lost

well, in one fell swoop, i've managed to lose almost all of my personal information--everything from pictures of my daughter's ENTIRE LIFE to YOUR phone number. on thursday of last week, i felt like i had lost a dear friend. by sunday, i had no friends left and now, i'm simply lost.

you see, on thursday, i happened to have my coffee on the counter. nolan and i had just finished "elfing ourselves" when he accidentally tipped that mug of cinnamon coffee goodness. while i lunged for my cpu, it seems i did nothing to save my poor mac mini. it gave me 3 really loud beeps that could be translated into, "bad mother-bad mother-bad mother." i didn't MEAN to leave the coffee so close...
all of my babies pictures, Christmas gifts just waiting to be made, dvds dying to be birthed...i NEED my iphoto and idvd people. it's December 10th for crying out loud!!!!! with directions from the computer savviest people i know, i left my mac mini to dry out and prayed. honestly-is that wrong?
when we plugged that baby in today, nothing but the same 3 bad mother beeps. y'all, with what happened on sunday, i should have waited to try the computer. i just couldn't take the bad mother beeps today.

i spent sunday cheering on the houston texans in reliant stadium. my first texans game--and we won. it was nothing short of wonderful. until we were almost to the car and i realized that my beautiful new motorola razr was missing. i only tell you it was a razr b/c i've never had a nicer phone. in fact, i have had the simplest, cheapest phones by CHOICE. i'm not a huge phone gadget kind of girl. i prefer things like iphoto and idvd. and so, ever since i got one, i pretended that my razr was just too much phone for me. but the fact is, i secretly loved it. i kind of felt like i had arrived in the phone world. so what that my husband has an iphone that can do amazing things that i don't even know about. i had a RAZR!
either way, i left it. somewhere. i had it the entire game. something went awry when i stood to leave and thought it made it in to my bag. i made a really honorable effort to retrieve...fought my way into the stadium after the gates were closed (ever tried that?), ran several ramps as fast as i could (actually not too many--we had amazing seats...thank you LIsa), fought the workers to allow me to get back to my seat, and talked with the lost and found people for a while.
but it's gone. all the numbers, all the alarms i had set, the CUTEST pictures of my children. there's this one where lori is wearing her winter hat...a fluffy dog with a bow...

and so, in a weekend, i am lost. how sad ( i can't think of a better adjective) that my life is so attached to my technological things. but it is, and i admit it.

if you are reading this...would you email me your phone number? but don't expect a reply any time soon with my computer dead and all.
i love you-and hopefully i will talk with you soon.
maybe i'll go spend my time doing some things that really are representative of what Christmas is about--maybe all of this is to keep me focused right now. i don't know...just thoughts.
y'all take care!

Let's try something else...

If you've got kids, I know what you're doing these days. Maybe even if you've got grandkids. Your camera batteries are charged, ready at a moments notice. Or maybe you're a little more planned. You've convinced your husband to drive you and the little, adorable ones to the perfect spot, sure to snap it. The perfect picture. That's what we're all going for right now. Yep, because it has to go in those Christmas cards that, really, you need to write and address soon. Time is running out and so far...all you've gotten are pictures of the backs of heads, somebody crying, or blurry action shots.
So here's my proposal. Let's try something else this year...Let's just send the pictures that tell the true story. What the real world looks like. You down? So far, here are the Armstrong options!

more in the series, "This is Yoakum"

I haven't done a great job of introducing you to our home town as promised. I just kind of threw the benefit dinner at you, hoping to draw you in, but then left you waiting for the next course of giblet rice (which, by the way, my genius father-in-law figured out how to make! Woo hoo!).

This is just a quick tidbit but a morsel nonetheless...our back yard friends.


Meet Blondie. The adorable, blonde cow who visits our backyard occasionally. I'm actually zoomed in a bit. We do have a fence. See?


I'm standing closer to our back door here. It's a wonderful back yard. Nolan gathers acorns, throws balls, rides in the wagon, and most importantly, has a little b.p. each day. (non-baseball fans, ask a friend)

This back yard and Blondie are two more reasons we love Yoakum. I think Nolan loves Blondie and her friends. Perhaps that is what he is contemplating here.




This Thanksgiving and Christmas season, when blessings are at the forefront of our mind, the simple, just-plain-fun things we've done in this great back yard are definitely included.
Y'all come visit soon.

So much fun...here are the babies pre-costume and getting ready to go downtown. And look at my girl getting what she wants. Having her lick the lollipop was not what I intended but at least Nolan is sharing. Pick your battles, you know?

Alright, now we may not have pizza delivery but Yoakum nailed it in the trick or treat department. Everyone, and I mean all 5731 of us, were walking the streets of downtown, stopping at every business and group that set up "shop" to hand candy to begging, but very cute, children. We walked up and down the streets with our friends--Nolan held his pumpkin so that sissy couldn't get it and delved into sugar haven. Poor guy, it's all new to him, this sugar thing. I've been withholding and now I'm not sure there's any turning back. I couldn't stand it though...looking this cute, he can have anything he wants (and so can that sweet ballerina you see)!

Nolan attended his first fall festival at the Methodist Church where he attends mother's day out...aptly named, "Happy Hearts"... I'm not sure if they're referring to the kids or to the mothers but we're all pretty darn excited about the program. He liked games as long as there were prizes, he may or may not have drank water in dog-like fashion out of the "duck pond" and he ate sugar cookies until his tummy just couldn't take it anymore. Oh yes, he discovered stamps. And here's another reason to love Yoakum. Around here-you just don't mind if someone else picks up your baby just to hang out. I see this mom all around town and my friends know her well so it was fun when she picked up Lori and toted her around for a while!

And now, the children

Alright, as promised...pictures of kids. Lots of 'em. More than you want to see but only a fraction of what I wanted to share!
They go from most recent to right before we moved so SCROLL DOWN!
I can't communicate how much I love these babies. Despite the expected craziness in having them 14 months apart, there is more joy in the days we spend together than I thought possible. And the adult communication I'm supposed to be missing? Well, sure, but hearing Nolan run to his sissy's side when she's crying and genuinely asking, "Matter sissy? Matter sissy?" (what's the matter sissy, for non-baby-speakers)...c'mon...that's just good stuff.