Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated!

I feel so bad because through a communication problem two of our kids thought that I had died! Obviously I'm fine but let me explain.

As you may have read in my previous post my laptop died and Bob and I went down to Costco to check out their computer sale. While we were there Bob received a text from Tyler. As some of you may know Bob is a slow typer and even slower at texting. In fact if you get a text from Bob consider yourself important because he hates to text. This is a problem when it comes to keeping up with Tyler. Bob will IM (Instant Message) Tyler on the computer but he hates to text. He loves talking to Tyler and really misses him so he tries to text when he isn't around a computer. I am always amazed at how brillient Bob is on anything that has to do with computers but how slow he types. Oh well, he seems to have made do over his long and successful career.

As we were asking questions of the salesman, Bob got a text from Tyler. He stepped aside and tried to answer him. This happened several times and I was impressed that Bob was actually texting Tyler. This went on for quite a while. Finally Bob got a phone call and stepped aside to take it. It was Brian inquiring if I was OK. I guess Bob tried to tell Tyler that we were at the store because Tammy's laptop died. I don't know the whole story but Tyler thought that Bob said that I was dead. Tyler kept texting Bob to try to clarify and wasn't getting a clear answer.

I had no idea what was going on. Tyler left a text for me but I was listening to the salesman, feeling tired and hurting because I haven't been up and around a lot lately. When Bob got off the phone with Brian he explained to me why he had called. He showed me the text from Tyler, asking if I was dead. I immediatelly grabbed Bob's phone and text Tyler that my laptop was dead and that I was fine. I feel so bad that it went on as long as it did.

I was touched though that Tyler called Brian to find out the truth. I would hope that if anything ever happened to either of us the news would be communicated better. So Carla, Jason, Jessica Brian & Gianna, if anything ever happens to me please break the news to Tyler before your Dad does. I don't think that Tyler would believe him now.

Tyler, I'm sorry that I didn't know what was going on sooner. I didn't notice the text from you until later that night and by then it was resolved. I appreciate your concern and regret any distress you went through. Please keep up the texts and if you can't get a clear answer from your Dad, text me again and I'll try to check my messages more often. Your Dad is always so happy to hear from you so please don't let this stop you from talking to him this way. Your Dad will get better at it. I can tryly say that he has never returned a text from me.

We really want to know what is going on with all of you and value any updates on your lives. This is our feeble way of keeping you up on what we are doing.

I haven't posted anything new here for a while for a few reasons. I had surgery at the end of October to fix one problem but now can't sit for more than a few minutes without lots of pain - how embarrasing! So now I am having another surgery on the 24th of this month to fix this problem (fingers and eyes crossed). Not to worry it is just a same-day surgery and hopefully I'll recooperate quickly. I'm soooooooo tired of not being able to do what I love. Being down and inactive has put a kink in my plans (literally in my lower back for two weeks). Now that my back has unfrozen I will try to get some photos taken and update everyone on all the happenings in our lives.

I am so far behind on my blog, Birthdays, Anniversarys and general creative fun. I have been busy though (in bed on my back with my laptop) learning about Digital Scrapbooking. I LOVE the idea and hope to create some fun albums with it.

Those that truly know me know that my life is never boring (understatement) but very blessed (also an understatement) and when it seems like I'm exaggerating I'm really not telling everything because the general public wouldn't believe me if I did. I think it took a few years for my Brother-in-law to really believe some of my stories but now he claims that I am much more interesting than anything he could watch on TV. I'm not sure if that is good or bad but we like to kid each other.

So having said all that....I include the following saga of our electronic problems. Our desktop computer went down (it was networked throughout our house so all of our files are stored there)! I have been soooo spoiled, by Bob who is so talented, to be able to log on wherever I am in the house and access information and print. Poor Bob worked on it for over a month, ordering parts, testing equipment and such. Finally he got all the right parts and got it up and running (not the network yet). While I was doing my happy dance (Ouch!) my new HP All-In-One fancy printer stopped printing with black ink so Bob worked on it for a while but couldn't get it fixed. In the meantime he found the same printer (only one version earlier) at a Deseret Industries for $25. He thought that he could use it for parts but after working on it he has it up and running perfectly while I try to contact HP about my new expensive printer that won't work! At least we now have a decent printer. Whoooo Hoooo...and then my laptop died.

