Without the realization I missed something.

I found a second window to compose blog entries tonight.  It has a few more features that the first window didn't!

Like there is seven fonts.  And the fonts come in five sizes: smallest, small, normal, large, and largest!

There are several colors too!  Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, and Magenta to start.  The colors come in a variety of shades from light to dark.  I may just have to paint a picture for my blog readers with a few X's and O's!

It's amazing when you stumble upon neat accessories not realizing all there is hidden behind "curtain number 2!"

Without dead batteries!

Isn't it grand to reach for something--like your cell phone, remote, or laptop--only to realize the batteries are dead. I realized more and more of the items we use daily either have a power source that must be charged on a regular basis or take AA batteries.

I guess my recommendation to any young couple who has children is to invest in batteries that you can charge when they run out of power. I know it's still not too late for us to do the same.

There is another battery I was thinking of when I started this entry tho. My battery. So that I can recharge my battery, and keep it charged... I'm going to make another life-changing-resolution. In bed by 10pm when evening activities permit. Of course I will be starting tomorrow night since it's almost 11 now.

To achieve that though, I'm going to have to succeed in finishing more laundry (yes, that dirty word again) during the quiet hours of the day. LOL! This would ensure I wouldn't have to stay up (like I am now) to dry all the clothes I'm washing or have washed; as well fold them. Because dry warm clothes laying in a basket only wrinkle. Then I would have to (gasp) IRON!

Perhaps I'll also try to take our girls (pups) outside more, since the weather seems to be in a warming pattern again. Our trouble-maker, aka Red, has taken to showing me how displeased she is that we haven't been playing outside daily.

Look for my mid-day posts starting tomorrow!

Without a little creativity!

Morning blog fans!

I was being creative decorating my kitchen with a banner for my family.

Enjoy your Valentine's Day!

Without writer's block!

Normally I sit down and something during my long days has been the inspiration for my blog posts. Although, probably by the time I finish this post I would rename the title "Without rambling!"

Well let's see I could write about the vanilla cupcakes with vanilla and chocolate frosting I bought today at a church bake sale. They weren't plain vanilla cupcakes--they were lemon flavor and frosted with lemon frosting AND vanilla cupcakes with sprinkles in the batter frosted with chocolate frosting. How did I find out? One of the kids tried one of each and was sadly disappointed.

Or I could write about how I dislike finding a great movie and then having to suffer through the unusual-not-necessary-needed-item info-commercials and trailers for how-did-they-get-someone-to-buy-such-a-horrendous-idea-and-make-it-into-a-movie. So CHEESY some of them are--It's a wonder I can sit through them to watch the movies I love!

Or I could write about the fact that I am extremely but slowly making progress around the house... I did manage to clean out two cupboards. It's a start! And every time I open them to grab something--I stop, admire my hard work and SMILE!

Or I could write about laundry, yeah, I'm still knee-deep in dirty clothes! I want to know who boosted their reproductiveness--oh that's easy that would be my family and the pups. Perhaps the weather too!
Someday, I'll catch up.

Speaking of weather, oh my gosh... we received a cold blast of arctic freezing winds. So the snow we received--yeah we got yet another dusting--it's frozen and crunchy. But this too will pass, and melt again... the temperature is going up oh 40 or 50 degrees in a week's time.

So next Sunday, when I sit down to write I should have ample material... I mean there is always something the pups or the kids have done to supply me with a long list of topics, right? Right!

Without energetic pups!

We recently had our roof replaced. One of the stipulations of the contract was to keep all pets and children indoors and away from the workers.

Keeping our children out of harms way was the easy part--they were at school for the majority of the time frame the roofers ripped off the old shingles and installed the new roof.

However, the pups were a different challenge. Red is a curious dog, she loves to explore counter tops and tables. She steals socks, whole tissue boxes, head sets, ace bandages, baggies of food or anything else she deems interesting. For instance, a terra cotta flower pot one of the kids had decorated to look like a bunny. Red's curiosity got the better of her and she snagged it off the counter. She grabbed the fuzzy-ball-tail and it smashed into several pieces.

The loud noises that the roofers were making drew Red to the windows in the kitchen. She tried to peak under the pull shades covering the windows. I raised them slightly giving her able view of the backyard. Red bark a few times at the workers. Probably telling them, "Hey, I'm in here and I'm watching you." Maeve on the other hand headed to her kennel with ball in mouth and curled up. She was content to just hang in there.

After scolding the workers, Red decided to pester Maeve. Into the Maeve's kennel Red lumbered in and started to poke at Maeve with her snout. Maeve got up and came out. They wrestled over the ball some, then Maeve decided she had enough but this time headed into Red's kennel.

Then a most unusual thing occurred (ok, in my humble opinion)... Red gently pushed her own kennel door shut with her nose, while Maeve was still in the kennel. I began to laugh hysterically until my ribs hurt. Maeve didn't take kindly to her sister shutting her in a kennel, she jumped and came out ready for another round of wrestling on the kitchen floor.

Just watching them have fun made me forget about the constant banging for a few moments...

Without realizing it's the Witching Hour!

I had a whole different entry I was going to type up tonight and then I visited my kid's high school website. I was overwhelmed with the content on the home page. There is content in so many different colors, size and styles it makes me dizzy. I'm not sure who is behind it, but they need to invest in an editor with a spell checker.

So I decided to give them feedback... there was a button, I clicked it, filled in the form. Submitted it by selecting the submit button. A nice window popped up saying "Thank you for your feedback" with a close button. So I clicked the closed button oh half dozen times, then a dozen more... NOTHING HAPPENED! Java script doesn't appear to be working tonight either. Am I surprised? NOPE!

As George use to say, "Say good night Gracie."
And Gracie would say, "Good Night Gracie."

Without Snow!

Our area was forecasted to receive 1" to 2" of snow last night. Nothing major. But as luck would have it, I needed a few items from the grocery store.

Thankfully, the weathermen hadn't spread panic through our local community and the store only had the usual crowd. But as I was leaving I heard someone exclaim, "It's snowing!"

Then I noticed the customer who exited just prior to myself. She started to trot as quickly as parking lot traffic and her high heels would permit her. She didn't slow down either once she approached her vehicle. She flung her car door open and proceeded to throw her recent purchases as fast as she could.

I was amazed. Why would anyone want to act in this manner? Oh, right it was snowing.

I took my sweet time strolling to my truck. Watching as the snowflakes fell from the sky with the wonder of a small child who was witnessing their first snow fall. It was glorious. I know I'm probably in the minority. But it's been so long since we had snow, even the small measly amount we received brought joy to my children. Too bad it will all be melted before they are dismissed from school.

If winter isn't your favorite season, what is?