the dirty house

Today I worked.

I came home. The house was a wreck. Cardboard play houses were erected in the middle of my living room.
Shoes were everywhere.
Clothes, socks and jackets were strewn across chairs and stair cases.
The cushions of one of my couches were all out and the pillows were thrown on the floor.
Books were messy.
Food was on the table.
The kitchen sink was a disaster.
My room and the upstairs hallway was hit by a tornado.
my toddler hadn't taken a nap yet and it was 3 something in the afternoon (way past nap time)

Stressed out and frazzled I was to say the least. I gulped down a Starbucks and started to get going.
But it was negetive energy I was putting out ...... and I didn't realize it until Seth, my sweet sweet Seth stopped me in the kitchen and asked why I was so upset.
He said "Mom why are you so upset and stressed?"
I replied "I just have a lot to do"

and he put his hand on my shoulder and said .... GET READY FOR IT....
"LETS PRAY ABOUT IT".

(which I'm in tears about even now)

Then Shane gets my other hand and they both lead me to our dining room table.
They both pull out chairs and put them in a mini circle and then we all took each others hands and prayed.

God used my dirty house to shut me up, slow me down and appreciate where He has put me, the kids I have been blessed with, and show me how my kids turn to Him when they are in a tough situation.

OVERCOME WITH EMOTION.
just overcome.

My kids taught me today. they gave me goosebumps, made the hair on my legs grow and made me cry like a baby.

God is working people.. even our dirty houses... He's working!

Love coma

Christmas here at home.
The last few days has embodied love .... the way God designed it.

Love is meeting at the park with other Moms, that are good friends, good company, and is a good feeling. Its eating dinner at a friends house while your kids play together and watching another woman's testimony on how God worked in her life.

Love is seeing my 7 year old daughter raise her hands in church as an act of praise and worship to her Heavenly Father... and watching her dance to praise music and clap and cheer complete strangers on to get baptized.
Love is watching your sons get tears in their eyes because God is working and are moved by other peoples outward expression to love and honor Christ.

I saw people come to Christ right before my very eyes.
Love is sitting in church with my Grandma and loving on her during this awesome holiday season when it's hard for her because she is missing her daughter and Mom that have passed on.
Love is making cookies for Santa.
Love is eating more candy and sweets than we should have, watching the Polar Express, Miracle on 34th St., and It's a Wonderful Life more than a 1/2 dozen times.
Love is drinking my morning coffee and sitting and talking with my Grandma.
Love came from making my first ornaments, skirts, and aprons and giving them to the people I love the most.
Love is wrapping presents until 2am, getting cranky & snippy with my Danny and feeling his overwhelming love anyways.
Love is singing Christmas carols in the car, in the kitchen, in the shower, and swooning to a Michael Buble Christmas album that I knew my brother, sister, and Mom were swooning to too.
Love is getting kidnapped for a late night Starbucks run and never having more fun in getting coffee.

Love is seeing the most amazing Christmas show, dancers, lazer shower, the Green Man group (something like the Blue Man group) preform.
Love is swatting glow in the dark bouncy balls with your church family.
Love is attending a Christmas eve service that brings me to tears (again!).
Love is seeing kids dress up as the Nativity Scene.
Love is in Danny's baking GINORMOUS cookies that oozed chocolate and love in every bite.
Love is holding my sweet baby niece and thinking how I can just squeeze the snot outta her and then find a way to hang her on my Christmas tree.
Love is an heirloom that comes in the form of a heart-key necklace with my initials inscribed... love is giving it to my daughter and then my granddaughter and my great grand daughter... love is telling that story of when my sister gave it to me and the love it symbolized on Christmas.
Love is watching my Grandma cry over a photo in a frame of her and her new great grandbaby.
Love is watching my sister see how much it meant to our Grandma.
Love is excitement of a roll of mentos.
It's the comfort of slippers and its the comfort of just being us.
Love is my family.

I slipped into a total LOVE coma that came through the phone in wishing long distance family "Merry Christmas".. wishing with all my heart I could just reach through the phone and grab them and love them to pieces..
Love is just being able to feel the power and presence of God at Christmas dinner with my family.
Love is the food made with love, the conversation, the laughing,
Love is just being all together in the same room together
Love was and is unforgettably beautiful.

God is so utterly amazing ... so amazing that he makes me a big blubber McBlubber face. The greatest gift God gave was His Son... and the birth of that sweet baby that lay in a manger and made it possible for me to and my family to experience this HUGE love and all the blessings of just being together.

