Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Happy New Year!

It's less than half an hour until 2009 arrives here in Georgia. I can't believe that 2008 is over. It went by so quickly. Right at this moment I have one of the new year shows on, all three of the girls are at my mom's house, and Tim is snoring on the couch four feet away. Out with 2008 and in with a wonderful 2009!

I hope that all of you have a fabulous year filled with joy, happiness, and prosperity!



myspace graphic

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Contest Suggestions Needed

I'll have a contest coming up in February with CoffeeTimeRomance.com and I'm wondering what kinds of goodies you'd like to see me give away?

Since it will probably be a Valentine's Day themed contest, I'm thinking *lovey* stuff. Maybe a goodie basket like lotions, candles, sweet smelling stuff, and maybe a copy of A Midnight Infatuation. Then again, maybe I could go for a chocolate theme with candies, edible body paints, etc. Hmmm.....

I'm open to suggestions from my wonderful readers. :-)

You can post them here in the comments section, or email me at christie@christiesilvers.com .

.

I'm begging for mercy!!!

Please! If anyone knows how I can convince my insane children to show their dear old mother a bit of mercy, I'd greatly appreciate the suggestions!! Awwwwww!!!!

LOL!

The girls have been home from school for almost two weeks now, and I still have six days of torture left. I'm surprised that my hair hasn't turned white yet... or possibly so thin from pulling it all out that I need a wig. Will January 6th ever arrive?? LOL

If these three haven't been crazy enough, throw in the fact that Tim was home for 5 days last week and after today he'll be home for another 5 days. They are driving me insane!!! Oh, oh, oh and im even had the nerve to ask me if I'd gotten any writing done in Time For Death! Ooohh, yes dear! I've been working with screaming children, holiday guests, cooking, cleaning, a birthday party, and HIM home. *Smacks forehead* Dumbass!

On a side note, my oldest daughter Cassandra turns 12 years old today--at 10:40 p.m. tonight to be exact. We had her family birthday party Saturday and she was so excited about her gifts. Especially the surprise guitar that she'd been asking for, but wasn't expecting to receive. She was soooo shocked and even had tears welling up in her eyes. It was fantastic!

The girls had a great Christmas. They received loads of gifts and goodies. The youngest was so anxious with Santa anticipation that you couldn't help but laugh at her. Here's a pic of her surprise at the Santa gift she opened at 5 a.m. Christmas morning. *yawn*



It was quite humorous! Her birthday is the next on my list. She'll be four years old on January 15th. Then my birthday is 2 days later. My life will finally settle down when February arrives. LOL!

Okay, that's enough rambling nonsense for today. I hope that you're all safe and sound from young children who outnumber you and seem to enjoy the sound of screaming amongst them. If not, then I feel your pain and will be hoping for the swift re-start of school. :-)

.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Christie's freezing!

The start of Christmas week has begun here in north Georgia with a temperature of 16 and wind chill of 4 degrees! ACK! It's cooooold here this morning.

Luckily there's no school for the girls so I got to stay bundled up warm in my fluffy bed. However, once I did climb out of bed my toes were awfully angry with me. LOL! The fire I'd built in the fireplace last night had gone out around 4am, so the house was down to 63 degrees (which is cold for me). I quickly rebuilt the fire and here it is an hour and a half later and we're finally up to a comfortable 72 degrees in here. YAY!

The girls are still bundled up under a quilt on the couch together. That'll be the only time you see all three of them sitting nicely together without fussing and fighting. LOL!

On a totally different note...

Tim finally conned me into letting him open his Xbox 360 over the weekend. He's soooo excited and says I'm the best wife in the world. LOL! He played for hours Saturday evening and several Sunday evening. I finally got it hooked up to the internet and set up the gold membership for it yesterday, too. Then he traded in several of his PS2 games to buy a couple of Xbox 360 games. He's loving it. And I'm loving that I can watch my Netflix instant play movies through the system instead of having to hook my laptop to the television. Yay me too!

I have a few errands to run today. I need to get a couple of things for the Christmas Eve party that I forgot about when I went grocery shopping Friday. I figure I better do it today because tomorrow will be hell for anyone doing any kind of shopping.

The girls are excited for the arrival of Santa and I'm excited to see their reactions to the Santa gifts. I did GOOOOOD this year for all of them. LOL!

I hope that you all have a fabulous Christmas!

