Where's Waldo? (or Tracey for that matter)

hhhmmmm...what excuse can I ponder up for why I've been away from my blog for so long.  "I'm such a busy mother and housewife that I forgot", no. "I now have THREE kids in high school and I just forgot", no. "We were so busy this summer putting up hay and entertaining company, I forgot", no.  "The dog ate my homework", aaahhh No.  Okay, no excuses, the simple fact is "all of the above".  We all know how life gets away from us, and I've learned that lesson to the extreme lately.  Our family lost a much loved uncle last week and a couple from our small town were killed by a drunk driver last week.  Life got away.   I think things like this tend to make us want to slow down and savor the gifts.  Gifts like our children, our spouses, our homes, our jobs, our pets, our health....everything.  So, I pledge to slow down.  (don't have a heart attack, I'm really going to try). 
So!  For starters!  Today is Tuesday, I will go to town with my boyfriend/husband, pick up a repaired tractor tire, fit in a much needed "date" lunch, purchase the last of the show supplies for fair, get a new can of hairspray (a girl can't go to Fair without some Good Hairspray), get some more dog food, remember to purchase stock in the dog food company when I get home, and maybe tan (brown fat is SOOOO much better looking than white fat)!  Then I'll come home, fix dinner, do the dishes (no dishwasher in this house), finish the daily laundry, help the kids finish fitting their fair steers, jump into bed with my boyfriend and lay in bed and think about what's going to happen tomorrow.......UGH, exhausted already.