Looked at blogspot, but it took FAR too long to figure out how to edit a post, and if I can't figure it out, these folks'll never get it. -- I don't know how much help I'll be because I find all the tasks much better labeled at blogspot, and still have to resort to random clicking just to see my LiveJournal like the rest of the world does. :p (Oh it's under my username, see I've always clicked on that to get to an account page at other sites. Silly me taking so long looking for a link called "read journal." *eye roll*)

I've never used blogspot with a group (though it is possible), but LiveJournal does make it easy to combine different posts into one community, so that's a pro point. It's learning curve isn't that bad. Never played with InsaneJournal or Dreamwidth.

If all else fails, you could take a poll and see what family members have already signed up for. If the majority already have accounts in LiveJournal, that could be the deciding factor.

Now if only the cubicle would stop spinning.