Ocean Views

Travis and I have made many trips to the Oregon coast in our married life. We've gone together while dating (he proposed on the beach in Lincoln City), with family many times and a few jaunts out with friends. We've never, however, gone to the beach with ONLY our little (well, many people think our family is big) family.

That changed this last weekend. On a last minute whim, after taking stock of work loads, behaviors of children, lack of time focused on our family unit, etc., Travis asked, "Do you want to go to the beach?" Ha ha... as if I'd say no! Getting away from the house to the beach or the mountain - these are places where my heart feels calm. So a chance to go to the beach? I'm on board every time!

Our time was wonderful! We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and I'll post pictures and tell you more about it later. But for now... enjoy the aftermath of a beach trip (no, not the laundry or unpacking). Today, while giving the boys a bath, I couldn't help but laugh because....

You know you've been to the ocean recently when... you hear the boys comment, "It's low tide" when the tub starts filling and when it's full, "It's high tide!!!"

Monster Truck Baby

Kezia is our Monster Truck Baby... well, specifically, she loves this one. It has buttons. Plus she can push it around. She finds pure delight in listening to it rev its engine, play music and move all at the touch of the buttons. She also added a new dance move (she's a dancer, this one). Arms a-waving! It's super cute... but poor Zane... this monster truck is his and Kezia thinks it's hers.

  

Sunshine

Oh what beautiful days we've had! And we've sure enjoyed them! I think we've been outside on bikes, scooters, running or in the backyard nearly daily! We are so thankful for the play structure we put up last year. It's certainly getting used this year too! Even Kezia gets to enjoy it more!

Easter Festivities 2012

I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for
    that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy.
    Let's face it, friends make life a lot more fun.
- Charles R. Swindoll  
 

 Easter brought with it friends and traditions. Amber, one of my closest friends from my younger years (I met her when I was three, but our dads went to college together), flew up from Southern California to spend the holiday with us. She has been with us a few Easters of the children's lives and we LOVE IT!

Amber got to join us in dying Easter eggs... and her parents (Uncle Ron and Auntie Grandma) came down from Bellingham to be with us this year too! It was a special time. When Amber and I were little, we'd have Easter egg hunts with her family every year... now we were able to carry this tradition on in a sense!

 I took pictures on Easter morning of the kids all dressed up for church.

BOYS!

 

Kezia didn't last so well so we tried again after church outside. Kezia did better outside, but the boys (especially Tate) "couldn't see... it's too bright out!" (Thank God for sunshine, but their eyes just weren't ready for it!)

 

 
Uncle Ron and Travis hid Easter eggs for the kids. 91 eggs and Katiree hauled in about half of them. She's a pro! The boys will catch on soon enough and she'll find it's not so easy to just head a different way and gather while the boys follow each other looking for eggs. It was so much fun to have beautiful days surrounding Easter since it allowed us to do so many things outside!

After the search, we counted eggs and found the Resurrection eggs (they were numbered). This allowed us to tell the story of Jesus' death and resurrection by opening up 12 eggs with symbols and verses! Because Katiree can read this year, she was able to read all the verses in her eggs! Amber, Auntie Grandma, Uncle Ron, Auntie Marjie and six Armstrongs all enjoyed the sunshine... and the kids enjoyed some treats from their eggs too!

 

 

We feel so blessed to celebrate Christ's resurrection with our family and wonderful friends! It was an Easter to remember!
HE IS RISEN!

The warmth of a friend's presence brings joy to our hearts,
    sunlight to our souls, and pleasure to all of life.




 Favorite people, favorite places, 
Favorite memories of the past, 
These are the joys of a lifetime. . .
These are the things that last.

She's ONE!

Our littlest one turned one. A year has gone by since this sweet little bundle was placed on my chest. Her dark hair has lightened a bit, but hasn't grown much. She's our laid back girl, with a crazy side to her. Everything goes into her mouth - especially paper which made her birthday a lot of fun! She idolizes her older sister and brothers, knowing just when to giggle to get them to keep at their antics and keep her entertained. She prefers their toys to her own, and even when they share their toys, what they have in their hands is always better than what they gave her so she goes for that too! While she cruises, she doesn't walk yet so at least the older ones can get away from her if they want.

This little one knows how to beg popcorn off her older sister. She adores music... her head bobbing of old continues with the added bum moving back and forth as well as her hands either clenched together and moving or waving back and forth like she's directing an airplane into its gate.

The last month has been full of new words... she loves saying "Dadda" or "Daddeee" and applies that word to most people even when she knows it isn't the right name. "Mama" is used when "Daddeee" isn't around. She's tried to say "Tate" (Tae) and Katiree "TeeTee". Zane is still "Dadda". The only sign that has turned into a word is "more", but her signing continues to improve. She just added the word "up" to her vocabulary.

This is our girl that gets a twinkle in her eye when she sees the gate is not at the bottom of the stairs (and heads straight for them giggling all the way - even when she hears one of us tell her "no"). She thinks taking a few ziploc containers out of the drawer is great fun and would explore more of the kitchen if she was allowed. And for as much as she likes to lick (kiss) her baby doll and snuggle, she also loves getting right into the wrestling match or the indoor football game if Daddy and the boys get going with one of these. She crawls straight in with laughter in her voice. What will the next years entail?  Oh, sweet girl... you've grown quickly.

Here are just a few pictures from her birthday and birthday party. She liked the paper and wrapping, was excited at first about her cupcake (birthday) and cake (party), but decided quickly they weren't so great (threw cupcake from the high chair and bawled after touching the cake).



Yum - curly ribbon!

Yum - paper!

Chewable - non destroyable books!

Happy Birthday to Kezia!

 

 

It looks okay. It tastes.... hmmm... well I don't like it. (toss it off of high chair) 

Oh, how exciting! They're coming with this beautiful candle on something I've never had before!

This is exciting.... no scary... 

What are these things that catch my eye and pull my hand to test them out?

Horrible... horrible trick! I don't like this sticky mess!

Yes, that's how it ended, folks... with tears and hatred toward the cake that celebrated her first birthday!