i'm back.

i'm back sooner than i thought i would be.
the kids are fed.
the baby is napping.
the boys are cleaning their rooms...at least that's what they've been told to do.
hubs is doing his college work.
the laundry is still not finished.
but, i'm here.
documenting our life.
for you.
and for me.
it drives me nuts when my blog goes untouched for more than a few days.
thanks for stickin' with me.

one reason i've been away is because of this...

while we were in florida jake austin (or maybe it was just timing) did something to destroy the hard drive.
it was working fine one minute and the next it was frozen.
so, a little bit of hard-earned money later and i'm back in business.
literally.
i re-opened my etsy shop to only include my pre-made items for now.
on august 26th i'll start re-introducing some custom items.

the day i got my computer back i immediately ran and grabbed the camera.

which has a few issues of its own.
but, i have learned to compensate and am still able to take decent photos.
i digress.
(or maybe i should keep pointing out the inabilities in this sony until that lovely nikon d5000 is in my hands.)
i plugged the card reader into my newly restored computer only to find that my memory card is corrupted.

how does this happen?
i mean, really?
if you know how one can corrupt a memory card that she has been using for years...
tell me.
please.
every photo i've taken over the last four weeks is gone!
yep, first day of school, our mini vacay to pigeon forge and gatlinburg, the ripley's aquarium, the kids and daddy, me and hubs...gone.

there is a smidge of hope.
for the low, low cost of $39.95, those 400+ photos can be mine again.
i'd say that's worth it!!
so, as soon as i have an extra $39.95 you'll get to see those precious memories.

ok, all of that is a bit depressing, right?
i have fun news.
are you ready for this?
let me start by saying that i am not an animal lover.
i don't not like them.
i'd prefer them live at someone else's house is all.
i've had no desire to own a pet...not since the hamster i had many, many moons ago.
well, while we were having lunch at the apple barn in pigeon forge, hubs promised jett a bird.
what?!?!
i fought all the way to the pet store.
as soon as i saw all those cute little birdies i was the one who had to have a bird!
jett had lost interest in the birds and moved on to the guinea pigs.
no, we didn't get a guinea pig.
we got alfredo.

he's so pretty.
now, if i can get him to want to come out of the cage and stay on my finger.
as soon as i get him out he takes off.
good thing i'm a good bird catcher!