We say "just being together is enough" or "as long as we are with the ones we love, that's what Christmas is about"..... and it is. Whether family is far away, passed on or live down the street... family is my gift. God is the ultimate gift giver... and He never gets it wrong.

God is Love.

Happy Anniversary to my Danny

I remember when I married you.

I wasn't scared. I didn't think twice about it. I didn't second guess it. I didn't feel nervous.

there was never any question walking down that tiny aisle, on that carpet runner, overlooking the harbor, smelling the fish, on the second story of that small white wooden church.

I remember loving you more than anything in the world.
I remember our world falling apart, coming back together, ripping at the seams, crying babies drowning out the sound of anything else in our world...
I remember our world crumbling, being pasted back together, and then pieces missing in our world. I remember God re-molding and reshaping our world... through all of the phases, next levels, and lessons through our own little ever changing world.. and being the big cry baby I am, sitting here thinking and typing about how our world has transformed....

I still love you more than anything else in this world.

I love you baby. Happy Anniversary.

Love is..

I never imagined my life the way it is now

and I never imagined myself as grateful as I am now. today. in my life.. I could have never imagined.

I dont know if there are any words to make anyone understand the love in my heart.

A strong, infinite love that feels more powerful than anything I've ever experienced...
I'm sitting here and crying over how grateful I am. how thankful.and how I can't even articulate the words to convey how awesome God is and how, grit your teeth, clench your fist, cant get the words out, beautiful He makes things.

Knowing my babies, big and small, are warm in their beds, waiting to wake up and give love. knowing my family is growing, healthy. knowing the relationships I have are God centered and are built on the rock, and not sinking sand.
God's timing, His plan, His provision... everything that I can't get out because I can't type and wipe my face at the same time. ....
the love in my heart feels so big.

I came across this song and I felt like I wrote the lyrics to this song. No song lyrics has ever fit me so well.

Christmas has never meant so much, winter has never felt so warm.

LOVE has never felt so big, poured down my face so quickly, or tasted so salty.

the birthday gift of LOVE. Happy Birthday Scotty.

3 years ago I got to hold a brand new baby boy that couldn't wait to be born. I had planned for him to have a different first name, a different middle name and I had planned to have an epidural. ...God had a different plan.
My super screamer, train adoring, cupcake lovin', Toy Story watchin', biggest heart in the whole world 3 year old takes over MY world every morning with little arms wrapped tightly around my neck and with a hundred thousand million kisses.... which makes my world pretty sweet to live in.

Scotty's stache' - thanks to Aunt Laura we all had a lot of fun with this silly stache'!


when I sing happy birthday to my kids I fight back tears. I fight them back as hard as I can. Looking at their face lit up by those candles, knowing they are growing right before my very eyes becomes very real when I sing HAPPY BIRTHDAY.


seee.. told you we had fun with the stache'!


God had blessed us so much just in having each other.


It was cold outside but so warm inside. Kids, yelling, screaming, not sharing, laughing, dishes clinking, footsteps running upstairs, crowded kitchen. I couldn't have dreamt up of a life so full of love. This is only God's work.


We enjoy birthdays, holidays and ordinary days are extrodinary because of each other. Hand painted ornaments, from Aunt Laura, every year, show love and tradition. I can't tell you how overwhelmingly awesome it is to sit and basque in love and watch it happen all around you.


We are love. ... and I am so happy I am apart of a family that oozes love and busts from the seams with love... I love that we are harvesters of love.

Letter from Santa

So there are many of us in this house that still believe in Santa.

Seth was on the fence, which was okay with us. Until he went to school one day last week one of his teachers asked the class to pick a little one they knew and write a letter as Santa.

I'm sure you can see which side of the fence he landed on. =)

Seth soon came home with a letter addressed to (my suprise) Rozzy.
He put it in an envelope, waited for the mail man to come and after Rozzy came home from school asked her to go get the mail. (Not uncommon for us to ask the kids to run and get the mail.. they **love** to get the mail)
We were all watching through the blinds and she came bolting in the house so fast we had to scatter and act natural. She bursted out "SANTA WROTE ME A LETTER.. HE WROTE ME, TO HERE!!! SANTA WROTE ME HERE!"
It was one of the sweetest moments I've ever been apart of. I looked and Seth and he had tears in his eyes. The excitement and joy of that moment took us all to the highest part of the tallest mountain.


not only do I get to be apart of life changing Santa moments but I get little gems, like these below, to fill up our home.


and I love to bake it up...


