. So, you can see where this blog is going.

Okay. I guess I am committed to this, because I am doing this for a second time ("That's what SHE said!"...I think I have one reader who is laughing at this, and he is flying cargo over Spain right now!). Here are my goals for this blog: to chronicle the events that happen in our family, and to use the internet to stay in touch with my dear family and friends who are either far away or just busy.

Also, this is a good way to put off cleaning up the kitchen after the kids are in bed...but SOMEONE is going to have to do it, and it's the cabana boy's night off. Love to you!

I know a girl, and Ruby is her name

Okay!!! Here it is! My first ever blog post! Don't know much about blogging - I guess I'll learn - but I do think that this will be a fun way to chronicle the events that happen in our family. Does blogger have spell check? Hope so!

My blog is called "A Squeaky Wheel" for a few reasons. Yall know that I am the ultimate "Squeaky Wheel" - crying "foul" at the smallest injustice - freely giving unsolicited, opinionated advice to my closest friends at every opportunity. Also, the James Taylor song about "that squeaky wheel, always getting the grease" brings happy memories of my days growing up in The Land of Pleasant Living. As teenagers, we would go to Merriweather Post Pavillion to see concerts, and I remember singing this song in the rain with my friends in "the lawn seats" - I left the lyrics of the song on a piece of paper on the kitchen counter for my parents when I left for college. Now that I am back, after seeing the world with my sailor, it feels a little like I have come full circle. I love Maryland, and I am so thankful that MJB and I were able to bring our family back here.

Finally, RUBY - this little gem in the picture, our minivan - has been in and out of the shop for a big 'ol squeaky wheel a few times in the past months. I really can't believe that I don't have a photo of dear Ruby's exterior. This is an "after" photo from a road trip to our other home, New Orleans. Ruby, and our son, are both actually from New Orleans. I have never felt such indifference on spending any amount of money as the day we bought Ruby. Truly, I was more excited to find double jars of Organic Peanut Butter at Costco. And now? Now I'm jealous of Heather, Alicia and Jill all of whom are driving around in some slick new Odyssey action with the back windows that roll down, the GPS, and the pop-up wet-bar for the kids.