My New Accessory!

Tuesday, October 13th--Brady and I went to the party store to get some Halloween costume stuff. The wall next to the cashier was LOADED with paper shoes, showing names of those that have donated money to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (www. jdrf.org). It brought me lots of smiles and I told Brady what they were for too. We got up to pay for our things and I noticed a small container full of these cool blue bracelets. I bought one for myself and one for Brady. I also got a paper shoe and let Brady write his name on it then I thanked the cashier for participating in our cause.

So I've decided, assuming it doesn't annoy me much, I'm going to wear this bracelet as much as possible. I may even order a bunch for others to buy and wear too. On the front it says "CURE diabetes" and on the back it has the above mentioned website. Let me know if you would wear one, they're $2.00. Thanks!

It matches my sapphire engagement ring! WOOT!

Our First Trip to Lake Powell

Thursday-Monday, October 1st-5th--My sister and her husband, Alishia and Shad, bought into a time-share house boat at Bull Frog, in Lake Powell. We joined them for 4 days. The weather up in Northern Utah had been chilly so we were happy to get down there to enjoy 60's and 70's weather. We had yucky weather one day but every other day was great. My mom flew down for 2 weeks and came down with me and the kids. Nate, sadly, wasn't able to take time off work so he enjoyed a quiet home and a comfy bed--I was so jealous! The houseboat was small but we all fit and made it work. Shad and Alishia also brought their small boat so we could cruise the lake with speed and convenience. When we pulled up to the lake, Alishia and Samantha greeted us in the little boat, we loaded our gear and headed to the houseboat. The sleeping area was cramped and not so comfy but we knew our time was short and we'd be home to comfy beds in no-time so we tried to keep it positive. The houseboat was "parked" on the shore with plenty of sand and areas to explore. The kids LOVED making sand castles and digging trenches. I loved walking around in the soft sand and even brought some home. It was almost like powder! The final full day we were out on the sand and Shad decided to grace us with his presence---in a Speedo. Not the most flattering but he laughed and we laughed and he seemed to enjoy the joke of it all. Samantha, not so much. And, of course, I told him I'd post a pic of him on the blog so I can't disappoint! As the kids dug into the sand we noticed there was black sand underneath the red sand. Mom and dad like to pan for gold so my mom got a bowl and started to do just that. Then she got Elise into to and the two of them spent a long time looking. She didn't find anything but was pretty convinced there is probably gold there. When she called my dad, at home, he had to remind her that if, by some miracle, she found any gold she couldn't legally take it home because it's a State Park. Blast!

On the 2nd full day we spent it on the small boat exploring the lake. It was pretty amazing! The surrounding rock was just awe-inspiring. Our ultimate destination was Forbidding Canyon where there are petroglyphs and a rock "hut". We made it after taking a few wrong turns. There was a small hike up to the petroglyphs and rock hut. We wanted to do the hike but other boats were blocking our ability to park and make our way up. It was okay though. On our way to Forbidding Canyon, I noticed I had a full bladder, which I wasn't happy about. Shad had told everyone, rather than using the bathroom on the boat, we had to jump in the lake and pee. I was going to refuse and throw a tantrum till I got to use the bathroom on the boat (the water was cold!) when we noticed a floating port-o-potty in the entrance of Forbidding Canyon. Thank you!!Alishia asked who needed to go and EVERYONE said, "I do!". I think they all felt the same as I did! The port-o-potty smelled terrible but it beat the alternative! Traveling out of the canyon we stopped the boat and ate lunch. We headed back to the houseboat and stopped at the market on the way. The market had groceries and souvenirs. We stocked up on both and then headed back. It was a wonderful day!

All-in-all, we had a great trip. Shad and Jacob enjoyed fishing and catching Karp (sp?) then throwing them back in the water (I guess they don't taste good). When on the houseboat, we'd play games, watch movies and just hang out enjoying each others company. I got to snuggle with our favorite dog, Bohdee. Next year we'll probably travel there again and this time we'll bring comfy pads for the beds!

We all left on Monday and made it back home safe and sound. On the way back, mom, the kids and I stopped at my new favorite place: Cracker Barrel. I've heard from so many how awesome the store is so we stopped in and it was just that. I had to use a lot of self-control as I looked at all the fun things they had to offer. We didn't eat at the restaurant but I heard it's pretty yummy, maybe another time.

Is She a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?

Tuesday, September 29th--Bless Marissa's heart! My sister-in-law found a really easy pattern for making these gorgeous mesh skirts (I know it's a different name, rather than mesh, but I don't wanna try and spell it!). She asked me what kind of colors to make Elise's skirt and I told her Halloween colors would be beautiful and I was right! Look how beautiful it turned out.