Letters to Santa, from Santa ;) Christmas artwork, and endless holiday baking.... and a whole bunch of "WANNA HEAR MY LETTER FROM SANTA, AGAIN? ??? " followed by a huge smile, with some missing teeth, from a 7 year old girl who believes with all her heart.

3 times as sweet

I had the extreme priviledge of meeting Yanely, Junior, and Noel.
These three awesome people happen to be related and just ooze love, fun, happiness, laughter... anything magical and good came from these three siblings.... and I had the pleasure of working with them today.

p.s. which really wasn't work because I had WAY. TO. MUCH. FUN!

**ENJOY** and feel free to leave a comment.

Thanksgiving 2011

Today Thanksgiving took on a different meaning. I wask more thankful than I have ever been before.

We made our own Thanksgiving. We did it once before 2 years ago.. but this time we committed to doing it, our own family tradition, every Thanksgiving. Danny and I made a Thanksgiving plan and worked our plan. (I know.. sounds OCD.. Danny humors me) The plan was so neurotic that I kept it to put in a scrapbook. But it was awesome.

It hurt to not be with our extended families.Moms, Dads, brothers, sisters, uncles, Aunts, Grandparents, etc... That's where we've always been. But now we've realized it's time, or long time coming, that we take what we, as parents, loved about our Thanksgivings growing up and share that with our kids to make our own tradition. It was bittersweet. There was a part of Danny and I that held back tears, from onions, missing family, and the overwhelming blessings and feeling we got when we all sat down at our table to eat together....we were like kids in how excited we were to share with them they stuff we loved most about Thanksgiving.

We all cling to the happiness we felt as kids around the Thanksgiving table,the smells, aromas, colors, how warm the house was inside from cooking in comparison to how cold it was outside, the recipes we feel that no one can ever match to our Moms, Grandmas, Dads, Aunts, Uncles, etc.... No one makes it the way they can.. but we sure do try... because those priceless details find a way into our hearts and plead for a way to be shared.... and that's perhaps why we have kids. =)

Thanksgiving is a day for miracles. I actually enjoyed watching my kids, the neighbor kids, and some adults play football in the cul-de-sac... MIRACLE. I got to scrapbook. I wished Happy Thanksgiving to people I haven't talked to in a while, and they wished me one back. MIRACLE. my Danny went to church because he wanted to.... MIRACLE...and then I remember, God has provided, has always provided and is in the business of making MIRACLES.

Everyday should be held as high and magical as Thanksgiving.
I remember this song from when I was a kid, I used to sing it in church...
and this Thanksgiving it takes on a whole new meaning for me...

I will enter his gates with thanksgiving in my heart
I will enter his court with praise
I will say this is the day that the Lord has made
I will rejoice for He has made me glad

with my eyes completely full of salty tears... I am SO GLAD.

my moment of gratefulness translated into one photo

11-8
Take a picture of one thing, person, place or specific moment that makes you feel grateful. Share it with
your social network.

I share a lot of photos with my social network. lol. but one that I'm particularly grateful for is this one.

gratitude writes

11-7
Take a few minutes to call someone you haven’t talked to in a while. Tell them how much you appreciate them.

I did this but put a twist on it. I wrote a note. I love hand written letters, notes, cards, etc. So I wrote one to a beautiful lady that is somewhat of a mentor to me. I hope she enjoys reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

5 mins.

11-6
Take five minutes to write about how grateful you are for all of the wonderful things that you currently have in
your life. Don’t long for what you don’t possess—instead, take stock of all the blessings you already enjoy

I know the things we have are exactly what we need. Of course there are things that we could all think of that we would love to have, however we don't *long* for those things. Instead I pray and, encourage my husband and kids to pray if what they want is what God desires for our life and it can be used as a blessing so that it may glorify God then he will surely make sure we get it. I love that God reveals to us what we need by simply providing the neccessities. LOVE being the biggest of all. I am thankful for all the love in our home.

hmmm. STUMPED.

11-5
Write a short message of thanks for some of the “negative” things in your life.

this is gonna sound crazy but while I know there are negetives in my life, I can't think of any that really feel heavy, or THAT negetive. . hmmm...

yep, thats all folks.. God makes everything betta.
see ya tomorrow

grateful for my life today

this was yesterday's
11-4
Write about something you feel grateful for in your life today.

