Technical Difficulties

Last weekend, I was preparing to do a big software update on my iMac. I've been having trouble lately with my computer and it was suggested I needed a really good clean out and the latest update.  I had just completed my phone back up and update and opened my iPhoto's to get ready to back them up on my external hard drive. 

Then this happened. 

My photo library was empty. Before everyone yells at me. I promise. I DID have most of them saved. However, I use my iPhoto library as a "way station" before making decisions on deletion, organization, and storage of the photos.

It was the simple nagging feeling of "What did I not save? What might I have missed?" that had me panicked to the hilt.

After countless hours and days on the phone with Apple. We finally found them. It stumped even them, which validates my assertion that I wasn't crazy. 

126.74 GB equals three years or 30,0000+ photos. Family photos. Blog photos. Tutorials. Patterns. 

Scary. 

Now I'm trying to recover them, organize and save them properly.   Manage my new software. Update other software to work with the new software. Fun times. 

My point?  I've been getting a lot of requests for my patterns and tutorials that I've promised. I've been working on all of them congruently, so they could all have a cohesiveness. However, with my newest set back, I'm behind once again. 

This is my post saying. Please be patient. I'm trying really hard. Demands on me for my oldest son's college application process, my second son's preparations for high school entrance exams and applications, my third son's school struggles with his severe dyslexia, and my sweet Button's separation anxiety are drowning me this school year.

However, I keep saying this to myself. 

"The greater part of happiness depends on our disposition not our circumstance" ~Martha Washington.  

I am trying to be optimistic!

~Heidi

Magical

Magical is the only word that comes to mind for our family trip to Disney World.

I could make a super long post, but I will try to be brief....

Ahh, forget it...I tried...it didn't happen!  

But I promise some super cute photos!!!

Day One:  Road Trip

It was my birthday and Mr. Boss knew I was not finished with my Mickey quilt for the trip.  He gave me 2 hours to get it to it's "binding" stage...and I did it!  After picking up the boys from school and eating some dinner, I was hand sewing my binding in the car that evening! 

Oh...and we drove because Mr. Boss booked our trip exactly 5.5 weeks ago and plane tickets costs for six of us on a short notice?  

Yikes!!!

Day Two: Saturday Evening

We finally arrived to Orlando, Florida!  Button decided to make friends with a marble column in the lobby of the Grand Floridian where we were staying.

  The one the arrow is pointing to be exact!  He is SO lucky that for some reason, he only dinged his head.  It had a sharp corner at the bottom that he fell straight forward on. Visions of CT scans and a few days in the hospital for a skull fracture danced in my head. 

EMS was called...great....and he managed to only need some tender loving care and also received a stuffed Mickey Mouse with a matching band-aid from the resort employees to get him to smile and stop screaming...he was scaring all the other guests.  No one is allowed to cry at Disney!

Day Three:  Sunday

We decided to use our Disney apps.  We actually listened and went against all of our usual instincts to go to the Magical Kingdom, but instead, headed to Hollywood Studios.  

Watching his reactions on the Toy Story ride and seeing him light up during the Disney Jr. how was amazing.  

Hurry Josh...pick me up so I can get closer!

Seeing him light up like a Christmas tree when he first met Mickey?

Priceless.

Mickey Quilt use #1:  Naptime.  A great pillow!

Mickey Quilt use #2: Fantasmic show spectators.

  It was freezing, but we were all wrapped up and warm!

Day Four: Monday

FINALLY...Magic Kingdom.

  The boys were true sports and weathered all the "baby" rides...Peter Pan, It's a Small World, Pooh Bear, Dumbo...and a visit to see Goofy, Donald, Daisy, and Minnie.

Kisses to be had for all. 

 Yes...he is KISSING Minnie!!

 I think the characters loved Button more than he loves them!  They had such a hard time moving on to the next groups.  He would do his little sweet "bye" to them and they would run over to him again!

__________________________

After some Big boy ride fun...

We headed to the Animal Kingdom when the afternoon crowds became heavy!  

 I HIGHLY recommend you get the park hopper passes so you can hop around in one day like we do ALL the time!

