Computer Update

Hi friends!! Just thought I'd give you a quick update. My computer is FRIED. I lost an entire month's worth of pictures and videos of the midget and all the documents I've created in the last few months. I tried two different retrievals and the last step is to send it in for Data Recovery which starts at $500 and can cost all the way up to $1600. It's crazy CIA stuff where they pull out the hard drive and replace the pins of the drive manually. Needless to say, this is completely unaffordable and not guaranteed to work anyway. Well, I guess I've learned my backing up lesson... Please learn from my mistake and back up your files regularly!!

I do have to send my computer in to see if the hard drive is malfunctioning. If that's the case, I have a service plan, so it should be covered in pretty much any circumstance. If it is software, it may be covered under the computer's warranty.

So to sum it all up, you won't be seeing much of me for a good while. My hubby's busy travelling season starts next week and he will need his computer most of the time, but I've had limited access to his computer while he's been on vacation. So I will probably be able to read your blogs from my phone (pocket pc), but I can't comment from my phone.

I am also watching a friend's 9 month old, so I'm sure I'll be too busy to wallow in too much self-pity. " ) PLUS, I surprised hubby with a Wii for Christmas, so I'm busy working on my boxing, bowling, and Guitar Hero skills so I can beat Wifey when we hang out one of these days!

Don't forget me! Hopefully, I'll be back soon! I'll leave you with this picture of the midget enjoying her Christmas gift--a toy piano.

Vote for Pedro ME!

This just in!

My Romantic Keepsake Tree was chosen as a finalist in Tip Junkie's Christmas Tree Contest!!

Go Vote for me NOW!! I command you! Don't you love it when I'm bossy? " )

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Well, I sure hope so! My computer took a giant crap on me and all my attempts to resurrect it have been unsuccessful. I guess I'll have to go to Geek Squad and see what they have to say.

I am missing an entire month's worth of pictures, videos, documents, etc. in my backup files. I thought they were backed up on the external hard drive and deleted them. I am sick to my stomach. UGH! So all of you out in bloggyland--GO BACK UP YOUR FILES! RIGHT NOW!!

If I have to pay $100 for one month of files, I'm going to scream!

So for now, I bid you all adieu and will hopefully be posting again soon.

Sympathetic niceties would be appreciated. Please tell me I'm not an idiot and that everything will be okay.

p.s. Yes, I'm a total drama queen... You know you love me anyway. " )

Christmas Home Tour

Here's a quick tour of our Christmas Decorations! There are a million Christmas Home Tours that I'll be participating in just for fun!

Go Visit:
Boomama's Christmas Tour of Homes
Hooked on Houses Hooked on Holiday House Tours
Thrifty Decor Chick's Christmas Tree Par-tay
Southern Hospitality's Deck the Halls
Tip Junkie's Virtual Tour of Homes Holiday Edition
Kimba at A Soft Place to Land is having a Holiday Open House
The Lazy Organizer is having Talk About Tuesday
Melissa at The Inspired Room is having a Let it Snow Holiday Linky

The hubby is in charge of decorating outdoors, so this is all his handiwork.












My husband made this beautiful Nativity from a pattern he bought online. I ADORE IT!! You'll see I have a thing for Nativities. I never EVER want to forget why we celebrate on December 25th--my Lord and Savior was born on this day!! It is the most important birthday we celebrate every year!












When you walk in my house, you are greeted by the Candy Cane Tree, in its new spot. A red & white candy cane striped Welcome sign hangs underneath.















The stairs are wrapped in silver garland with candy canes and evergreen garland.












The Music Room houses the Keepsake Tree this year (to keep Midget from destroying the tree and presents).
















This Manger is an early memory of mine growing up. I remember playing with the porcelain baby Jesus as a little girl, which is probably why some of its fingers are broken! Now I will have to keep Midget's fingers off of it too, which is why it is sitting on top of the piano!












I can't say I love the placement of the Stockings this year. But you'll see why they aren't up on the mantle in just a few pictures!












This "present" covers up four large shelves on our built-in Entertainment Center. The hubby plans to make something to cover up the shelves so they look less messy. For now, this was SUPER easy! Hubby and I just cut a piece of cardboard to the right length and width. I wrapped one side of it and we stuck it up with Command Strips.












This is our mantle this year. I couldn't find exactly what I wanted, but it still turned out beautifully (Aubrey, next year I'll hire your hubby to make me the exact vinyl decal of what I want, but I couldn't get my "stuff" together early enough--big surprise). I bought this beautiful Nativity while I was in college. The Angel is a tree topper, but I think it works well with the set. The stars are ornaments that are tacked up with teeny tiny nails.















I hope you've enjoyed your tour of our Christmas decorations! If you're visiting from other sites, please take a look around and subscribe or follow my blog if you like what you see! I'd be glad to have you back anytime! Don't forget to leave me a comment, because I LOVE knowing who visited! I'll come by and say hi to you!

