Happy Memorial Day!!!!

I hope you all have a Happy and Safe Memorial Day!!!!!

I know that I have so much to be thankful and grateful for.

Pay it Forward

I was one of the lucky winners of Rachel's Pay-it-Forward exchange and I am now doing my duty to pass the good fortune along.

Here is the deal: I will send a handmade/homemade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, which is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog. Sound fun? Then leave a comment! Thanks again, Rachel.

Toothless baby

We call Taylor a toothless baby, because she has lost so many teeth lately. As you can see in the photo she is missing several teeth. She lost one two nights ago and last night she lost another one. She is missing five teeth all together. Three on top and two on the bottom. It is so cute and funny at the same time. She is excited that the tooth fairy came two nights in a row. Here's a better photo of her empty mouth, with a cheesy smile.

Straight A's

I went to Hunter's award ceremony at school on Tuesday. He received an award for having straight A's all year long. He was one of about ten kids. We are so very proud of him. He worked hard, especially in math. He wanted to be in the advance class, so he worked for it and now next year he will be in advance math. He is not my son in this aspect. I hate math with a passion. The only part I like about math is money. Great job Hunter, we are proud of you!!!!!

Daddy Daughter Date

On Saturday night Taylor and Doug had a Daddy Daughter Date. They had to dress up, go to the church building to have dinner together. They are here getting ready to have a nice dinner of barbecue chicken, spinach salad, fruit salad, potato salad, and brownies and ice cream for dessert. After dinner they played a game. Earlier they had to fill out a survey about themselves. Then they played it like family feud style where they had to hit the table if they knew there daughters answer. Next it was the girls turn to answer questions about their dads. Taylor trying to be funny answered what her dads favorite scripture story was. She said "Pina Colada."Of course everyone laughed and asked if they could come to our house for scripture study. It was really funny and I think Taylor accomplished what she was trying to do. Her leaders did an awesome job. Taylor and her dad learned some new things about each other.

A Temple visit

Our Achievement day girls went to the Atlanta Temple a couple of weeks ago. It was actually Taylor's first time in achievement days. She was so excited to be able to go. I was able to go with her. I am in Primary and I get to work with the achievement day leaders. They do an awesome job. They brought each girl a lunch with their name on it tied up so cute. We sat on the front lawn of the temple to enjoy it. Then we waited for someone to talk to us about the temple. So we took advantage of taking so pictures in front of the beautiful flowers. Here are only half of the girls, the rest were finishing up there lunch. Shea, Taylor, Aspen, & Autumn A picture of us in front of the temple, by a flower bed. Aren't those flowers gorgeous? Taylor just could not get over the fact that the flowers so pretty. She wanted to take tons of pictures. Which she did her is just one of them. She took about ten or so and did a pretty good job at it too. She is like her mother, always looking to scrapbook the pictures that we take. We were asked to come into the waiting room of the temple. There the assistant to the Temple matron talked to the girls and told them some neat facts about the Atlanta Temple, who can enter, how can we go to receive our own endowments one day. You could have heard a pin drop. The spirit was strong there and the girls were great. The assistant to the matron gave each girl a picture of the temple with the Articles of Faith on the back of it. It was a perfect way to end a perfect day. Taylor I can't wait until you are able to go and do baptisms for the dead when you are twelve and worthy, but also to receive your own endowments one day. You continue to do what is right and follow the commandments and it will be soon enough. I love you.

Exercise

Today I went to the church building for exercise class. Laura kicked my butt. I hurt all over even my head, and I didn't even exercise that. Unless you count me wishing over and over again that the pain would stop. Actually it wasn't half that bad. I am way out of shape, don't get me wrong, but I wasn't out of shape as bad as I thought. Anyways Laura does a great job. She has encouraged, begged, and tried to drag me to class, but I always refused. I finally said to myself, that I need to support her. She is a great friend. Thanks Laura for not giving up on me. Now I am not saying I will be back, but it is a good chance that I will.