We have been on the Safari trip many a time, but due to the cooler weather...the animals were incredible!!

I will seriously consider going to Disney in cool weather again.  

The animals seem to hide in the shade when it is hot in the past!!!

Afterwards?  Off to Downtown Disney for some dinner and Lego store fun!

Mickey Quilt use #3: Naptime again!

Mickey Quilt use #4:  Wrap up sleeping baby on the bus ride home. (no picture)

Day Five: Tuesday

A slow start.  We decided to get out of bed slowly...enjoy a nice breakfast at the hotel.  Arrived to the Magic Kingdom.  Boy...it was crowded...but we managed to get some rides in! 

Since we were rested?

We spent time making it to the various shows and also decided to park a spot for the Electric parade at night.   I swear that some of those floats are the same ones I saw 31 years ago for the first time.  

Mickey Quilt Use #5 and #6:  Holding your spot on the curb and keeping warm in the late night. (Mr. Boss has the photos hostage on his phone)

Day Six: Wednesday

Magic Kingdom.  

We hit the park earlier in anticipation of heavy crowds. We mastered managing the Fast Pass system and making full use of the Walt Disney World "Line" apps. Of course, we had to see Mickey one more time.

He needed a lot of hugs, kisses, and hi fives!

Tigger and Poo!

Do you just LOVE this as much as I do?

Day Seven: Thursday  

Turkey Day!  

Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. According to all websites and apps, the Magic Kingdom and Epcot were off limits for us due to crowds.  We re-rode all of our favorite rides.

The safari ride proved to be amazing AGAIN!

Dinner?  Snow Crab Legs in Downtown Disney.  Yum! It was the best Thanksgiving so far.

Family, family, family.  I am so thankful for them!

We were sad to head to the hotel to pack...but we knew we were getting up super early

Day Eight: Friday

Road Trip!

  I woke up in the middle of the night Friday and shouted loud enough to wake Mr. Boss.

  "We only stopped FOUR times today!" 

 16 hours driving and only stopped four times?  My boys ROCK!

If you are still here reading?  

I promise....I WILL give you quilting eye candy! 

I will be sharing the Mickey quilt stats...a post is in the works!!!!!!

Packed Up

I am super excited!

It is SCRAPBOOK RETREAT time!!!!!!

The only two problems?

image via instagram: Buttons and Butterflies

I think I overpacked.

Again.

And Button is on a rampage.

Image via Instagram:  Buttons and Butterflies

He is looking for his "ba-bas".  

We are finally making him go cold turkey since we found a cup he will drink milk out of.

Pray for Mr. Boss this weekend.

He is going to need it.

Random

I found this picture today on my Facebook and had to share! 

 Bunny and I were messing around with some effects last spring.  

I think we played with it for almost an hour.

Go play with your photo booth if you have an iMac or MacBook with a camera.

We think that our third child just might be an alien in disguise.

Instagram

I joined the craze.

The older boys really wanted to join.  I really didn't want to "follow" one more thing. 

But if they join something online?  I do to.

You have to watch them like hawks!

 But I am having a little fun already.  I posted the photo above on Facebook as PROOF to all my friends that don't believe that my house is ever messy or unorganized!

But they still don't believe me.

I guess a 2ft x 3ft area doesn't count?

My Booty

No...not THAT one.  This IS a PG rated blog, you know!

This kind of booty....

Pirate's Cove, Miniature Golf Course, Williamsburg, Virginia

Of the pirate treasure kind!

AAAARGHHHHHH!!!

Jamestown, Virginia, USA

I am feeling a bit "pirate-ish" after downloading about 500+ photos off of my digital camera!  I was even being "stingy" with photos this trip!  Yikes!! I take too many pictures don't I!

Oh...the booty you ask?

A Cross-stitch Shell Cushion kit

Inspired by the design that Martha Washington loved.  Even her China was in the shape of the shell...I saw it at the American History Museum in Washington D.C!!!

I picked the kit up at the Mount Vernon gift shop. I have a VERY special love for Mount Vernon since our home was just down the street for almost five years! I am not sure where this cushion will find a home, but I am sure I will find one!!!

