Welcome Back, Dear Friend

A couple of weeks ago, our computer decided to die on us. I was freaking out, hoping that we wouldn't lose all of our pictures because I am a lazy sucker and haven't backed anything up yet. (Yes, I have learned my lesson and I will be backing everything up now!)

To make a long story short, we called a few different people and didn't know what to do about the dumb thing. I knew I wanted to try to get it fixed to save pictures and my iTunes stuff. My sanity would be shot without my dear iPod. :) Our good friend let us use his laptop in the meantime so that I wasn't completely shut off from the rest of the world (thank you SOOOO much, Jeremy) and it was Jeremy who talked to a guy at Staples about our computer. He said he happened to work on our specific computer a lot and that he would look at it. So we took it in to take a stab at it.

Okay, our original plan was to buy a laptop (approx. $550) and send the tower away to be fixed at HP ($200.) We had our computer at Staples for two days, and the guy gave it a tune up and said he couldn't find anything wrong with it and charged us $14.99. He seriously spent some time on the darn thing and said that if it acts up again, we can bring it back in and he will look at it again, but it should be fine. So far, so good. It is running like new. We were ready to spend about $800 on computer crap, but we got away with $14.99! What a deal! And we didn't' lose anything on this computer! I am so excited! Now I know why they say, "Staples, that was easy."

Now, I can breathe a sigh of relief and get back to my normal life. I can blog again! (Okay, I could have with Jeremy's computer too, but I was so afraid to screw up his computer!)

My life can get back to normal again....Well, after tomorrow it can. We have Rylee's baptism tomorrow, and she can't wait! So stay tuned for pictures!!!

Happy Birthday To Our Sweet Girl

I cannot believe that Rylee has turned eight. She is thinking that she is so big now. She HAD to have this dress for her birthday. She wanted it for Christmas, but I already had her Christmas dress picked out, so we got it for her birthday. She LOVES it. As soon as she put it on, the twirling started. You know that your little girl is still somewhat little when she still likes to twirl.

She was so excited for her birthday today and just had to get dressed up in her fancy new dress that she got. She decided how she wanted her hair and woke up in plenty of time to get all pretty and open her presents before school. We put her hair in curlers, painted her nails, got her dressed in her pretty new dress, and she was all primped and pretty for school.

And, she had plenty of time for pictures, of course. Here are a few of the favorites.

She is so proud of her "dangly" earrings. That's why we took this picture:

She was all smiles before school (well as much as she dared smile with that adorable toothy grin!) I can't believe that I have an eight year old. I couldn't be more proud of her. She is such a good kid and she is so excited to be baptized in a couple of weeks.

We love you, Rylee! Have a happy birthday, sweetie!

Her Creative Juices Are Flowing!!!

Lately, Rylee has been on a major creative kick! She will color and draw, play play doh, make posters, write in her journal, sing songs, write stories...anything creative lately.

Here are a couple of the recent creations:

She made a boy and a girl out of play doh that she got for Christmas. I was amazed at the detail that she thought to put on her creations.

And it has rubbed off onto her sister too. Lana now likes to create play doh people.




Another thing that Rylee has created is a song. She LOVES the guitar that she got for Christmas and she has been singing away with that thing. On Sunday night, she put on a little show for our family and my sister's family. If I would have known how stinking cute it was going to be I would have recorded it. I need to have her sing her song again so I can record it.



Anyway, she wrote this little song and these are the lyrics, written exactly as she wrote them (because I think the punctuation and spelling are so endearing!)


Mabie I'm too yung. Mabie I don't fit the job well. But I can still be...a little rock star. Case theres no rule theres no law. I can do what I think is cool. So I can still be a little rock star. It doesn't matter if I don't sing in shows. I can at least sing for one person. Or even my hole family. Case there is no rule there is no law. I can do what I think is cool. So I can still be...a little rock star. I could show evry one what it's all about. Of being a rock star. Just think about it having your own band. It would be as good as it can be. I would love to be...A little rock star case there is no rule there is no law. I can do what I think is cool. Mabie I'm too yung. Mabie I don't fit the job well. But I can still be...a little rock star.


Now tell me that is not too dang cute! I love that girl and her little creative personality. I'm glad she inherited that gene. I have no idea where she got it, but I hope it grows and flourishes as she grows up. I wish I could do what she does. She amazes me all the time. Her current goal is to write a book and illustrate it and find a publisher. Maybe instead of being a "little rock star" she could be a famous children's author! ;) Stay tuned...