I spent a lot of time in the car on Thursday and Friday, but it was totally worth it. God revealed to me blue-er skies after the rain, a couple of rainbows, some snow capped mountains, great music,a sandwich and some peace for the ride home.

day 2 gratitude challenge

11-3
Use the alphabet as a fun and quick format for making a list of things for which you feel grateful. Share this list
with your social network through email, a blog post or a Facebook

A} ancestory - I am thankful to know who I am and where I come from.
B} boys- dirty smelly sweaty boys who call me "Mum"
C} clearance
D} danny - my danny
E} Eating together as a family
F} Frankenstien- knowing there's someone else there that looks worse than me, some days, makes me feel a little better.
G} Good Mornings, Good afternoons, Good evenings, & Good nights
H} humbling myself before the Lord in prayer
I} Ice cream- did you really think I was going to put anything else???
J} Jesus- he died for my sins
K} kids- singing kids especially
L} Lenses- I have children that wear glasses and I am grateful for scratch resistent lenses!
M} mascara- without it I would look too wierd. (so you should be thankful that I have it too)
N} needs- I am thankful that our needs are ALWAYS met. ALWAYS
O} opportunites
P} Pinterest- that's right! I SAID IT! PINTEREST.
Q} quilts - they're heirlooms
R} running
S} salvation
T} today
U} unanswered prayers
V} vehicle- our beat up old work truck feels like home.
W} worship - worship speaks to me
X} x-ray machines (cause goodness knows we need 'em with the kids we have in this family)
Y} YOU. I am grateful for what everyone brings to the table.
Z} zippers- the invisible ones you use with your hand and mouth to tell your kids to "ZIP IT". =)

day 1 Gratitude challenge

11-2
Today you start The Gratitude Challenge. Sign the contract and make a commitment to take note and give
thanks for the next 21 days. Express why you accepted this challenge and what you hope to achieve from it....

I signed the contract and wanted to do this because I have many reasons to be grateful. The words for my gratitude doesn't begin to cover everything I'm grateful for. I hope to do this challenge and have my kids look back on this someday and hope to have this help them realize how blessed they are, even in the worst of circumstances.

I am thankful for scripture, for the good-bye waves and blown kisses this morning when Shane & Rozzy were walking up to the school, for the crossing guards that keep my babies safe, for the under paid teachers that dedicate themselves to my kids everyday and extra time before or after school, for the non-paid teachers that have a passion for seeing my children succeed. and I was especially grateful for the wind last night and early this morning. I heard it howling between the houses and it made me smile and snuggle up to my Scotty and Rozzy a little more. I am so grateful and my day has barely began.

Happy Halloween! xo, the Armstrongs

Happy Halloween! here we are taking out the pumpkin guts and getting ready a fun weekend of harvest, games and CANDY!!!





MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHA! says ScottyMonster


some crazy happy Jack 'o Lanterns

The SMACKDOWN!

SO!!!!!! I woke up this morning, sent off two hippie looking children to elemetary school (today was hippie day) and suprisingly I didnt have to do much to make them look like it... kissed Seth goodbye as Danny took him to school, made snack for my bible study group, went to bible study, came home did dishes (like a massive amount of dishes) folded some laundry, arranged the pillows on the couch, put on some comfy pants and running shoes, updated my facebook status and hit the pavement.

Everything above is an excuse for me to put off running. My point is, I wanted to use these excuses.. I SOOOOOOOO wanted to use these excuses. IIII could have even gave in to how late in the day it was... but I didn't. I went and I feel PHENOMENAL. and some of you are thinking "well GOOD FOR YOU!" and I want it to be GOOD for you too.. NO!!!!! i want it to be GREAT! do it with me!

Last night I noticed I was trying to get a cold. or maybe just allergies... whatever.. my nose was on the fritz and I already started to think about today's run. Could I run like this??? (in my investigative voice) not being able to breathe properly ... especially when controlling my breathing is such a battle for me without a stuffy nose.