My Mother's day

My Mother's day started Friday afternoon when the kids came home from school with homemade gifts in hand. Taylor made me some bath salt with a MOM card. Spencer made me a MOM card too, with a self painted pot with a flower pen. It is so cute and very useful to me. Then on Saturday I went shopping with Jessica and her friend. I went to find myself a new skirt for church. I found a cute white one. Then later that evening I took these girls, Jess, Alyssa, & Maggie to the church dance. While they were in the dance, I watched a movie out in the parking lot in my car. I watched Becoming Jane, a nice chick flick. It was nice to have three hours to myself, even if I was in the car. Hey just because it is mothers day doesn't mean I am still not a mother. Doug had the other three kids at the baseball fun fest, where my boys also had baseball pictures. I woke up Sunday morning to this. My family all pitching in making me breakfast in bed. Which is what they do for me every year. It is the best. I had homemade banana nut muffins, yogurt with granola, and cut up fresh fruit (strawberry, watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple).

Taylor made me another card with my and her initials on it. She is constantly making me things. These are many of my past mother's day cards and homemade gifts from the kids in the past. Can you tell that the box all of the stuff is in is a shoebox covered with tin foil. Jessica and Hunter made this for me 7 years ago. they were so proud of this box. They made it for me for mothers day. I have kept it all of these years and continue to put my precious things in it. It is one of my treasures in life. It is simple, but made from love for me there mother. Can you see the Jewelry I am wearing? Jessica made me these earrings when we still lived in Oregon and she made a necklace with it, but it broke. She made a bracelet I am wearing too, but you can't see it. Taylor made both of the necklaces I am wearing. I wear these ever mothers day, since I have had them. I get comments on them all of the time and people also tell me I am brave to wear them. I am not brave I am a mother who is proud to wear something my children so proudly made for me. Doug is amazing. Every year for mothers day he makes me steak, shrimp, salad, and baked potato. The steak was so juicy. For dessert we had Carrot cake from our local grocery bakery. They make great carrot cake. That about sums up my weekend and all of the love I felt from my family. I am truly blessed and have the best job in the world, being a MOTHER.

Track is over

Jessica's track season is now over. She placed fourth in county for the 100, 200 and 4X1 team to qualify to go to regions. She did great in the prelims on Tuesday and made it to the finals for region in the 200 and her 4x1 team. They were seated number 8. Now to let you know a little bit about these girls Jessica is a freshman and the girls she ran against in the 100, and 200 were all either Juniors or seniors. On her 4x1 team all of the girls are freshman, but one is a sophomore. Here she is after her 4x1 race which they placed 7th and they got a personal best. Coach Armstrong, Erin, Andrea, Jessica,Hannah & Coach Armstrong. (They are husband & wife) Here the girls are after there race finishing 7th with a time of 52.64

Jessica finished the year with three school records and three new personal bests. Her times were 100 meters 13.67 , 200 meters 27.86, and 4X1 52.46. Last night was her Track Banquet were she received a certificate for participation, three medals for the 100, 200 and 4X100, then she received a letter and pin.

Here is the new school & stadium record board that will hang out at the track stadium. This is the first time they have had this. The school has only been open for three years. Here is a close up of the board. We are very proud of Jessica and her accomplishments. When she puts her mind to do something she goes all the way.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

I just wanted to tell my mother Happy Mother's Day and to let you know I would not be where I am today without you. You are truly an amazing woman, with so many amazing qualities about you. You are the best example to me of how a mother should be. Thank you for all that you sacrifice and do for me on a continuous basis. Thank you for all of the piano lessons, ballet lessons, softball games, track meets, recitals, banquets, posters made, volleyball games and so many more things that you attend or helped me with throughout the years. I love you dearly. I love you mom!

To my other mother: Thank you to my mother in law for raising such a wonderful son. Who has turned out to be a husband better than any other. He is truly the love of my life. Thank you for everything you do for me. You sacrificed also for your children and still do to this day. You are an inspiration, a blessing and a righteous woman who I look up to. I love you just like my own mother. Thank you.

I am Alive

I have just been out of town. I went to Woman's Conference at BYU in Utah. It was so much fun and spiritually uplifting. I will tell more in a later post. I am sick with bronchitis and an ear infection, with a very lovely nasty cough when I try to speak. I have been down in bed, but I just wanted to post a quick note to tell you I am alive, and I have lots to tell. I am starting to feel better though. I am not 100% yet, I would say about 60% better.