These are our pups of our family...Holly & Rookie. They very much make our family complete. I grew up with dogs in my life and so did John so we just don't see it any other way. So with being dog lovers I like to read and learn dog facts...so here's some I thought I'd share with you today.

My little dog triva...

Did you know?

Dog nose prints are as unique as a human's fingerprints and can be used to accurately identify them. The American Kennel Clubs accept nose prints as unique ID.

Here's another...

The average body temperature for a dog is 101 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 to 39.2 Celsius), whereas the average human body temperature is 98.6' (37.0"C) well that's really a no brainer they have fur to make them hotter! Maybe hairy people have higher temperatures too? Ha! ha! I'm cracking myself up!

Okay one more...

Dogs do sweat...but not much. The sweat glands they use for thermoregulation are between the pads of their paws.

Okay I know I said that was it but here's another good one to share....

Dogs eyes have a light-reflecting layer behind the retina called the tapeturn lucidum (Latin for "bright tapestry"), allowing then to see better than we do in dim light. This mirror-like layer also explains the strange shine or glow in a dog's eyes at night.

Pretty neat stuff huh! I'll try keep doing this for those dog lovers out there every once in awhile. I have a feeling we will be learning a lot now since we are getting Holly ready to be a mommy. So many and I mean many questions for our vet will be asked by the family and myself.

Just to get the record straight we changed our mind on the daddy dog. We found another fellow dog and his name is "Gentlemen Joe". He is one handsome dude, well I think! He has some sweet facial expressions and his size is perfect and we were able to view his previous litter and, OH MY GOSH! HOLY CUTE-NESS! I'll get his picture on the this blog soon! So far all of the vet appointments are going well with Holly! Next is her eye exam...yah, weird huh! Doggy eye exam! Can you imagine what the eye chart looks like!? Ha! ha!

Can you guess what Angie's dance recital will be? Yes sir- e - bob....Alice in Wonderland! I was able to watch her dance a little and I was able to listen to the music to the dance part of the recital that she will be dancing too, and it was a fast beat...so I was running movie clips through my head trying to match a scene to the song and the one that stood out the most was the bunny with his pocket clock annoucing he is late to the tea and you know what...I was right on! She's doing that very part! I'm so good! See I should explain myself here...the dance studio Angie dances at doesn't tell you really any thing about the recital until it gets closer to the date of the performance. It's like a big secret around the studio and it drives the moms and dads nuts. So you learn to get smart. Angie knew I could guess it cause I'm pretty good at it now!

This is what I've been up too.... Christmas is down and put away and the house is getting a good cleaning and I always like the clean slate after taking all the Christmas down. The house smells like lemons and everything is sparkling. This is too when I like to re-decorate and shuffle things around through out the house. Make it fresh and new. Find new homes for things I put away for awhile. The best thing to do is clear off everything and start fresh. Maybe put away some things or a lot of things. Then you have a fresh slate and it's very budget friendly. It's fun too! Well if you like that kind of stuff. Give it a try! I remember as a young girl I use to move my bedroom furniture around weekly and that use to drive my folks crazy...of course I did end up with a double hernia...gee I wonder why! Ha! ha! I know mom that's not funny! LOL But I never out grew it and it's a good way to contain those shopping impulses we girls tend get.

Keeping it real! This is the type of cleaning I hate! It's a bad, bad word L.A.U.N.D.R.Y. it spells waste my day and not fun! Look at that sad wooden laundry basket..it's busting all out! It has seen better days. How many more baskets! Stop, no more...Please!

This is the fun things I've been doing...going to Caleb's indoor soccer games! I'm digging this! Caleb seems to like it too!

Look we are warm too! Cause there is snow still on the grounds out here!

Caleb's famous boot kicks!