Colonial Williamsburg Scrapbook Paper

I just love picking up great coordinating papers to make a special album!

Amish Quilt Puzzle Block

It is actually not MY booty, but Bunny's.  He couldn't put it down.  He still can't put it down!

It flips around and makes all sorts of different block shapes...more than these photos show. It is pretty addictive to flip it and see a different quilt at every turn!

Colonial Williamsburg Fat Quarter Bundle

 

I can't tell you how EXCITED I am about this bundle.  I found it at a shop called Craft House in Merchant's Square at Colonial Williamsburg.  

Photo from Craft House website.

I remember drooling in there about 15 years ago when we were on a VERY tight budget.  

This time, I was ready to shop!

There was a small, but pretty great selection of cross-stitch kits and fabric bundles and quilt pattern kits.  I hemmed and hawwed and picked the bundle up above.  The shop assistant informed me that I could get free patterns at Windham Fabrics website.

I didn't know much about the Windham Fabrics, so I googled it when we got back to our hotel.  I found that they made special lines for Williamsburg and the bundle I had picked was the New Town Farm collection.

New Town Farm by Windham Fabrics (Mosaic by me)

I was even more excited when I realized that not only did I have ALL 52 fabrics above in the bundle, but they whole line was archived.  It made the cost much more of a deal when I found that out!

The line has a free pattern, but I want to make sure that I utilize ALL of the fabrics, so I am actually thinking about adapting this pattern.

A new pattern offered by Moda Bake Shop.  It seemed timely that it showed up while I was on the hunt!

  It is called the American Banner Rose by Minick and Simpson. Go and get it HERE.

My goal is to have something done by NEXT Fourth of July!!!!!!!

Oh...and I apologize for the near future...I took a million photos...and well, you know....

I have to share, don't I?

My iMac is Sick

I never imagined that I would be so sad. I really have fallen in love with it this past year! If you asked me a year ago when we bought it, I had complete opposite feelings!

I am also a bit mad at myself. I haven't been backing up. You would think I would have learned three years ago when I almost lost a year and a half's worth of pictures. I had three hard drives crash in the span of three months. Two were my laptop and the other? My external drive.

Luckily my tech saved the day!!!

I vowed to always backup on discs and external drive AND shop for a really good online storage site.

I broke my vow. I last backed up since mid-February. I am trying not to lose my cool, but the thought of all the patterns I have purchased, the photos that have been downloaded, and the embroidery and quilt patterns I have designed being completely gone is overwhelming.

I am off to the Apple store tomorrow morning. Please wish me luck that they can save the files I need because all my software has to be reinstalled.

The only silver lining is I know I have March photos in our family album thanks to my last retreat.

And this blog. It might actually be the only place I will be able to print photos of Easter and Bunny's birthday for my family album if tomorrow doesn't go well.

And thank goodness for the blogger app on my iPhone. My formatting will be different, but at least I can lament my not really important woes right here at my favorite place!

Oh. And I hope you can take at least one lesson away from this post.

Get off the Internet and backup your computer, okay?

Quilts? Crafts?

What are those?

The boys had their last day of school on Thursday. I threw a pre-party, birthday party, and post-party sleepover that day.

All I have been doing since Friday is a lot of staring up at the sky.

Or peeking out of my closed eyes to spy some spots of color.

Contemplating the patterns of the leaves.

Finishing the last 900+ pages of the expanded version of The Stand.

  (I just read my first Stephen King novel...wooohooo!)

Oh...and I can't forget the visits from my little man!

It was wonderful!

The temperature is rising here in Houston (I think about 93 degrees yesterday?), but the breeze has been oh so nice!

I've decided to go back for some more....

There is only so much longer that I can enjoy it....

I can "feel" the humidity creeping its fingers slowly towards our neck of the woods.....

Crafts, Quilting, Home Decorating?

They can wait!

Alert!

the enemy is sneakier than I thought....

The platoon sent in their strongest weapon....

So much for the baby safety locks I put on my drawers Sunday.

I underestimated them...didn't the OPORD say that I should never underestimate the enemy?

I didn't take into account that he could still access my stuff through the sides....
Not my finest moment!

 

The fight continues!

Pray for me...