.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Christie is happy!

Yesterday my Annie returned to my lap. I was so anxious for her to load up so that I could see if my files were still there. The anticipation was horrid and her loading process seemed to take FOREVER (even though I know it never takes log).

After what seemed like 10 mins (it wasn't), the screen brightened and there on the background of colorful beach rocks sat the one file I had most wanted to see....

The manuscript for Time For Death!!!

Yep, all of my files are still right where I left them, fully intact. I was so filled with joy that I immediately grabbed the closest flash drive and copied the file (and it's accompanying notes file) right on over to it. That mess won't be happening to me again. No way! No how!

Whew!

What was funny is that since my laptop had been out of commision for 10 days, all of my programs that regularly update themselves when wild as soon as it was connected to the internet. My antivirus, spyware, firewall, etc. all wanted to update at the same time. The Windows Defender was chastising me because there hadn't been a scan run for 10 days. GASP!! LMAO!

All is well now though. Annie is running smoothly. All of the programs have updated and ran their scans (soooo sorry Windows Defender). And I'm happy in the knowledge that my book hasn't been lost. As soon as Christmas is over I'll be back to work on Time For Death with a newfound urgency to get it finished. I love the story and can't wait to stand back and say, "Awww, even after all the trouble and scares, it's done!"

While I'm thinking about it, I must say that the Dell Support was superb during all of this. The people I spoke with, both online and over the phone, were so helpful, kind, and knowledgeable. And alk about fast! My laptop reached their repair facility on Tuesday and by Wednesday they'd shipped it back to me and it arrived home on Friday. Talk about quick!

Thank you Dell! I would have preferred that the motherboard NOT have gone out, but I'm so thankful that it was repaired so quickly. And I'll say it again... Thank goodness for warranties! LOL!

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone! I hope that Santa brings you everything that you deserve. Or at least a little of what you desire.
;-)

.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Annie Update

Good morning everyone! It's a cool, dreary, rainy day here in north Georgia. I swear it never seems to stop raining here these days. I *think* we had a few hours of sunshine one day last week, but my mood was so dreary that I hardly noticed.

Well, as I sit here typing this, my beloved Annie is now in Houston, Texas. Very far from home. So now that they have Annie, it will be 5-8 business days for them to fix her and send her back home to me. I'm still being caustiously optimistic that she'll come back with all my files safe and sound. I really, really, REALLY do not want to rewrite the entire manuscript for Time For Death. I wasn't even finished with it, but it was getting close.

On another topic... With just over a week until Christmas, I've already been bombarded by the chants and pleading of, "Can I open my present? Please let me open my present! I can't wait another week to open my present!" And those are just from Tim!!! LOL! He's a 32 year old child! LOL.

The girls only have 4 days of school this week, meaning that they'll be home with me Friday when I'm having to do my last minute Christmas dinner shopping. UGH! I don't know why they couldn't keep then in school for Friday too. LOL! They will be out until January 6th. I'll be finding white hairs before they go back. LOL.

Okay then. That's all for today. I'm off to watch the Prison Break from last night that's sitting in my DVR and obsess over how soon Annie will come home. Have a great day, where ever you are!

.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Morning Ya'll!

Yes I used ya'll up there. Did you forget that I'm a Georgia gal? LOL!

I thought I'd stop in while the little ne is eating her bowl of oatmeal and before I have to start a hectic day of errands. I have to go drop Annie off at the FedEx office since it was too late in the day for her to go out yesterday after I picked the girls up at school. So there was really no point in me making a trip to the next town when it wouldn't go out until today anyway. And I'm always over there on Fridays anyway.

So Annie will be leaving on her journey to a new her! No, she's not my only internet access, Sabre! I'd be in utter hell if I didn't have any access at all. UGH! No, I have a 5 yr old HP desktop (which I'm on right now) that still holds up, albeit a little slowly. I'm just not online as much with it because I hate sitting at the desk all day. At least with Annie I could just pick her up and go to the bedroom, or plop her down on the kitchen counter while I cook, or just curl up in the corner of the couch and chat with friends. It's kind of hard to do that on the old desktop. LOL!

Aw well. I'm more resigned to the fact that this is just one of those things that I'll have to move past and hope for the best. I documented everything under creation to make sure that Annie comes back safely and repaired. Hopefully all of my stuff will still be in there. I even wrote on the instruction sheet for Dell, "Please, please, please do NOT format the harddrive." Hopefully that's understandable and clear enough for them to know NOT to do that. LOL!