It was actually kind of funny because Bob went to look something up on my laptop (because I was having problems) and it just died. The blue screen of death came up and then it just went black. His hands went up in the air and he had that look in his eyes that said, "It wasn't me!" After spending long hours trying to get it to boot up he finally said let's shop around for laptop prices.

I was so sad because I bought that laptop with money that my Grandfather left me when he died almost seven years ago and it was a big splurge - large screen (15 in.) fast and it had lots of memory (40 GB)... OK, so back then it was a great laptop! I've been having problems with it for awhile but kept hoping that it would get over it...kind of like the flu. Alas, after long faithful years of service, fun and comfort it is gone. SIGH, it will be missed!

OK, so now for some exciting news. After window shopping on the net and going to Costco so we wouldn't miss the laptop sale (painful ride) I have a shiny new laptop with all the bells and whistles. I can even watch BlueRay movies on it. It has a larger screen and weighs a lot less than my old laptop which will really help my back. I have spent time trying to update everything and get acquainted with my new laptop and I think we are going to get along just fine.

Well, to make a long story even longer I thought that I would explain why I haven't posted anything for awhile but I do see a light in the not so distant future and I should be up and around in time to go to Idaho for the birth of Ryan & Christy's twins.

Snapshot of My Life - February - Hammock

One of my favorite places is my hammock. This picture doesn't look like much but it is winter. This is the place I can go to relax and unwind. I take a book and sometimes blankets and rock myself into a calm relaxed state. When Bob and I met I lived in an apartment with a small balcony that was too small for my hammock. It sadly lived in storage. When we got married we moved into Bob's condo whose balcony was also too small for my hammock. Since we have such a large family we bought a house. The Real Estate Agent called me to meet her at our new home where she would turn over the keys. I was so excited! I called Bob and asked him to join us. We waited....and waited...he was over 30 minutes late. I couldn't believe it! Finally the Agent gave me the keys and left.

FINALLY Bob pulled up in our new driveway with a big grin on his face. I couldn't be too upset at him because we had just bought a beautiful new home but I was a bit annoyed. Bob can sometimes get involved in something and forget where he is supposed to be. He is my absent-minded professor. Anyway Bob was so happy and said that he had a surprise for me. He opened up his car and pulled out the parts of my hammock! I hadn't been able to lay in it for over two years and he had gone through our garage, which was piled high with boxes to the ceiling, and found all the parts to the hammock so that it would be the first thing in our new home.

Needless to say, I wasn't annoyed any more and was so amazed that he remembered how much I wanted to have a place for my hammock. We have sat and layed in this hammock and had long talks with each other, kids and grandchildren. I have been known to fall asleep in my hammock and wake up with an insect bite where my face and hand (separate times) were so swollen that I had to go to the hospital for antibiotics (I'm allergic to about everything that bites). It hasn't stopped me from spending time in my favorite place. I guess it's worth it.

Snapshot of My Life - February - Color

I love color! My walls are so many different colors. I'm not that good with the camera or the above collage would have two colors of green and a deep yellow but they all look washed out. My poor husband really really really likes white. He says that there are so many different shades of white that I could choose from. He is such a sweetheart and has gotten used to my penchant for color. Color has a huge impact on mood. The right color can make a room look perfect. The wrong color can make me naucous.

Snapshot of My Life - February - Literature

I love to read. It seems like I have always loved to read. Reading was a welcome escape at times and also a way to learn. I love history, travel and so many other things in life that I couldn't always experience any other way than to travel on the words of a good author. It is funny because my sister loves to read also and on trips we would both be engrossed in books to help the time fly by.

Because of my love of reading and because I believe that if someone knows how to obtain knowledge their is no stopping them, I read to my children a LOT. This was 30 years ago. All those cute story books were worth it. My boys are all avid readers.

