Happy Memorial Day!!!

Last night we met up with Gma and Gpa P and Brett and Shendi at the cemetary to visit Great Grandpa Nelson's, Darci P's, and cousin Mikey's graves. There is also a flag and wall with Great Gpa's name on them for his service in WWII. He was a POW and his story is pretty amazing.

I highly recommend the book "My Father's Captivity" by Al Young for a great read about that time in a Japanese POW camp.

We had a picnic near the graves and remembered our family that has already joined our Heavenly Father.

Original Pings... minus Justin and Scotty

Funny kids

Xander is definately our biggest clown, but they are all so funny and silly and continually make Bret and I laugh.

Eliza's new things... she stands on her head, likes to sing and dance, and when we are in nursery she has to have her own carpet to sit on during lesson and singing time and she does actions to "popcorn popping" and holds the ribbons during "do as I'm doing".

Xander says and does the funniest things. He has never seen "Lord of the Rings" but he suddenly goes around saying, "My precious!" just like Gollum.

Christopher always comes up with funny and odd scenarios just like his dad.

Darci likes to shake her bum and dancee and spin.

Overall they keep life pretty fun and entertaining.

Dance Festival 2010

This year the elementary school did "Decades" for their dance festivel. Because of construction on the school they did it differently this year than in years past and we had a hard time seeing Christopher. It was fun watching him do the Charleston from the '20s, though.

I ran out on the field when they were lining up so I could get a good picture of him. The thing around his neck is supposed to be a bow-tie.

This is as close as I could get from where we were watching.

Darci and Xander enjoyed the music and danced for those around us.

Pirate Island!!!

Front row- Eliza, Xander, Christopher, Blakelynn, Darci, and Matthew

Back- Bret, Gma P, Brett, Shendi, and Gpa P

Gma and Gpa P were visiting out of town family during Christopher's birthday and so today they took the family out to Christopher's favorite pizza spot... "Pirate Island". Joined by Brett and Shendi's family we had delicious pizza and had lots of fun playing in the arcade. Thanks for the fun night Gma and Gpa!!!

Some updates and forgotten stuff.

First of all... my hand. It's pretty much healed. I've had it peel like a sunburn three or four times, and right after peeling the fresh skin is very sensitive. It gets tingly every now and then, too. But you have to look pretty close to see any of the scars and I have full use. I feel so blessed and so grateful to have my hands.

Secondly, I completely forgot the wonderful announcement that Darci is now mostly potty trained!!!!! We worked hard and it was draining on both she and I. I say mostly because she isn't night trained. But during the day she never has an accident. She loves her panties and changes them several times a day just because. In fact we have to really stay on her to keep her pants on, or not lift her dresses up. She's happy to be a "big girl".

Happy 8th Birthday Christopher

I can't believe my firstborn is 8 years old!!! The time has flown like lightning. He is such a good kid. He is so excited for his upcoming baptism and to start in Cub Scouts. He enjoys his friends and school. He is anxiously looking forward to summer. He has such a great testimony of the Gospel and we have moments when he teaches Bret and I. I've heard a few people express that getting baptized at 8 is too young. That they can't possibly be an accountable age. But I have seen the strength and spirit in my own son that proves that this is the perfect age to be taking such a big step. He is my big helper. I can ask him to do anything and he does it without complaint. He cares deeply for his younger siblings and tries his best to be kind and loving. He is constantly aware of those around him and he has concern for everyone.

I love you Christopher!! You first blessed me by making me a mom and you continue to bless my life always!!

Such JOY!!

Eliza is at such a fun age and she brings us so much joy. Not for just Bret and I, but to all her siblings and everyone around her. We have gotten some cute pictures of her recently.

Everytime Bret plays the piano, Eliza tries to join him.

Christopher's Birthday Party

Tomorrow is the actual day and I'll leave my sentimentality for then.

Today Christopher had his birthday party. He really wanted me to do a Super Mario Bros. theme. So, I started searching online and picking friends' brains for ideas and I think we pulled it off. We only let the kids have a "friend party" every other year.

Here's the whole party crowd (minus Gma and Gpa Armstrong)

We started with decorating our treat bags while Bret and Grandpa went to get the pizza.

Next was all the pizza, chips, and soda they could drink. I really thought so many 8 and 9 year olds would devour every speck of food we had, but they were all more interested in jumping on the trampoline. We're going to be eating on pizza for a few days.

Eliza likes her pizza!

After our nosh we played "Pin the Mustache on Mario". There was lots of funny spots to put mustaches. Xander very excitedly won this one.

Everyone gets their mustaches.

Next we squashed Koopa Troopas for coins. Anyone that isn't in the know with Super Mario (like me) should know that a Koopa Troopa is a turtle and you jump on them for coins. Our Koopa Troopas were green balloons with gold coins in them. Some had 2 or 3 and couple had 5-8. The kids would run to a chair and pop their balloons to find out how many coins they got and collect them in their bags.

The next game the kids had to use their brick blocks (just a piece of cardboard with bricks painted on) and jump on them to get to a finish line. If you tossed your brick too far and couldn't land on it then you had to go back to the beginning. When you reached the finish line you could go into that part of the yard and search for coins. There were also 3 boxes containing 12 coins each.

After this we had our pinata, which we made to look like a Bomb-Omb. We went youngest to oldest for turns to whack it and it was the 2nd oldest (Kaleb) who broke it open. Our pinata was full of candy and more coins. Everyone counted up their coins and the person with the most coins won a prize.

Daniel Makes everyone laugh with his bomb-omb head

The presents. Christopher's favorite part. And great big cupcakes from Costco. It was a fun day with perfect weather and, I think, very memorable for Christopher.

Nine blissful years...

And a hope for many more to come.

** sorry it's a little blurry

The last 9 years have been some of the best of my life. I have had my hardest trials, my lowest moments, and yet I wouldn't trade them for anything because I have had my best friend and lover by my side. I often say that Bret is my EVERYTHING. And that is really the best way to describe it. My best friend, my lover, my equal, my strength, the father of my children, my husband... everything.

I love so much about him that I don't think I could put it all in a blog post. I would need to spend several days to put it all down.

Tonight we kept it simple and went on a date out to dinner. We talked and reminisced. Before going to bed we watched the home videos from our wedding day and reception. OH MY!!! We were so young... at least we looked so young. I was much thinner and didn't look (or feel) as tired. But I am definately much more in love, much wiser, and much more comfortable in my own skin and in my relationships with others.

We came home from our date to find Gpa snuggling with Eliza and cousin, Matthew.

And Gma bathing the older kids.