Elise, the good witch (so sweet....wait for it...):

Elise, the bad witch (she looks downright evil, doesn't she!!!):

Happy 34th Birthday To Me!

Tuesday, September 22nd--I had an AMAZING birthday week! WOW! The Saturday before, Nate and I dropped the kids off with my sister, Alishia, and went to Gardner Village for some shopping and lunch at Archibalds. It was delish and the Halloween decorations were out and looking fantastic. Then we went to see the new Harry Potter film. It was so awesome, much better than the 5th one. After that we met up with Alishia, the kids and her family to eat at Texas Roadhouse. I ordered a pumpkin cake from my favorite bakery of all time, Dippidee, and brought it along. The food was incredible and the cake was so amazingly delicious--our waiter was so happy to get a piece too! It's a little costly but I think I'll be ordering my birthday cake from Dippidee every year! A few months ago I told Nate I wanted a Miche bag/purse for my birthday so I went to a friend, who sells them, and was able to pick out the one I wanted with 4 "skins". I got to use it this day and absolutely love it!!!

Tuesday, my actual birthday, Nate had to work so I ended up cooking my own birthday and getting an ice cream cake (we had planned on having enough of the pumpkin cake left over but I shared with some neighbor friends and we snacked on it through the weekend, just couldn't resist!). I cooked a roast and made mashed taters. We invited my cousin, Carly, and her hubby, Nate, over. And because she probably "sensed" my sadness that the pumpkin cake was all gone, she got me a gift certificate to Dippidee. Awesome! Dinner was great and so was the company!
Thursday night my dear "goddesses" (Kerri, Dawn and Heather) took me out on a night on the town. WOW! They took my to Paradise Bakery for dinner and awesome gifts then off to Hollywood Connection where we would channel our past roller-skating abilities (it's hard to believe, but I totally rocked at roller skating way back when!) at the Xanadu skating rink. They even brought headbands and leg warmers! Much to our disappointment, the rink was closed to the public as it was hockey night. So cruel! We stayed outside the rink taking pictures and making our own fun--perhaps, a little too much fun! he he he From there we drove around looking for a place to hang out while we blasted the Xanadu soundtrack. Our final destination was Cheesecake Factory where we all chose a different type of cheesecake to enjoy. Yum! On our way out I ordered a Vanilla Bean Cheesecake for the next evening. While we waited for it to be ready we flirted with the very cute waiter, Chad. It was so silly but so incredibly fun! I never wanted the night to end, it was SO MUCH fun!

Friday night we went out with our neighbor friends to eat at Braza Grill. Earlier, Alishia and Samantha came out to Brady's soccer game then took both of our kids for a sleep over. Suh-weet! The various meats were so good and the company was excellent--we laughed so much and had a great time filling our bellies. Everyone came back to our house to indulge in the cheesecake. It was so yummy! Nate and I got to sleep in, which was wonderful!

Saturday we picked up the kids and met Nate's family at one of our favorite restaurants, Sweet Tomato's, for lunch. I was amazed almost everyone showed up and I got some really touching gifts and cards. Nate and I were still "processing" the meal before so we didn't eat much but we had a great time.

So, needless to say, I had a FULL week of celebrating and every minute of it was wonderful. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday. I'm so thankful for amazing friends and family, especially my wonderful husband and kids. They mean the world to me. I look forward to many more birthdays and I'm all for this week-long stuff again! ha ha ha

**On a sidenote: Sounds like a lot of eating but I was a good girl, no weight gain. Phew!

Utah State Fair

September 13th--Another year at the fair. It was wild this year! The weather was cloudy and towards the end we got stuck in a major rain storm with thunder and lightning nearby. I had bought a few small kid-sized umbrellas for Brady and Elise and ended up using one myself, which must have been quite a scene for everyone to see---a big woman using a teeny umbrella in a pathetic effort to not get my hair wet and messed up! ha ha ha

As usual, Nate took the kids on rides with my niece Samantha, and her friend while my sister, Alishia, her son, Jacob, and I walked around all the various booths and pavilions then to the penny pusher games. It's a great system! I tried a fried Snickers bar and it was, eh, okay. And, as always, the carnies were a huge hit, not to mention the people just attending the fair. Oy vey!