Okay, today's errands are:
  1. FedEx Office
  2. Bank Deposit
  3. Buy Groceries
  4. Get Gas
  5. Go to the Post Office
  6. Buy a gift for my sister's boyfriend (I forgot about him last week. Oops!)

And I have to get all of that done before noon; preferrably before 11am. Then after I pick the girls up a school at 2:30 (after sitting in line for an hour), I need to get home in a hurry, have the oldest clean up and change clothes and have her over at the 4-H office by 4pm. She's going on a "field trip" to a big Christmas play/show in Chattanooga and won't be back until nearly midnight tonight. Hopefully I can convince Tim to go pick her up when it's time. LOL!

Of course I'd already be out on the road if little miss would hurry up with the blasted oatmeal. Now my stomach is growling, so maybe I should eat something too. I'll be fnished before her, I'm sure. LOL!!

I hope you all have a fabulous Friday and enjoy your weekend. :-)

.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Update about yesterday

Well, you all know that I had a hell of a day yesterday. Luckily, even though it's still pouring down ran here, today seems to be a bit better.

I talked to Dell tech support yesterday, did all the tests they asked me to, and it was determined that the laptop's motherboard has gone bad and needs to be replaced. Sooooo, they are sending me a box to ship the laptop to them in and then it'll be 5-8 buisness days after they receive it to fix and return it to me. So basically, I'm looking about 2 weeks without my baby. *Sniff, Sniff*

I'm hoping that all of my files will return in perfect condition since the problem is just the motherboard and not the harddrive. My computer savvy friends (or their husands) have said that my information *should* be safe. We'll see in 2 weeks.

In the past 6 months with my laptop--who we'll call Annie--I've been more productive, more accessible, happier, busier, and all around a better writer. Yes, you guessed it, I'm addicted to Annie and HATE having to sit at the desktop computer now. Annie makes working in bed much easier than the old, slow, 6 year old HP sitting in front of me right now. Blah!

Farewell Annie! Hopefully you'll return happier and healthier than you are now. And fingers crossed that all of my files will still be intact when you return to my lap. :-)

As for the van, Tim came home from work and fixed it for me. The stupid belt use to slip off anytime I hit a puddle of water, but Tim replaced the tensioner and that hadn't happened in about 3 years... until yesterday. UGH! It's a '97 Dodge Grand Caravan that's about to hit 180K miles. I'm thinking it's about time for a new one. It's been a good one, but I'm tired of it and it keeps needing more and more work over the year. Yep, time for something else so poor Sally (the van) can rest. LOL!

Okay, that's it for today. I'm off to watch a Mickey Mouse Christmas Carol with the 3 year old on this rainy, dreary day, and wait for the FedEx guy to show up with my Dell shipping box. *Sniff, Sniff*

.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Having a bad day

Yes, it's only 8:30 in the morning, but I've already had a day's worth of crap all around me! I'm so mad, so disappointed, and so upset that I could cry. Well, actually I've already done that.

Last night my brand new, six month old, Dell laptop--the one that contains my whole life--shut down without warning and will not come back on. I've done everything I know to do, and even everything the Dell website says to do. Nothing has worked.

And yes, for those of you wondering, the entire manuscript for Time For Death is trapped in there. Family pictures, hundreds of favorite links, all my friends' email addresses, music, two e-books I've been waiting to find the time to read... all of it in there with no way to access it.

I'm just devastated at the moment. On the upside, Time For Death is so fresh in my mind that I can rewrite it with little difficulty. It won't be word for word, of course, but if the need arises then that's what I'll do. That's just a lot of work.

Anyway, I have a ticket into Dell Tech Suppot, but if have to send it in to be serviced who knows when I'll get it back. :-(

And as if all that wasn't bad enough, it's been storming so bad all night that the road in front of the girls' school was flooded just enough to knock the belt off my van this morning. I had to send the girls off across the school's parking lot with a umbrella while I attempted to make it home with no power steering and the van running solely off the battery. Thank goodness for a great battery and living only 5 minutes away from school.

You really find out just how strong you are when you have to steer a van with no power steering.

