101 Things to do with your posts (after reading them) . . . OR . . . 101 Reasons why I really need a laptop

Ok, my friends . . . this is going to be a long one. You may want to come back later to read it, when you have a little more time. Or, perhaps you can print it out . . . and read it later (nudge nudge, wink wink, hold on - you'll understand why I said that in a bit.)

Have I told you that I really need to get a laptop? Well, I need to get a new laptop, because I have an old one. But it's kind of archaic and it's not wireless - a major bummer when trying to keep up with blog reading. I have this little wireless card that sticks out of the side - but it has been bumped so many times that the protective plastic cover (which is supposed to keep it from breaking) has broken, and never manages to stay on. Needless to say, the wireless Internet connection comes and goes and makes it really frustrating.

We have a really handy dandy desktop PC, of course. But I guess the problem there lies within the season.  As you are well aware, it’s June . . . beautiful June . . . sunny, warm weathered, playing outside, swimming and enjoying life June. The minute I get home from work, Katie and Ella are ready to play play play . . . and the last thing they want to do is wait for mommy to catch up with her blog friends. So, I find I've been taking some shortcuts lately, deciding to print my dear friends (that would be YOU) blog posts and put them in a brand new (left over from Katie’s school supplies) folder labeled “Mommy’s IMPORTANT Reading Materials”.

See . . . here is my folder . . .

So, I take this really important folder outside and sit on the lawn. And, as I enjoy the fun of the lovely summer nights outside, I read your posts. Because I often forget to include the name of the blog when I print out the post, I find many of these little posts have the name of the author scribbled across the top in my own handwriting. But you’ll be happy to know that I often know exactly whose post I am reading simply by the subject or story being told (well done, fair blog writers!)

As children run back and forth and games of tag are played, I read and laugh (and sometimes cry) over the very well written stories of my beloved blog friends.

So, I read . . . in the sun . . .and smile . . .and reflect . . . and think of all these wonderful things I want to say back to you, the blog writer. Of course, since I am simply reading from paper (and not directly from a new lovely laptop), I often find my comments and replies to your witty and thought provoking posts go unheard. Because as night time falls, I find that there are a million and one things that now require my indoor attention (and you know, Real Housewives of New York, New Jersey and Orange County are anxiously awaiting my eyes on the DVR . . . hey, I never said I was perfect!)

So, the evening comes and goes, morning comes . . . and I start the process again.

And in between, I’m left with a bunch of these brilliant words . . . on paper.

I do want you to know that I DO recycle. But sometimes, I want to make something creative with your words. So, I have to show you what a girl can turn blog posts into, (after reading them, of course):

a mask

a coloring book

a card

maybe even a fan

a ball

a puzzle

a doodle

or, maybe even a fortune teller game

But many of these printed papers return to the "Mommy's IMPORTANT Reading Materials" folder . . . because I'm just not quite ready to give them up yet. These are the really special ones that touched my soul. And there have been many.

See?

As I said . . . I need a new laptop. BIG TIME.

Or, I need winter . . . when sitting on the lawn isn’t such fun.

Nope. I'd rather have the laptop.

I guess the real reason for this post is to let many of you know that I visit . . .daily . . . and am moved by all of your amazing words and stories. But I PROMISE to do a better job of the comment thing. You’re brilliant – You inspire me – And your lives have enriched my very own. For that, I am most grateful to each and every one of you.

Keep writing, my friends. Keep telling your stories. You know that I’ll keep telling mine. And I’ll be by to comment soon . . . I PROMISE! Oh, and did you print this out? If you did - I just wonder what YOU will make with it . . .