Johnsons' Journey

So… Joe called Thomas, our “PC repair man”. Joe explained everything that this ole laptop was doing. Thomas told Joe to have me remove my Norton and install Microsoft Security Essentials… So I did, and guess what… My computer hasn’t frozen since! Yay!!!!!!!

Weird thing is, I’ve had Norton on my computer for a long time, and I’ve never had a problem with it before… Why should it be causing problems now? Strange.

I took Norton off the boys’ computers too. I’ve actually haven’t been able to get Norton working on Josh’s computer at all, and when I installed and ran the MSE on it, it found quite a few bad viruses!! Not good!! They were things like Trojans, and most of them said severe. Strange that his computer wasn’t freezing up! Oh well, they are all gone now, thanks to this new virus program… It works better than Norton, and it’s FREE. Gotta love that!

Well, it’s about time to leave for the boys’ bowling league… I’ll catch up with ya’ll later and fill you in on today’s bowling and last nights’ ballet recital… See ya!

My computer is acting up AGAIN… I think I have pretty much run this thing into the ground… I am hoping that it will hold on for 2 more months, as Joe has promised me a new desktop with tax returns…

Anyway, the entire system keeps freezing up on me. Sometimes it will last 20 minutes, sometimes 2 minutes…. I’ve run a virus scan, and it comes up clean. I did a disk clean-up, and I’ve tried defragging, but it won’t go all the way through it without freezing up. So annoying… So, if I end up MIA, then we’ve taken it to our PC repair man.

I do have a little something scheduled to come out on the 20th, and something on the 25th…

If I don’t see you before then… MERRY CHRISTMAS!

This will be just a quickie… We haven’t been doing anything exciting, but I did want to drop in and say hello!

Before my story, a few details… Jared’s room is right next to ours, and then the living room is on the other side of his room… Also, the Christmas tree is right next to Jared’s door, with only the wall between his dresser and the tree…

So anyway, for the last two mornings, at around 7 o’clock I’ll be lying in bed, half awake, when I hear this beeping sound coming from the general direction of Jared’s room… First it goes, “beep-beep-beep-beep” for a while, then it goes, “beepbeep-beepbeep-beepbeep-”, and then after a minute or so it does it really fast, “beepbeepbeepbeep”, and then it stops…

Yesterday it did it and Jared came to me and said that something under the tree was beeping. I told him that it wasn’t any of the presents and that it must be his stop watch…. Last night the kids slept in the living room (lots of wind last night), and Jared heard it again. He INSISTS that it couldn’t possibly be his stop watch (it IS his stop watch *lol*). He says that his stop watch is in his dresser, all tucked in with his clothes and that you can’t hear it if it goes off… I again told him that it couldn’t possibly be any of the presents, as none of them would beep like that. So you know what he says, “I think someone hid a bomb inside one of the things that you THINK you got us, and when we open the present the bomb will go off.”

I think he’s been watching too many episodes of Chuck…

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Whew! It’s SO NICE to be back online, and with my computer! I was lost without it! *lol*

Joe took it to work with him early Saturday morning (before I woke up), and I was figuring that Thomas would work on it on Saturday evening, and I would get it back on Sunday, when Joe came home from work.

You should have seen me pouting when Joe came home empty handed. (And I even looked worse on Monday evening. *lol*)

I guess it takes two hours alone, just to take the laptop apart, to be able to get to the fan… So on Sunday evening he took it apart, and saw that the fan was really dirty. He figured that was the reason it was making the noise, so he cleaned it off and put the computer back together (which took another 2 hours)… Then he turned the computer on, and it was still making the noise… When Joe called him yesterday, Thomas told Joe that he hadn’t had a chance to take it apart again, and he wouldn’t be able to until this weekend… Joe knew I would never last that long. so he told him that he would just come pick it up. *lol*

I will be getting a new desktop computer in February (with tax returns), so Joe just wants to wait until then and have Thomas look at it after that… Then we’ll be giving it to Alicia.

I’d already decided that I would never buy enough laptop (and Joe agrees), but Thomas did tell Joe that laptops aren’t meant to be used as much as I use mine. *lol* … So a desktop it is for me!

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Today I feel AWESOME
Reading: “Believing the Dream” By Lauraine Snelling
Today it is currently partially cloudy and 58º

Last night I noticed that my computer was making these funny noises. It almost sounded like it was working harder than usual… And having a hard time of it too. Now I already had guessed that the high speed internet was probably too much for my poor old computer, so I thought I’d better reboot and leave it alone for the night… Maybe it just needed some rest… So I rebooted, and when everything reloaded, the computer completely froze up. I thought, Oh no! So I manually shut it down again (couldn’t do it on the computer, as it was froze solid), and when it reloaded, it froze again. So I then shut it down manually again, and before I started it back up, I unplugged the internet. This time it loaded as it should, and didn’t freeze….