10 Years Since the "Popping of the Question"

Labor Day, Monday, September 7th--We made our yearly drive up Big Cottonwood Canyon to Silver Lake. It is a tradition of ours as we celebrate the Labor Day Weekend that Nate took me to this very lake to propose to me. This year marks 10 years since that very special weekend. Nate planned it all on his own. He packed a picnic and we drove up there. There weren't a lot of people at the lake that day (anymore, it's always packed!). We found a picnic table in a beautiful, sunny area next to the ranger station. Lunch was delicious. Then it was time to burn off the calories by taking a walk around the lake. It's a very easy walk and you can often see chipmunks and an occasional moose or beaver. I figured Nate was going to propose to me but I began to wonder as we were nearing the end of the trail heading back to the parking lot. We came to a bench, kind of secluded, and Nate suggested we sit down for a while. We looked at the beautiful lake. I gave thanks for the fresh air and forest that reminded me of my Washington home I had just left behind to be with the man I love. We started some small chit-chat and then Nate got off the bench, got down on his knee, held my hand, and proceeded to share his feelings of love for me and then proposed. It was incredibly romantic and there wasn't a doubt in my mind that I wanted to spend forever with him. We kissed, hugged and then Nate decided we would "commemorate" this moment by "recording" it into the very bench that was involved in the decision we made that day to spend our lives together (thank goodness for sharp keys!). Sadly, that special bench is no longer there, it was old then so it's now been replaced. The first couple of years we would return we could still find it and our initials carved into the right-hand corner of the seat.

Every year we take the kids up with us. We pack a picnic and when we're done eating we take a walk around the lake. We show them the area where Nate proposed. This year we also tried to geo-cache. There was one on the geo-caching website that looked pretty easy. Nate's new GPS pointed the way but, sadly, the "treasure" was either gone or buried some where. The kids were bummed but we assured them we'd go on other treasure hunts. It was fun!

I still can't believe it's already been 10 years! Nate took me up to Silver Lake on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend then on that Monday we went ring shopping. I could have chosen a traditional diamond but decided on a beautiful sapphire instead. Nate liked it too.

We made the decision to become a family at that beautiful lake on the 1st week of September, 1999. I've never regretted that decision, it's the best one I've ever made or will ever make.

**A "Hidden Mickey" we discovered while walking around the lake. We think it's rock. It's near Brighton Ski Resort. You Disneyland/world fans know what I'm talkin' about! : )

4 Funerals and a Tree

Saturday, September 5th--Today, I attended the funeral of Lucas Nelson. He passed away of brain cancer at the tender young age of 8 months. (If you wish to read about his story, told by his parents, please read their blog at http://nelsonsforever.blogspot.com/) It was incredibly emotional seeing him, dressed in white, in his little, white, coffin--the imprint of his feeding tube was still present on his little cheek. He had just recently lost his hair due to the attempts to shrink the tumor via chemotherapy. The funeral service was just as emotional, his parents, Shannon and Aaron, honored us all with their courageous expressions of love for their little son. I went to Lucas' funeral with my friend, Kathy, and her 3 beautiful girls. Kathy's little baby son, Phoenix, died while she was in labor with him on January 4th, of this year. Lucas was born only a few weeks before Phoenix so this funeral seemed to hit Kathy quite hard, which was totally understandable. I remember his funeral too. I don't think I've ever cried so much at a funeral. Kathy stood and shared a beautiful poem she had written for her sweet, little Phoenix. Then we all listened as her daughters and their cousins sang an angelic version of "I Am a Child of God".

A month later, in February, my brother-in-law, Shad, lost his mother, unexpectedly. She had back surgery but there were complications as she began to recover. Connie, was a sweet lady but she was an alcoholic so she had kind of "checked-out" of her sons lives a long time ago. Sadly, the alcoholism might have contributed to her inability to recover.

The end of May came with the news that my grams had passed, while expected, it was still a hard time as I reflected on the memories of her and what a wonderful grandma she was. The last few years had been upsetting as we all watched her memory be affected by dementia caused by many mini-strokes. The last few months she didn't really know anyone and wasn't very coherent.

Up until this year, the last time I had attended a funeral was 2 years ago. Before that, quite a long time ago. This year, I've attended 4 funerals. There were two other funerals, within our close community, I was made aware of this year but didn't know the families. My dad tells me my grandpa doesn't have much longer to live. Then there was the passing of Sadie Huish on June 25th. I didn't learn of her story and passing till 2 weeks after she was laid to rest. (her moms incredible and touching tribute to her is here: http://sadiehuish.blogspot.com/) Sadie passed away from brain cancer too. She was 6 years old.