Romantic Keepsake Tree

I figured since I'm entering my Candy Cane Tree in Tip Junkie's Christmas Tree contest, I didn't want my real tree to feel left out! This is the tree I was talking about that was $300. Of course, I waited until after Christmas and sent out the hubby to buy it at 75% off.

















I've had the decorations on this tree for quite some time. I'm normally a bright color person, but I fell in love with the victorian-esque look of the gold, greens, pinks, and purples. I bought these all the day after Christmas and got them for next to nothing!

If you want to make a themed tree, that is the most frugal way to do it! Buy everything AFTER CHRISTMAS! It's so much less expensive and makes having different themed trees affordable. If you have a few different themes, you won't tire of them easily. I intend to go out the day after Christmas this year and look for a new theme for next year!

I put all of our special ornaments on this tree; My first Christmas ornament my Mom saved for me, our first married Christmas ornament, the midget's first Christmas ornament, and other special ornaments.

I think it turned out especially beautiful this year! If you do, GO VOTE FOR ME starting on 12/20/08!

The Candy Cane Tree

Okay folks, Tip Junkie is having a Christmas Tree contest, so I am doing a little bit of close-up on my Candy Cane (2nd floor) Christmas Tree (because I think it's cool means everyone else should, right?).

We moved to a new home last year and broke our artificial tree in the move. I didn't want to pay full price for a new tree, so I was a little unsure what to do. The only one I loved was $299! While I was walking down the aisle at Wal-Mart, I saw a 6 1/2 foot white pre-lit tree for less than $30!! I'd never considered a white tree before (actually kind of made fun of them *snicker*), but the price was right! By the way, Wal-Mart still has these trees, but they've gone up to $35. Still a bargain in my mind.

I decorated it with a red and white tree skirt, red garland, some red, white, and silver ornaments and a silver angel. I bought peppermint candy canes to hang on the branches and ta-daaaa, a Candy Cane Christmas Tree! Now I have a beautiful full-size tree to put up on our 2nd floor landing for years to come, and all for less than $50!

p.s. GO VOTE FOR ME starting on the 20th!!

Because One Wasn't Enough

Here's our Christmas Tree.















And because I could be classified as criminally insane, here's the second tree that is on our upstairs landing.















And since I tend to overdo everything, I'm going to be appearing pretty sparsely the rest of the week while I get ready to host a Christmas party on Saturday. My motivation to get everything done ahead of time is a friend's party on Friday night. I need a little Christmas cheer too, ifyaknowwhatimsayin...

The Midget's Christmas Pics

Santa vs. The Midget

I took the midget to see Santa Claus tonight at our local McDonald's. Why McDonald's you ask? Because there's no way in H-E-DOUBLE-HOCKEY-STICKS I am paying $19.99 to stand in line at the mall for a teeny tiny stupid picture! So for $3.40, the midget got a hamburger Happy Meal (complete with pink My Little Pony and comb), a goodie bag, AND a picture with Santa!

There were a lot of people there (apparently I'm not the only cheap parent on the planet) and we got there late (of course), so I was a little afraid of not getting a picture, but thankfully Santa stayed long enough for me to capture this:













and this:

















But then finally the McDonald's employee caught this one:

















Is it bad I was laughing the entire time?

Don't miss my guest inquisit-ing today over at Sunshine & Lemonade!

Merry SITSmas!!

It's SITSmas at The Secret in the Sauce!! That means giveaways every hour, a GRAND PRIZE of a $200 gift card and featured blogger, and a neglected midget and house. Let's just say the pizza place will appreciate my business three times in one day...

I had a hard time just doing one SITSmas card, so I did a few. Most are from last years pictures. ENJOY!

 
 
 



























Here's some of my SITStas I subscribe to! Wouldn't you like to be one? haha Sorry if I missed any of you others! I need to conserve energy for all the SITSmas fun!
Deanna
Heather
Brandy
Kat
Aubrey
Bar-b
A Thorn Among Roses
Live.Love.Eat
Lulaville
Annike
Angela at My Dogumentary
Nanny Goats in Panties

Leave me a comment so I can come visit you!!

For those of you blog-hopping, Everything but the Kitchen Sink is next!

Stay Tuned for a Merry SITSmas Tomorrow!

I'll be posting my SITSmas card tomorrow!! You should too! Head on over and see the UNBELIEVABLE grand prize and join in the fun! $200 at Target!!! Wa-hoooo!!

The Secret is in the Sauce: THIS JUST IN:

Ummm, Okay...

I finished reading it over Thanksgiving.


And I have to say, "Ummm, okay..." At the risk of being stoned and losing subscribers, I have to admit that I'm really not sure what all the hype is about. It was good, but the absence of suspense from the book was maddening for me, up until almost the end when the tracker came into play. But then, the action was over too quickly.

I'm not the biggest fan of romance novels, so that could be my issue. I like a little romance with my action, not a little action with my romance. I guess I like the romance to be the condiment, not the entree.

So tell me people, should I keep reading? Is there a lot more action in the next three books? I know some of you are huge fans, so help a girl out!