Computers - friend or foe?

I've been horrible about blogging. This whole computer crash thing has ROCKED my world. I've never spent so much time trying to fix something I know nothing about. And every time I think I've got something figured out something else doesn't work. Apparently, nothing I used to use on my old computer is compatible with our new computer. ARGHHH!

Yesterday the CD player broke. Yes, that is the only thing we hadn't replaced. All I see is $$$ when I look at this computer!

The good news though, is it looks like most of my pictures were recovered. The bad news is Quicken was not and my data base that I kept for Coupon Sense is not compatible on this computer, so I don't know if it was recovered or not.

I am grateful to have my pictures. Now I can learn how to get them organized and keep them that way.

My advise to anyone who owns a computer is to back everything up... off site. Carbonite here we come. I will never feel this helpless again. I will never lose EVERYTHING and wonder if I can recover it again.

If you don't think it will happen you are wrong. It will! It's just a matter of time.

Spring Break 2010

Spring Break STARTED off great! I had high hopes for all the things that I wanted to do/get done. Why does it always seem like there is so much more to do than time! *giggle!*

I did love Spring Break though. I took the week off from work. We gardened, shopped for Easter dresses, shopped for Easter dresses and did I mention we shopped for Easter dresses. After our third attempt we decided we needed to visit a fabric store, 'cause apparently there weren't any Easter dresses for teen age girls to be found. The girls picked out a pattern for a skirt and then the search for fabric began... it was almost as stressful as finding a dress. When did my girls get SO picky?? Finally, the fabric was decided on and purchased. Thanks to my Moms help the skirts were almost finished Friday and completely finished on Saturday! YAY! They turned out so cute! The girls had so much fun sewing and are already planning the next skirt they want to make! Now we get to go get shoes and tops to go with the skirts! I expect that to go much quicker!

Between the shopping I worked on cleaning my house - many of the things that have been ignored since starting work and trying to get my computer up and running again. It's still a work in progress, but it is moving along! YAY!

I also did some Easter crafting and birthday presents. I made a darling Easter Eggs wall hanging for my bff Theresa 's birthday and I finished my 2nd Birthday banner. (shhh don't tell, but I have 5 more to make for my Moore SIL's!). I refurbished several decorations and I decorated my house for Easter. It looks like spring is here now!

We were suppose to go to the cabin, but that didn't happen due to the huge amount of snow falling on the power box and bending the pole and taking out the electricity! :( Oh, well.

The bad news is I didn't get my coupons organized, my laundry ironed or my bedroom cleaned. Looks like I'll have plenty to do this week!

All in all it was a fun week - not as relaxing as I had hoped. But definitely fun!

Spring Break is all about giving us a glimpse at what summer is going to be like! I think it going to be a fun summer!

Happy Birthday to my sweet Hillary

I'll have to post pictures tomorrow, but I wanted to wish Hillary a happy birthday! 25 years ago today our sweet Hillary was born. Seriously, has it really been 25 years? I CAN'T be that old!

It was one of the happiest moments of my life! She completed our family! We were so excited to have her and love her. I took her everywhere with me! I didn't understand why my friends needed to "get away" from their kids. (I did learn later however! LOL) Hillary was such a sweet baby, easy going child, obedient young woman and now Beautiful woman!

I am so grateful for a daughter who has set a positive example for her sisters, who has been such a help and friend to me. I love her so much.

Hillary, I hope you have a beautiful day. You deserve it. You work so hard in your life. You serve the Lord, your employer and your family in such a generous way. I hope you enjoy your day and get some rest!

We are going to have a fun party tonight so rest up! I love you! Happy Birthday sweetie!

Computers = Stress

Update: Computer stress NO MORE! Thanks to my BIL Bob! Everything is running smooth and quick. We still don't know what's been recovered from the old computer and I still haven't redone everything, but it's SO nice to have a healthy computer again! Now it's onward and upward!


Computers should be STRESSED spelled backwards! Our computer has given me nothing but gray hair the past two weeks.

I woke up Sunday, Feb 28th to NO COMPUTER. Yep, it crashed. burned. gone.

It took with it the hard drive, the motherboard and pretty much every thing else. We are still waiting to see if we lost the last 5 years of pictures. (which I THOUGHT were being saved on our external hard drive, but apparently NOT!)

Computers make me feel so helpless. I know just enough to turn it on and use it a little. But maintaining it and keeping it healthy is not my expertise! I feel like a failure some how. OK, I know that's a little dramatic, but it is so frustrating to NOT be able to do what I need to do.

We got our computer back on Wednesday. It really hasn't done me any good to have it back. I am pictureless, programless and now with windows 7 installed I don't know WHAT I am doing. (It took Heidi 20 minutes to find the print button in word... HELLO - did you have to change EVERYTHING Mr. Microsoft???)

I have spent the last 5 hours trying to get outlook to work. (Thank you Bob!) Only to run into problem after problem. It still isn't working. I'm sure SOME DAY it will be up and running. Hopefully, I will still be here. If not, maybe someone will bring my computer to the funny farm to visit!

Thanks for the vent!

Time for a change

I'm ready for a HAIR change...

But what to do? Any suggestions? Good places to get ideas? It's been 9 weeks since my last hair cut and I'm looking pretty bad. I usually get it cut every 5 weeks. I'm HATING doing my hair, so I'm going to have to get something done soon!

I want to let it grow out. Not super long, I am old you know. I'm thinking chin length. Not too short, not too long.

So, I'd love to hear if you have ideas. Thanks friends!

Eighteen Years Old? SURPRIZE!

Our sweet Heidi turned 18 years old on Sunday, February 28th! But I woke up that morning ready to blog and our computer had crashed! Not a good thing. But I will blog about that later. I will also have to add pictures later. hopefully.

We LOVE our Heidi girl! Turning 18 is pretty special... so I planned a SURPRISE Party for her! We had it on Saturday. Thanks to her sweet friends it was a huge success! Hillary and I made cupcakes, we had nachos, chips and dip, veggies and dip, skittles, pretzels and hot dogs! Outside we made popcorn and cotton candy! We had a movie set up to watch outside, but the big hit was the Wii - Just Dance. What a fun game! The kids never stopped! It was pretty fun to watch them.

On Sunday we had our family celebration. Yummy pasta and salad. I was so exhausted from Saturday's party that I didn't make a cake. :( sorry Heidi!

It's hard to believe it's already been 18 years since you joined our family Heidi! You were the first baby I had at home. It was a beautiful sweet experience. You are a beautiful daughter. You brings lots of joy and laughter to our home! You are a beautiful woman and I love that our relationship has gotten so much better this past year. Thank you for being my friend and my daughter. You are an amazing example to me. I hope your 18th birthday was the best! LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

Who's Fifteen??

Fifteen years ago today a beautiful little girl was born! We named her Holli Joyce. Holli, because we liked the name and Joyce after her Grandmother who had passed away a year earlier.

Holli has been such a special gift in our home! I love her and I'm so grateful to have her as a part of our family. It certainly wouldn't be the same without her!

I can't believe she is 15. Time is flying past me faster than I can endure some days! Our family is on the verge of many changes! Hopefully, I will be able to endure them well!

I hope you have a Happy Birthday Holli. You are certainly a special daughter. You are growing up to be an amazing young woman. Thank you for all you do for me and our family. Thank you for your amazing example.

I love you, sweetie!