When I went to bible study this morning I spoke to another lady who runs as well. I asked her (secretly hoping for the answer I wanted) "Do you still run with a runny/stuffy nose? like do people still do run when they have colds?" and to my delight (-->enter sarcasm) she said "Yes, of course!" -_____-

See... not only am I 'running' out of excuses (pun intended..get it?? "running out of excuses"... get it??) okay, nevermind... but my excuses are beginning to get a bit more creative. **and desperate** My excuses are trying to find a loophole to NOT run.

but the runner in me laid the SMACKDOWN! BAM! I danced on today's excuses and *ran* all over them. HA! okay, I'll stop.

GET OUT AND RUN, MOVE, DANCE, PLAY AND LAY SOME SMACKDOWN!!!!

today's run was motivated by: THE BLACK EYED PEAS: PUMP IT! (ciaooo baby and I did!)

BETWEEN TWO LUNGS

I OWNED today... OWNDED IT!

totally was NOT feelin' it this morning... butIwentanyway.

walk/ran the first time around. (THAT'S RIGHT! I SAID *FIRST TIME*)

Couldn't find any excuse to not go or quit and by the time I reached home (after the 1st time around =) ) Rhianna was on, Only Girl in the World. I was feelin' a second time. My heart was pumpin' I felt like a hottie and I kept goin'.

The next song that came on was FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE ~ BETWEEN TWO LUNGS.


Now I've heard this song a million times before. Sirsly, a million. It is my favorite song of all time, ever. EVER! But as the song came on my second time around something in me changed. I heard that song like I've never heard it before. The lyrics were different, the feeling I had running and listening to it was different.
and between my two lungs was on fire but also a heart full of PURE EMOTION.

I got GOOSEBUMPS PEOPLE! GOOSEBUMPS while running!
After the song was over I replayed it because I didnt want the feeling to go away.
I teared up while running. Beaming with pride that I had ran the whole second time around.

**mind you one time around is just shy of 1 mile. Just a spits shot from 1 mile. Soooooooooo 1+1= 2 THATS RIGHT! 2 miles!

I wish I could take credit but I have to give all the glory to my maker, Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I know I talking like I just won a daytime Emmy but I really do feel like it. I feel like I've won God's ESPN award.

I had to include FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE's Between Two Lungs. Take minute to listen to the words and tie them to running, or any kind of physical activity. I'll never listen to that song the same.... and for that I am eternally grateful.

p.s. I was so excited to blog todays fantasticness that I ran straight upstairs and haven't even showered yet! TMI for some of you, but for some others... you get it! =)

she did it again??? no way! (that's what I said!)

So I ran this morning- pretty excited to get out there and do the whole "I love running" thing again. Not at first I wasn't. As I layed in bed, still dark outside, I knew NOT running this morning wasn't an option. (I was trying to use the darkness of the morning as an excuse to **maybe not go) sssooooooo pathetic. I know, right??

Nevertheless, I got up, put on my most decent "out in public" pajamas, slapped a bandaid on that blistered heel/ankle and got my morning run on. Same pattern as yesterday, some walk - some run. I made it. Take that Tuesday!

Here's to tomorrow!

This mornings run was brought to me by RADIOHEAD: CREEP

poor Nikes =/

and she ran... and bled. but she ran more

I should have done this yesterday but the idea only came to me today. ha!

Im going to blog about my everyday running process.
This way I stay accountable.
good. bad. ugly. and hopefully triumphant! no.... wait ... scratch that... I will be triumphant.


Yesterday 10/24/2011 in the morning after 3 out of 4 kids went to school I put on my, silly excuse for running shoes (see...I'm already trying to make excuses) and headed down the driveway.

ipod in hand, set to "Mom's workout" playlist I walked up hill. Trying to control my breathing till I reached the top. Not so bad.

But there are workers. Construction workers working on houses that are for sale and I'm mildly embarrassed that I'm not running yet. (like they are thinking "why isn't she running yet?")??????? I know ... strange. (you don't know the 1/2 of it.)

I get past them, and start to run. JUST MAKE IT TO THE LIGHT POLE. I repeated this to myself about a hundred times. I made it. walk. maintain your breathing. stay focused. made it to the next corner (**corners are encouragement).

Down hill now. I can run down hill, right??? how easy is that? Not so easy when your trying to maintain some form of control. If I let my body do what it wanted to I would have either crawled, or got to running so fast I would have twisted a hip outta place, and ended up with Road rash all over my face. DON'T FALL!!! on repeat all the way down the hill. I turned the corner and Im still upright and breathing, and Im on level sidewalk now. I cant believe it. I feel victorious. So victorious that Im gonna try and run just to the next corner. I DO! I wonder if I can make it running across the street. I DID! maybe I can squeeze one more corner out. and I do!

