Panic not!

For all the people who've inquired ... yes, in some form or another, almost all of Alexandra's photos have been saved. I'm missing about 3 days' worth. Yeah. That's it. Call it a miracle. Call it my compulsiveness. I'm just happy. And tomorrow I may get those 3 days' worth back, too. Booyah!

Computer fried

Well, my computer fried very early the morning of the 22nd, so although I've been keeping current with my pages, I've had time for very little else, like puzzling out how to upload things to my husband's computer. Lucky for you, dear readers, I had already uploaded pages 14 & 16, so I'll share those with you now:





It seems like both the mixes and the ornaments were a big hit...and the jams we've made 3 years running are now becoming a bit of a staple, so I think we're expected to continue those!

Until I can get the computer fixed or replaced ... or figure out how to get the printer installed (it has ports for the camera card) ... or find the cable for the camera, I'm limited to what I can do with my phone. To tide you over, here are a few pictures from Christmas Cuteness:







Wish me luck!

Where did the week go?

Oh, yeah ... I know. Cleaning up from Cookie Day. Distributing cookies. Packing away the gear we use only once a year. Rearranging furniture in 3 different rooms. Sending out the last few Christmas cards. Working. Caring for Alexandra. It's all coming back to me, now. I also have been able to stay pretty current with my JYC pages, just not having much luck getting time to photograph them, upload them to the computer, crop, and then upload to the web to share. But now, during some quiet moments, here I am!

The page on the 11th was sorta about Christmas trees ... or at least about Alexandra helping decorate ours.



And rather than write about Christmas Past, let's write about Cookie Day Present!



And no comment on Christmas Music ... much more fun to show Alexandra holding this year's Christmas Journal while sitting at my scrapping table!



The 14th is about Alexandra being patient while we made a LOT of homemade gifts. I don't want to post it for fear that some recipients will SEE what we made! You'll have to wait.

*grin*

And I've written a lot in the last 5 years about visitors ... so I'd rather comment on Alexandra's continued fascination with the tree & include the tag that was on the tree when we bought it.



The 16th is on a subject that would also reveal some gifts ... so you'll have to wait for that one, too, until after the 25th. *grin* Alexandra was an active participant in that one, too, not just a mere patiently-waiting-and-entertaining-self- baby!

I switched the topics for the 16th and 17th, inadvertently, so the 17th is now about Christmas Gratitude. It should've been about the Perfect Gift, which would've fit just fine, too. *grin*



I'm feeling a lot of happiness right now, let me tell you. I read through entries from my adoption/baby journal from the beginning of 2010 until just recently. Profound life changes & more joy than I can accurately convey through the written word.

The journal continues ...

I've actually been managing to do a page every day or 2 pages every other day (bless you, my little angel!), but actually photographing them in decent light, uploading them, and then posting ... well, that's a whole 'nother story!

I'm going off-topic a lot ... 'cause I want to capture little moments and "firsts", like her first encounter with Christmas tree lights



And my "sight of the season" is Alexandra in her first holiday sweater:



Resurrected tradition ... a visit to Santa*



Another off-the-rails page ... just can't have enough pics of cute Alexandra in my album.


Okay ... pages 11 (yesterday) and 12 (today), MIGHT get done tonight ... but we have to pack up everything from Cookie Day, plus move furniture, so, yeah ... maybe not. That's okay. We're having loads of fun!


*okay, I snuck to Santa's house last year & left a letter in the mailbox, asking for a baby for Christmas ... but I didn't sit on his lap, so that doesn't count!

Let the journal begin!

I've begun my 6th Journal Your Christmas project.



This year, we have so much to celebrate.


I'm sure to no one's surprise, it's dedicated to my Alexandra.


One of favorite entries is day #2.


I used one of the Christmas cards I made for the 3rd daily entry.


When asked to journal about what would make a Christmas perfect, the answer was short & sweet.


I am going a bit off-topic from the prompts, but I'm enjoying documenting other things instead.


Here's another off-topic page ... but I couldn't resist.


I actually did entries 7 & 8 this evening, so I'm caught up ... but will have to wait to photograph them at a later date. Busy, busy, busy ... Cookie Day is only 3 days away!!

When did it get to be time to start Journal Your Christmas?

Been looking forward to doing this particular year's Journal Your Christmas since I started the album for 2008!!! Now, just to carve out the time to do it! Wish me luck! I'm already feeling frayed at the edges with life changes that have nothing to do with the holidays or Alexandra!

She is not leaving without a fight

So, my car. My car's been with me for over 18 years. She's performed admirably. Sticker price was $9,995 and she is worth every cent. Now, however, it's time to let her go. I don't want to. I have some unnatural attachment. Apparently so does she.


I listed her for sale on Craiglist a few days ago, feeling somewhat like a traitor. I mentioned this & was teased. My reply? "Just wait until we actually try to sell her."

She's been reliable & wonderful for almost 2 decades. But now, she needs more work than I'm willing to invest. She needs a new windshield wiper assembly ($200 part), first and foremost. New brakes and tires would be on the list for next summer. A serpentine belt is also probably on the horizon. Essentially, if I am willing to invest $1,000 of parts and labor, she'd be in tip-top shape. We don't have the $1,000, and if I had $1,000, I have several other places it'd make more sense to invest it.

When we purchased our other car, it was with the understanding that buying one mid-sized vehicle, we'd eventually go down to 1 car. We both work less than 10 minutes from home. Now that my office has moved, my work is actually on the way to DH's work. Heck, I could walk it if I wanted to dodge some traffic on a busy street for a block or so.

So, for every reason I can name, it's time to get rid of her. So, a lady contacted me yesterday & we talked this afternoon. She wanted the car today. TODAY. Dang. Okay. She arranges for a ride ... and then everything goes downhill.

(1) I can't find the key to the lockbox that houses important papers, like, oh, the title to the car. Eventually I find the keys (in a very odd place, mind you, NOT where I would've said I ALWAYS keep them), so we're good to go.
(2) She has difficulty cashing the money order she has (I told her I would only accept cash). She has to speak to a manager, etc., and is delayed in getting to me by almost 2 hours.
(3) Just before she's supposed to arrive, I go to move the car from the garage to the driveway (keep in mind I've not driven it more than 11 miles in the last 3 weeks) ... and the battery is dead. DH gives me a jump start & I lap the block a few times to make sure it charges up.
(4) She finally gets here with cash, the battery is reasonably charged up, I've made sure there's enough gas to get her home (she lives 26 miles away), I've found the title and read the directions, and ...







she doesn't drive stick.




*face palm*




I clearly listed that in the Craigslist ad. *deep sigh* So ... I've resolved to take her to a mechanic who's expressed an interest, and quoted me a price. I'm just not telling her. If I can set up a time, I'm not mentioning any of this in front of her. I'll just tell her I'm taking her out for a well-deserved joy ride.

Why does it feel like I'm taking a friend out into the woods with a sordid plan involving me coming back alone?