… Now what? Should I just get rid of the high speed internet? It obviously wasn’t compatible with my beast of a computer….. But I HATED the thought of that!…

… So, today, Joe broke down and bought me a new computer!!!

And it’s an awesome one at that!!! It blows my other one right out of the water. It’s not a laptop, like I would have loved to have (we can’t afford that), but for less than half the price of the laptop, I actually got more computer. Anyway, I got an:

HP Pavilion with a pentium 4 processor.
512 MB DDR-SDRRAM
200 GB hard drive
DVD+R dual layer/DVD+/-RW w/ LightScribe technology and CD-ROM drives
9-in-1 memory card reader
15? LCD monitor
HP Deskjet color printer

I didn’t need a new printer, but it was part of the package deal. If we would have bought everything separately, without the printer, it would have cost more than the package. So the printer is still sitting in the box. I like the one I have better, because it’s a 3-in-1, and I use the copy machine ALL THE TIME for school. But the new printer prints to the outer edge, which would be nice if I ever wanted to dabble in digital scrapbooking.

It’s going to take me a while to get used to Windows XP. I had my other computer for 5 years, and have used Windows 98 the whole time. Everything is VERY different in XP!… Oh, and when I plugged in my old printer (got it in 2003), I didn’t even have to use the disk to install it. It installed all by itself. I don’t know if that’s because it’s an HP too, or because it was made to go with XP… Who knows, but it’s very cool.

I also LOVE the fact that this computer has a card reader. No more unplugging the CD writer, to get the camera plugged in, to get pictures off the camera. Now I can just plug the card right in. That is VERY cool!

I’m not sure what to do with my old CD writer. I was kind of hoping that I could use it with this computer. Hoping that it would be compatible, and that I could have two writers… But this computer doesn’t have a floppy drive. (That must be a thing of the past?) Anyway, the drivers for the external CD writer are on a floppy disk. So, so much for that.

Well, off to try and get things organized on the hard drive. Fun, fun, fun!

Oh, by the way, my connection speed is now at 398 How sweet is that!?

Today I feel Just Dandy
Reading: “Believing the Dream” By Lauraine Snelling
Today we had rain showers and it’s 54º

If all goes well this week, it will be our final week of school for this school year. After the boys are done with lessons on Friday, we’ll be on Summer vacation! Is that awesome or what?! They have been working their tails off, and I am so proud of them!

If my computer where any older, I don’t know if it would handle this cable internet at all! I haven’t had any troubles today, but I had a few last night. Every once in a while, the computer would freeze up for about 30 seconds, and then it would work again. And I also learned something else very important… It’s not a good idea to plug in the digital camera at the same time the cable internet is plugged in (The whole computer froze completely, and I had to shut it down manually)… Not to mention the fact that my computer only has 2 USB ports, and I have 4 things that need to be plugged in. I have the internet (newer computers have a special thing to plug the cable into, but I have to use an adapter for mine to work.), the printer, the external CD writer, and my camera. Since I use both the printer and the CD writer just about daily, it makes it difficult. For now, until I can get an adapter thing, I keep the printer plugged in. When I need to get pictures off the camera, I have to unplug both the internet and the printer, plug in the camera and the CD writer, edit the pictures and burn them onto a disk, then shut down the computer, plug the printer and internet back in, and then turn the computer back on… I would LOVE to have a new computer!

Since I love this wordpress program so much, I’ve made one up for the kid’s blogs. I’ve put all four blogs together into one, and called it “Jungle Kids”. You can see the link over to your right, under “My Other Links”. It will be easier to maintain them all like this.

Well, Amanda is waking up from her nap, so I better run!

Today I feel :| Oh, all right I suppose
Reading: “A Dream to Follow” By Lauraine Snelling
It is currently cloudy and 54º

I’ve been dealing with computer woes. *sighs* On Wednesday evening I picked up a Trojan virus. So I spent Thursday morning, during school, reformatting my computer. I was getting everything re-installed when I remembered that I had loaned my FrontPage disk to my SIL…. And we couldn’t pick it up until Friday evening… I wouldn’t be able to work on my site AT ALL! I couldn’t even post on my blog… Very depressing.