The amazing thing is... I'm not huffing and puffing, I'm not curled up rocking back and forth somewhere, and I'm not in the fetal postion. WIN! I'm alive, proud, invigorated, pumped up and bleeding. YES, bleeding. The back part of my shoe was too high and my socks were too low and it ended up a bloody heel/ankle. (the old me would have said "WHOA WHOA WHOA! bleeding now?NO! this is why I don't run and I can't run like this now!")

buuuuuuut the new runner in me said "remember how awesome you felt making it to that next corner, remember that feeling you got when you were able to control your breathing and keep your endurance up???? remember when you smiled and laughed to yourself when no one was around because you did it, you ran... because you thought you couldn't and you did???

THAT'S WHAT MADE ME COME BACK FOR MORE! fuel for my fire!

Because although I may look like Im chasing cake down the street I feel better after running than I would if I ate the whole bakery.

My morning run was made possible by ADELE: HOMETOWN GLORY

just an ordinary weekend

This weekend was so ordinary that it oozed blessings and apple jelly. I used a recipe online to make apple butter, however I do believe I made apple jelly instead. Still a win.
I realize, me writing and labeling the jar "apple butter" is a bit deceptive so I took the hearts off, made new ones and labeled them
"Apple 'I don't think you're ready for this' Jelly"

My kids and I saw Jupiter, its rings, and its 4 moons, Andromeda & all its fuzzy awesomeness, and the Moon. p.s the Moon was so close I felt like I could spin it with my finger.
The funny thing about this photo is it was my Friday morning cup of coffee the cresent moon showed up in. I didn't see the Milkyway goodness until Saturday night. I believe the Moon in my coffee and the moon in the sky are in cahoots, and for that I am thankful. Because I love the moon.



Instead of "call me, lets do lunch!" for toddlers it's "come over, lets do bubbles"



and bubbles are catchy ...... in the best kind of way.


I am forever grateful and in awe of God taking ordinary things, people, and circumstances and using them for extraordinary purposes. I am so thankful that God has shown me that photography is how I can bottle these memories, and preserve these moments forever.

a Friday first....

I saw him ride off on his bike this morning.Helmet and backpack on.
Brown eyes filled with the anticipation of a test and his first dance today.

Nervousness, excitement, rushing to get to school. no reason to rush, he was plenty early, but do you remember that feeling of excitement of being with your friends and all sharing the same hope, fear, and excitement of something you are unfamiliar with together. Hoping it would be awesome.. and that you would all feel awesome together?

He felt it. I know he did. Because I felt it radiating from him. His energy was so electric this morning. So much that as I watched him ride away and started crying as he turned the corner.

I can't believe these days are happening. (can't believe how big this lump in my throat feels.. geez.!)

I remember when he got his first two teeth on the bottom, and when he wore those clunky white shoes when he took his first steps. His first haircut and the little flippy curls that fell off and that I put into a ziplock bag. His chubby little hands that touched my face and sang twinkle twinkle little star to me, when he thought I was sleeping, early one Saturday Morning.

His hands still chubby and heart as big as ever, I just wanna hold my baby. But I can't be apart of everything. I have to let him do some things on his own, and with that being said I will forever remember the feeling I had in the garage early this morning watching him ride down the driveway on his bike to one of his "firsts".

the apple doesn't fall far from the tree

this seemed suiting for this photo, and I praise God for it everyday, the apples and the 'not falling far' part.

Halloween Mini Sessions! See how to book yours today!

show the candy corn who's boss and ring in the fall season by welcoming Halloween with your own mini session.



**one family (up to 4 people or animals if your pets are your babies) per session
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holdin' on to Summer by the tail.

he loved every minute of it. and so did I.

Im doing what???

while listening to crazy little thing called love, sweet emotion, long cool woman (in a black dress) I started this sunday night with some awesome music and trying something I promise myself to get better at. Making stuff... I've actually started to do the stuff Im pinning on Pinterest. Puttin' these not so idle hands to work and gonna see what kind of fruits I can get from my labor. =) work in progress, wish me luck! =)

Here's one I did in a hurry before church. Her dress was a maxi dress that wasn't so maxi anymore, so I removed the top (cut that sucka off) kept the bottom 1/2 for a long skirt and used the top part, I removed, as a scrap to make the fabric flowers. whaaaalaaa!



ones that Im starting tonight....



what??? I'm not completely self motivated.