So you're probably wondering what the "tree" part of my title is all about, eh? This year I'm very excited about a project we're participating in with Nate's brother, Dustin, and his wife, Crystal. We're donating a tree to the Festival of Trees. Part of the inspiration for the design of the tree came from some of the sweet stories Sadies mom tells of her. Our plan is to dedicate the tree to Sadie and Lucas. In doing so, we'll be able to display a picture of each of them next to the tree and we hope to bring awareness to brain cancer in children. The proceeds of the auction of the trees are 100% donated to Primary Childrens Medical Center, where both, Sadie and Lucas, were treated. Our family has also spent time at Primarys when Brady was first diagnosed with diabetes. We were treated so well by the staff as they worked to control Brady's high glucose levels. Those that came in to teach Nate and I how to manage this "new normal" did it with respect and kindness. I remember hearing one of the educators call diabetes a "disease", that was the ultimate reality check. To this day, I still hate that word. It's been 2 1/2 years since and, while I don't like that we have to deal with diabetes at all, I still find reasons to feel blessed. It's manageable. We have scares during cold and flu season so, for that matter, please don't send your sick kids to school or church, it really can make a difference--I don't like taking my son to the ER. Other than that, Brady is a typical 4-year-old (yeah, I know he's a tall giant!). He plays, runs, wrestles and enjoys everything you'd expect him to. Should we do a tree next year, perhaps, it'll be dedicated to him and the three other family members who also have Type 1 Diabetes (Brady's cousins, Jacob & Darci and his aunt, Wendy). In the meantime, this year, as I've asked myself many times over, "What can I do?", I can continue to keep these families in my prayers but also, we can honor their childrens lives, and the tough battles they courageously fought, with a beautiful tree that thousands of people will see and their beautiful faces next to it. I hope those of you that read this, and are living in Utah (or visiting December 2-5), will take the time to attend the Festival of Trees. It is one of my favorite traditions. You will be amazed and touched! ......maybe you'll want to bid on the tree too! ; )

More to come as we prepare and get ready in the few months to come.

Armstrong August Birthdays Party

Friday, August 21st--There are 5 birthdays in the month of August for the Armstrong family: Nate's sister, Wendy, his brothers, Kip & Dustin, our nephew, Quinn and Nate's birthday. For the last couple of years we've combined all the birthdays and we do one party to make it easier on all of us. This year it was held at Nate's parents clubhouse. There's a pool there as well so we ate and then swam a while. Brady's soccer game didn't allow us to be there on time but we had fun anyway. The kids and Nate swam while I had fun holding my niece, baby Eliza. I brought an ice cream cake for the birthday boys (Wendy had to leave early) and it was a great success! They all got some fun gifts and it was nice to visit with family.

The next big birthday month comes in December: 3 on Nate's side and 4 on mine. Oy vey!

Brady's 1st Soccer Game

Friday, August 21st--Just like Elise, Brady had his first soccer game this week. His games will be every Friday through either the 1st or 2nd week of October (so much for Friday date nights, eh!?). Brady got lucky his first year playing soccer, his dad gets to be his coach. Nate was happy to accept the invitation to coach. He's never coached soccer before and knows little about it so coaching the 4 & 5 year olds is a chance to learn. Most of the kids on the team are in our neighborhood so we know them and their parents well. They've had a few practices and are slowly learning how it all works. It's so cute and hilarious to watch these little kids at practices and now at their first game. Brady got his jersey tonight and he's #7. Their team, which they decided to name the "Thunderbirds", didn't do so well tonight, as far as scoring. They scored 1 point while the other team scored quite a few more. But they all tried their best and now their coaches can go back to practice and work on the things that need to be addressed. Brady almost got a goal! He was kicking it into the goal and it hit the bar instead, then the opposing team took control. It's kind of sad to think that ball was only an inch or two away from going in!

It was quite a hot evening so we took the "mister" again and sprayed down all the kids with cool water. Once again, I was impressed with the parents cheering all the kids on instead of just their own.

Biking To School!

Friday, August 21st--(This post was suppose to go before Brady's 1st day back at pre-school but I forgot.) My neighbor friend, Kathy, and I have decided we're going start dropping off or taking our girls to school via bike. We'll alternate. I'm pretty happy about this decision as it's a part of the way I'm going to make my life more healthy. I think it'll be good for Elise too. She seems to love riding her bike anyway. We can usually get to school or back within about 15 minutes and the trail isn't bad at all, a few small hills. We'll be biking to school every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the days Nate is able to work from home. Tuesdays and Thursday are when Nate goes into work so he can't watch Brady while I drop off or pick-up the girls. Brady still uses training wheels so it makes for slow going and I don't think that would work out well. He is showing interest in learning so maybe, soon, he'll be able to start coming along.

I got my new bike a few weeks ago and just bought a basket to go on front--great for helping Elise when her backpack is heavy or a quick stop to Chevron to get my mug filled with a fountain drink (diet, of course!).