So, since I couldn’t work on my site, I thought I’d bring out my neglected graphics CD and collect some graphics… Only to discover that the disk had become corrupt. *double sigh* I did everything I could think of, and was able to rescue most of the graphics, but I lost ALL my blinkies, and ALL my holiday graphics. (Which include New Years, Valentine’s, St. Patrick’s Day, Mardi Gras, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.) These are from almost 3 years of collecting. I am so bummed, as I won’t be able to recollect all of them. Some of the graphic sites have closed down. Very depressing.

So anyway, since I also lost the wordpad file that had all the URLs and current site passwords on them, I spent last night working on a new list. I have the URLs from most (from an old file on my first graphic disk), but some of the newer sites I’ve found, I don’t have the URL now. But this time I’m keeping the list on my server, and on the disk, so that I won’t lose it.

I’m starting to go back and try to resave some of the graphics I’ve lost. Plus, my SIL gave me some of hers that she had saved…. When I am done working on the list, I may post a copy here, in case some of you may know the URLs that I don’t. I’ll let you know when I do.

Today, thanks to Little House on the Prairie, Jared said that he wished he could earn some money, so that he could buy Christmas presents for people too. So Joe and I told him that he could make some money by doing extra chores around the house. He won’t get paid for his regular chores, just for special ones. Then the three of us together made up a list of chores, and what they would be worth. Here’s what we came up with:

Regular Chores: (On the house! )

Make his bed.
Clean his room.
Fold his own laundry.
Feed the cat.
Vacuum his room.

Extra Chores:

Change a wet diaper = 10 cents
Clip Alicia’s or Josh’s fingernails = 10 cents
Vacuum the living room = 25 cents
Fold a load of towels = 25 cents
Help take out garbage = 25 cents
Clean the front of fridge, stove, & dishwasher = 25 cents
Sweep the patio = 25 cents
Sweep dining room and kitchen = 50 cents
Help wash van = 50 cents
Help clean the bathroom = 50 cents
Bathe Amanda = 50 cents
Wash all windows and window sills (inside only) = $1.00
Clean the fridge (not the freezer, he’s too short) = $1.00
Help in yard = 25 cents to $2.00, depending on job

We told him that he can’t do a ton of stuff every day, because then we would go broke! So we (Jared and us) decided that one or two things a day would be sufficient. Today he gave Amanda a bath. When I gave him some clothes to put on Amanda after the bath, he asked how much that was worth. I told him it was included in the 50 cents for the bath, to which he replies, “You sure don’t pay me much!”… It was so funny!

The cute thing is that he’s already planning on what he wants to buy his brother and sisters for Christmas. So adorable!… He also wants us to pay him every payday, so that he can keep his money in his new Incredibles wallet!

Amanda turned 20 months today. It doesn’t seem possible that in 4 short months she’ll be 2 years old. Where, oh where, does time go. She is saying a ton of new words every day, which is fun. She is starting to be able to ask for things by name, instead of pointing to them. Like when she woke up from her nap, and I was getting her out of bed, she pointed to the crib and said, “Please, banket.” She wanted her quilt, to snuggle in. So cute!

Joe’s parents visited for a couple hours today, and when they left she looked out the front window and said, “Gamma, Gampa, bye bye!”

Oh, and she watched Alicia playing with her dolls all the time. Alicia will put her doll in the stroller, and then hold a bottle in it’s mouth. So today Amanda put her baby in the stroller (backwards! ) and was holding the bottle in it’s mouth too…. So adorable!

Well, I think I’m going to read my reads, and then work on some more graphic stuff. Hope you have a great night, and I’ll see you on the flip side!

Today I feel Content
Reading: “On the Banks of the Bayou” By Roger Lea MacBride
Today it rained some, and had a high of 65º!!! It is now cloudy and 50º
 

Quote of the day:

Alicia: “Mommy, you’re a big girl, so you can have it. I’m a little girl, so I can’t have it.”

Sorry I didn’t post last night. The last couple of weeks my computer has been acting funny, so I thought I would reformat it. It’s been a while, so I guess it was about time. So I spent yesterday evening (after paying the bills) backing up all my important stuff (that I don’t want to lose) onto a CD. Now everything is reinstalled, and seems to be running smoothly… I haven’t reinstalled my fonts yet, but that’s easy enough.

It sure has warmed up since Saturday. I’ve actually gone around the house today in a short sleeve shirt, instead of wearing Joe’s fleece jacket all day like I normally do. It was nice. I wonder how long it will last… I am so a summer kind of girl, and can’t wait for warm weather, and glorious sun shine!!!

I got a really cute video clip of Amanda this evening:

Oh, how I wish I had done this for Alicia too, *sighs* and I wish I had had the digital camera when the boys were babies. It takes so much better pictures, and I don’t have any video clips of them young… Oh well, at least I have lots of video of them from the video camera…. Just can’t share that with you on the computer.