Caleb's in control! These are so fast and fun to watch! I really love watching Caleb play soccer. You can tell he likes it too...it's such a release for him. Okay, I know I'm a soccer mom...so be it and proud of it, thank you very much! But this has been what I've been up too in the past week after Christmas and New Years. In between I've been watching my old movie channel on T.V. playing with all the kids new toys and games, going out to dinner with the family, playing with Angie's hair. Stopped eatting cookies cause I'm so sick of them by now! Hot chocolate is now taking my sweet tooth cravings. One, it's less filling and two, it's lower calories. See I have reasons! My favorite is staying in my jammies late Sunday and going to the late service. Then of course journaling like a crazy lady. Oh, and playing with the dogs new toys too with them of course.

Good bye Betty Mae it's been good having you on the chalk board! Meet our new chalk wall character "Benny Mac"! He is the new dude on the wall for 2010. No more "Betty Mae" of 2009. Angie calls me weird cause I even give names to my chalk drawings! ha! ha! Yes, once again the dork is showing it's looney colors!

Some one went through a little growing! No more size sweet 6X! It's now 7/8's!

In a blur this year is over! It's now 2010! What happen? I swear time is going faster and faster each year! I feel like my coo-coo clock is in full speed as back ground noise.
Well it's a new year and new chances to start fresh. I'm not much for New Years resolutions cause I always feel like I'm setting myself up for failure, but I do believe in goal setting which dosen't happen over night. These things take time and good focus. I'm going to be honest though, my artistic side of my brain (pretty much my whole brain) is spinning like mad.

So here's just some of my reasonable goals I made for this fresh New Year...
I'm dusting off my paint brushes and getting back into painting. I miss it!
I would like to ride my bike more when the weather warms up.
Keep on doing dance off's with my daughter in our living room. We really enjoy that and it's great exercise. We really boogie down!
Get to know my heavenly father a little better...keeping my Christian heart.
Keep on reading with my kids...they have some good reads out there for kids and teens.
Oh yes, there will be new babies happening this year...furry babies that is! Yep, it's time for Miss Holly to be a mommy doggie! The dad's name is Hero! Oh, puppies! You know that will be on my blog!
I will keep organizing my house. That will never change. It's thick in the genes.
Tell my kids I love them as much as possible.
Okay..here's a goal, get back on the wii fit...holidays are over it's back on track.
Drive my convertable with top down more...of course when it gets warmer.
Take lots and lots of pictures.
Keep doing arts and crafts with the kids.
Get back into walking the dogs again.
Go on dates with John more.
Learn how to play with a yo-yo...I'm a dork!
Did I say paint more? I want to paint lots and lots!
Teach the kids more recipes and let them do it all by themselves!
Finally frame my favorite vintage map I found years ago.
Go fishing with the boys more.
We really need to go to DC this spring. I love this place cause it offers the best of both worlds. We live in the country but only 45 minutes away from a very big city that has so much. I want to go to the zoo in the Spring with all the baby animals and the museums too...we love the museum of natural history. It's a must do!
Paint my toe nails more.
Keep learning new recipes.
Oh my O my! My head is spinning...I could keep going and going but, I will spare you!
Well you'll probably hear about it all through this blog through out this new year..until then one day at a time and step at a time and I will try and breath and take it all in!

We wish you all the merriest of Christmas! We are all ready for a long winters nap!

It's time for the stockings! Like my socks? Ha! Ha!

More hugs for Bubba!

Caleb got what was on his wish list! Lots of hugs was given.

It's Christmas morning!

Santa came!

Ahhh...look at our Christmas puppy! This could be on a Christmas post card. I think Caleb liked his snowman I made him! Little toad! I do know he had a smile on his face when he opened his box.

Here it was time to open up the new Christmas PJ gifts and the new ornaments. This is something we do every Christmas eve since the kids were born.

Here's just some of our Christmas pictures. It really was a wonderful Christmas! The glory of it was all in he who gave us these beautiful and meaningful moments. I thank him every chance I get. We are blessed in so many ways. His grace will forever live in my heart.

It's Christmas Eve at the Minger house and Bubba & Moe are camping out at our house this winter nite. We were so excited they wanted to be with us for this beautiful holiday. A turkey meal is on our plates and we said our Christmas blessing. Everything tasted so good!

Here's our trees all lit up waiting for Christmas day.