Saturday Morning delight

a couple of weeks ago we visted a farmers market. It was sweet Saturday morning fun. Cartoons, cups of coffee & usually bowls of cereal are happening on Saturday morning here at home. But not this morning. Sunflowers, melons, scales, and tacos for breakfast happened on this Saturday. It was a girl thing, there were no boys in our posse and that's how we like it sometimes. All the colors, smells, friendliness, and creativity coming from each booth selling fruit, veggies, cooked food, crafts or jewelry.... a market of booths & people that offered Saturday morning goodness.





I told her this is what Bugs Bunny eats for breakfast, lunch & dinner.... which became a long conversation, later, about *who* Bugs Bunny was.





Sugar plums everywhere.

growing up makes me short of breath

press play on this song and enjoy



growing up isn't easy for anyone



their laughs and giggles are just laughs and giggles for them, but its laughs, giggles & tears for me.



they grow faster now than they used to...



if they really could only stay little forever.

the welcome committee

had to pull out a dictionary, thesaurus, and some old English vocab notes from college to find the right words to tell you how excited I am about these photos... couldn't find 'em. NO WORDS. just sheer excitement, take your breath away, GOSH SHE'S SO BEAUTIFUL excitement. If you enjoy these photos, its not even 1/2 of how much I've enjoyed seeing how beautiful my sister is as a mother, my brother in law is as a new daddy and how fantastically magical my niece is.

There is nothing more beautifully honest than new life.

Morning Heartbreak

I walked my kids & and a neighbor kid to school this morning. Walking back, toddler in stroller, loaded down with helmets and scooters, looking like a burro, I saw another neighbor kid scootering his way to school. He's a 2nd grader, I know him because my daughter and him are in the same grade and had the same teacher last year.... and because when he comes over to play in the cul-de-sac we live in he is the only kid that just walks in to our house and opens our fridge to help himself. =)
Reminding him to ask first, or tell him "I'm sorry sweetie, I don't have a treat for you today" is something that happens often. When you have over 1/2 a dozen kids playing those reminders can make you feel a little like a broken record, to say the least.

Sometimes this kid works the last nerve on my broken record... know whatta mean???

back to the story...

I see him on the opposite side of the street riding to school and I say "Good Morning young sir, Have a great day today" to which he stopped and replied with a mouth turning upside down and a shaky voice "I guess I could've had a good day if my lizard didn't die this morning."

It was like I teleported across the street. I threw the brakes on my stroller, knelt down and made him get off his scooter so I could hug him. I told him it would be okay and that his lizard went to lizard heaven, and becuase of where we live it would be easy to find another pet lizard.

He said "thank you Mrs. Armstrong"

I think the hug made me feel better than it did him. It felt like there was nothing I could say or do to change how sad he was or make his day better. I wanted to let him rummage through my fridge and give him all the treats he wanted. But I couldn't. I realize that, unfortunately, this is a part of life, even for a 2nd grader.

He scooted away with a tear stained face.

I hope he comes over to play today.

I get to

I get to be apart of your every day. I get to hold you, love you, kiss you, teach you, protect you, pray with you, squeeze you, dress you, feed you, fix your boo boos, wipe your snot, tickle your back before you go to sleep, wipe up your pee, wash your hands... .the list is quite endless for me. I get to do the things that most people take for granted. but not me... Im not most people, Im your Mom and I love the things I get to do with you... including watching you sleep.

I love you,
Mom

God is......

God is .....
a packet of advil
a slice of pumpkin walnut bread
he's a vanilla cappuccino
he is a blanket out of the blanket warmer
he's an epidural

God is a strange man that works at the coffee shop inthe corner of a hospital that asks his customers if he can pray for them.
God is seeing that man in the hospital chapel praying.
He is beef, noodles and green beans
God is a C Monster (odwalla juice of vitamin C)
He is a good nurse
God is a rockstar
he is ice chips
he's a Mom comforting her daughter trapped in a waiting room
God is a phone call
he's a bikini incision
he is a Great Grandma sending love from home
God is the excitement and tears of a new Mom & Daddy that see their baby girl for the first time.
God is a photo in a message
He is love
and he is a creator that made a tiny miracle that will impact our lives in the biggest way
God is the plan that made...... Isabella Marie.
(Abraham & Elda I love you inthe biggest way possible and twice on Sundays)