Jared has his first real book assignment in school, with a novel. He read the first chapter today. It’s in his Bible class, and he is reading, “A Question of Yams”. It’s a true story about missionaries…. Anyway, Jared was so excited about reading his “special book”, that he couldn’t wait to do Bible, and asked to do it early. Very cute.

Jared just loves his Spiderman scooter… Josh was having so much fun with it too, that Joe ended up picking him up one too. They had a Huffy one on clearance at Target, and Joe got it for only $6.30… A site better than the $25.00 that Jared spent on his!!! He asked Alicia if she wanted one too, but Alicia remembered that Wal*Mart had a Disney Princess one, and that’s the one she WANTS! Joe told her that she would have to wait for Friday, but she didn’t care, as long as she got the Princess one. She does play on the boys’ some… They get better on them every day, and I figure it would help to strengthen Josh’s legs (couldn’t hurt anyway). Jared just zooms around on his, getting more confident every day. I can’t wait to see Alicia on the Princess one.

Well, I think I’m going to go scan some old pictures of Jared in. I need to get his 1st and 2nd year pages done, plus Josh’s pregnancy journal page done… I feel guilty that they are not finished… Need to get the ole rear in gear.

I haven’t been able to post in a couple days… I ended up having to reformat my computer yesterday, then had the fun job of reinstalling everything! That was delayed, of course, due to homeschool lessons… But I think we’re back now!

Now for my weekly weigh-in:

I’ve lost another 1.5 pounds this week, for a total of 38 pounds lost (for a total of -47 from my pre-pregnancy weight). I am now at 162…. I know this is a good thing, but I wish it were more. The weight loss seems to be slowing down… *sighs*… Guess it’s time to add some more miles. I’ve been doing 3 miles a day, but the less you weigh, the less you burn. Time to increase the ole mileage! *sighs* I don’t have the 4-mile express, so I’m going to have to try and do 3 miles in the morning, like usual. Then do 1 or 2 more in the evening…. I think that would be best, as I can barely squeeze in the 3 miles in the mornings, between child care and homeschool… Not to mention the housework.

I had really hoped to be 160 by this point, and am sorta bummed…. I don’t think I’ll make my 10 pounds this month. To make that I’d have to be 158 by the 22nd. That’s only 6 days from now, and there’s no way I can lose 4 pounds in 6 days… *sighs*… I can’t go down much on calories, as most days I’m barely over 1200…. It’s not safe to go below the 1200 mark, so the exercise must increase.

Well, I have a workout to do, kids to feed, a baby to change, kids to bath and dress, a house to clean, and school to teach…. Better get off this computer, or I will never get anything done!

Oh, I am so upset with myself! I was just cleaning and reorganizing my desk… And I found a card reminding me of an appointment I had… Yesterday… I can’t believe I forgot!!!!! Now I am going to have to remember to call on Monday and explain. I am so upset.

Been having some computer problems too. Had to reformat this morning, plus my mouse died on me. Yesterday I asked hubby to clean the ball in the mouse, as it was getting sluggish. Well, after he was done, the sluggish part went away, but the clicker seemed to be out of whack. Sometimes I would have to click something up to 20 times before it would work. It was completely annoying! And Joe thought that I would be able to wait until payday (Next Friday) to get a new one…. NEXT FRIDAY!!!!!! NOT! I told him in no uncertain terms that we were going to Wal*Mart this evening to buy a new one! I was good though, and bought the cheapest one, and it was less than $7.00. It works good, though it’s shaped differently than the old one, might take a day or two to get used to it.

On a different note my friend Roberta gave me a 17 inch monitor a couple days ago. I finally got it set up last night. It’s nice. I didn’t realize how small the 14 inch one was, until I looked at it after getting this one up and running!

Alicia got me good this morning. She came and told me she was poopy, so I asked her to go get a diaper. Well, on her way she stuck her hands down the back of her diaper… You can imagine the outcome…. Lets just say we made a run for the bathtub and got a bath right there and then! It was so gross!!! Can’t wait to potty train her! I want to wait until after Amanda is here though.

Alicia, waiting on the cookies!

Joe and some of his friends (and relatives) are putting the new roof on the house tomorrow. I promised Gene (Joe’s BIL) and LeRoy (Gene’s son) cookies, so I should go get at the baking. Joe just got home… I sent him to the store to pick up some chocolate chips and baking butter. Also had to pick up some stuff for the BBQ we’re going to have for the roofers tomorrow.

Have a great day!