My youngest son, Sean, was so cute when we read. I had given birth to 3 boys in 3 1/2 years and by the time Sean was born I had memorized all of the childrens story books. Sometimes I would let my attention wander or look around the room to check on the other boys while reciting a book. Sean got to where he would watch me read the book to make sure that I was actually reading and not reciting. If he noticed my attention wandering he would hold my cheeks between his hands and point my face down to look at the book. I couldn't get away with anything! This was one of our favorite childrens books which we have also passed on to our Grandchildren.

Snapshot of My Life - February - Nature

I love the beauty and mystery of nature. Winter has it's own beauty as well. It can be cold and lonley but it can also blanket the world in silence that makes me ponder life and it's beauty. I remember walking to school (during College) in the early mornings when I was the first one on the snow and it was such a spiritual feeling to listen to the silence and witness the beauty. Later in the day the snow is marred with tracks and dirty so it is nice to witness it before life stirs it up.

This morning I woke up to lots of snow. It was different from our previous storms, the snow was heavy and weighed down the branches of the trees. We have four beautiful Globe Willow Trees in our yard and they are beautiful all of the time but especially with this heavy snow. I couldn't help but grab the camera and take pictures.

I love the following quote, especially when you consider the author:

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature.

- Anne Frank

365 Days - Day 47 - Chocolate

Wow chocolate! What a topic. Is there enough memory on the internet for this subject? I do love chocolate but I'm not a chocoholic. There I've said it out loud. I am a woman and I'm not obsessed with chocolate. Don't get me wrong, when I want chocolate I want it now but I'm fine with just a little piece. I prefer my chocolate with some nuts and caramel. A whole snickers bar is too much though. I like those little bite-size pieces. I can have a jar of chocolate on my desk and make it last for weeks. I have a problem with too much sugar, it gives me the shivers. I can't even eat syrup on my pancakes.

My favorite kinds of chocolate are snickers, Baby Ruth, Turtles and Brownies (Dense brownies not cake brownies). This last Christmas I told Bob that I wanted Turtes in my stocking and he dragged my sister all over her hometown in Virginia looking for just the right Turtle. At first I couldn't understand why this cute stuffed turtle was in my Christmas Stocking!

He did get edible Turtles as well.

As long as I'm confessing I might as go all the way. I'm not that big of a cake fan either. There are a few cakes that I like (Carrot Cake, Zuchini Cake & Strusel Cake) but even then I prefer to nibble on a piece all day. I just take small little bites and it is amazing how long it can last. It isn't that I dislike cake it just isn't that exciting. This drives Bob a little crazy because he thinks it should be eaten right away (He grew up in a family with six kids and I think he learned early to eat it before some else gets it). He drives me crazy because I'll go to nibble a little on MY piece and he's eaten it! Even though I'm not a big cake fan I have made hundreds of cakes in my life and pride myself on making good ones.

Don't get me wrong, just because I'm not a huge chocoholic doesn't mean that I don't have many other weaknesses. Don't get me started on fruit desserts or salty snacks...

___________________________

"Chocolate"

Think of chocolate, baking, love. Which one will inspire you today?

Snapshot of My Life - February - Love

This is me today.  I don't think that this weeks challenge will be hard because I have so many things in life that I love.  I especially love that I've lost 7 lbs. this week!

Sara Paddison - “You'll discover that real love is millions of miles past falling in love with anyone or anything. When you make that one effort to feel compassion instead of blame or self-blame, the heart opens again and continues opening."

 

Hello February!

February's checklist:

• charge camera batteries

• gather supplies

This months theme is :

LOVE

n, v

1.Love is any of a number of emotions and experiences related to a sense of strong affection and attachment
2.Love is not a single feeling but an emotion built from two or more feelings.

Journaling prompt :

Write down your feelings for each photo, maybe use a smiley face or colour code your emotions.Remember this months prompt is LOVE. Do you have a love/ hate relationship. Housework is definitley a love/hate thing with me; hate doing it, but love the finshed results!

Photography prompt:

First things first, lets grab our camera, and take a photo of us. Grab your notepad, and note down how you are feeling today, the weather, and what you have in store this week, it will be interesting to see if your week panned out as you thought it might!

Lets take photos of the things that we love, or maybe have a love/hate relationship with! People, places, objects and so-on

Check back Friday for page-plan ideas and technique prompt.I will also be sharing my album in progress.

Have a great week!