I'm having a bad day. Tim is on his way home from work to save me from it, but I doubt even he can help with more than just the van. I'm now in the most sour mood I've been in in a long time. Heaven help anyone who crosses me today.

.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Nine days and counting....

The big girls only have nine days of school left before being let out for Christmas and New Year's. ACK! I'm not sure if I should be excited for Christmas, for the fact that the holidays are almost over, or if I should be terrified of the fact that all of the kids will be home for weeks. LOL!

I love the holiday season. Or maybe it's that I love the thought of the holiday season. However, this time of the year is so busy, so stressful, so, so... just SO! I definitely have more headaches during this time of the year, but I enjoy seeing the girls excited and happy. I like watching the lights twinkle on the Christmas tree late at night when there are no other lights on in the house. I like the smell of all the holiday goodies that we don't normally make any other time of the year.

With that said, come January 1st, I'm always soooooo happy that it's all over!

Between now and the end of January I have Christmas Eve Day (2 different family gatherings), Christmas Eve night with the kids, Christmas Day lunch (which I'll be preparing), my oldest daughter's 12th birthday on the 30th, New Year's, my birthday, and my youngest daughter's 4th birthday. December 18th is my mom's birthday, as well as the older girls' last day of school until next month.

Next month will also include the girls' 6 month dental checkup, yearly checkup at the pediatrician, and my oldest will be getting the braces we postponed from October.

Is it time for summer vacation yet??? LOL!

I just want to lock myself away in a room with nothing and no one except me and my laptop. Just for a day or two. Please? Can't I? Ah, come on! It's not fair! *Stomps foot childishly*

Well, alright then. I'll just go back to work, pop two more Excedrin Migraine pills, and get ready to go pick the girls up at school as my youngest throws a fit because she wants to watch Dora a little longer. Joy, joy!

.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

The last of Thanksgiving.

Today the last of the leftovers from last week's Thanksgiving feast exited my refigerator. The turkey was gone last Friday, but a few goodies still lingered. I'm glad they're gone, and before they started smelling bad. LOL! It won't be long before the Christmas leftovers will be hanging out in there!

Yesterday I finally forced the kids to sit still for a few minutes so I could take pictures for this year's holiday card. I decided not to do a whole famil thing this year--I just wasn't feeling it. So it's just the kids this time.

After about twenty pictures and numerous "sit up straight" comments, this one turned out to be my favorite...



So this morning I finally placed the late order for our cards. Luckily I'll be picking them up at the local CVS rather than waiting on them to arrive in the mail and then trying to send them out on time. Usually I'm already mailing cards out by now. For some reason I'm running behind this year though.


Well, it appears that I'm back to abut 99% healthy now. I still have a little cough, but that's tolerable for now. I hate getting sick. Some people can just bounce right back and keep going--not I! It takes days of feeling rough before I even start to feel human again. And I hate taking meds. So if you see me taking anything I must be feeling pretty darn bad.


Now that I'm feeling better I'm starting to look forward to Christmas. This year I'm making he hubby pick out my gift all by himself. In all the years we've been married, he's only chosen my gift alone on our first Christmas. After that it was always me pointing and saying, "I want that." Not this year. I want to be surpised. I want to see if he knows as much about me after 15 yrs as I know about him. I can already tell that he's having trouble as he keeps whining about needing hints or a list. LOL! Poor guy. I torture him so. LOL!


Alrighty, I'm off to fold some laundry and compile a Christmas card list. Hav a fabulous Wednesday!

.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Welcome to December!

Wow, here we are in the last month of 2008. This year has gone by very quickly. So many things to look back on, and even more to look forward to in 2009.

I'm happy to say that I'm feeling much, much better this week. I finished up NaNoWriMo last week and am taking it easy this week. I have a tendency to run myself down and then have to take a little time off to recoup. It's when I'm hit with a sickness that really forces me to take a step back. So this week will be spent just rummaging around the house performing small, menial duties.

Since it's a new month, most of you know to expect my monthly newsletter this week. Sure enough, it's scheduled and ready to go out first thing Wednesday morning. If you aren't yet subscribed and would like to be, there's still time. Just click the newsletter link at the top of the page and it'll take you straight to the sign-up page. :-)

Alright, that's it from me today. I think I'll go clean my laundry room. It's the one room in the house that's always used and abused, but very seldom cleaned. LOL!

Happy December 1st to all of you!

.