I think this is the longest that I have ever gone without updating my blog. I would like to say it is because my life has been so boring that their is nothing to write about. No such luck!! I took on more responsibilities at work and have struggled a bit with trying to juggle it all.

The good news in my life is I am a proud new owner of a Honda Accord. This is the first time I have owned a car verses a big van since Dave and I first got married. Old Blue had 167000 miles and was on her last leg, it was time to move on. Kelsey is learning to drive and almost gave me a heart attack pulling out of the driveway so it is safe to say that she will not be driving my new car anytime soon.

This summer has flown by, Erin goes back to Alabama on Friday to start her second year of college. I am on vacation all week and we have a fun week planned. We are going to the Zoo tomorrow. It is supposed to be 98 degrees, should be a great time...I am sure that everyone will be happy and get along splendidly.

We had our family pictures taken for the church directory on Saturday. We decided to do our Christmas card photo when we were finished with pictures at church. We did a combination of Navy Blue, Powder Blue and White. Shannon had a hard time finding a powder blue dress. She finally found one and showed it to me. It kind of looked like a nun dress with a belt...not that I am complaining but I was a little surprised. She tried it on and it looked really cute on her. We went to dinner and out for ice cream after our photo shoot. It was a whole day of family fun....No tears this year for the Christmas card. I think that is a first!!!

After we had ice cream Shannon had Sam drop her off at her friends house, she was spending the night. Erin stayed home because her friends were all at the lake. My phone woke me up around 2 in the morning. I answered the phone to Shannon's voice, "Mom, I'm in trouble." My first thought was that she was hurt or in a car accident. A few seconds later which seemed like an eternity a gruff police woman was on the line, "Mrs. Murphy...I am with your daughter she was at a party and has been drinking. The parents are out of town and this house looks like a frat party was here." I let her know that I would be there in 15 minutes and woke up Dave.

I was less than pleased, relieved that she was OK, but still pissed, (excuse my language.) When I got to the house I saw three kids sitting in the foyer with their hands handcuffed behind their backs. Luckily my daughter was not sitting in handcuffs, not that she was not in trouble but at least she wasn't taking a trip to the slammer.

Imagine my surprise when Shannon came around the corner glassy eyed in a tight leopard print dress. "Hey wait a minute, Didn't I drop her off in a nun dress." That made me happy. The police woman thanked me for coming to get her and let me know that Shannon tried to call her sister to try and pass her off as me but her sister didn't answer the phone. That made me even happier.

The ride home was a little tense. I brought a plastic bag along just in case she felt the need to throw up in my new car. Lucky for her, she was not drunk. As if it really matters if she just drank a little or a lot.

I was up early this morning, I had a hard time sleeping. For the life of me I can't figure out why I had all these kids????

I made a big breakfast and when Shannon came down to eat I said, "So Shannon how was your night?" Big sister Erin immediately came to her defense and let me know that during her senior year she had a similar situation. She was at a party that got busted and the kids were in a line waiting for their turn to call their parents with the police officer. Erin was smart enough to call Lauren and give her the heads up on the phone call and change Lauren's name to Mom in her contact list. Apparently Lauren laid it on pretty thick to the policeman on how she WILL be speaking to Erin in the morning and she was in a whole heap of trouble. Could it be, am I really as naive as my mother was???

Dave and I have decided to tie the kids to their beds and only let them out for church and an occasional soccer game if they are good. Even though I am a little disappointed in my little Shannon, I guess her mistakes are just growing pains that teenagers are going to have to muddle through. Hopefully she stays out of trouble and this scared her enough to behave herself. Her leash has gotten a little tighter...OK a LOT tighter. I would much prefer she stayed at home on weekends and read the Bible like I used to do.