Vineyard Views

With the kids at my parents house since Sunday, Will and I have been spending some quality time together. This included going out to work with Will for a while yesterday. It brought back memories of our first year being married (before kids) when I used to ride with him late at night during harvest.

As we drove through the vineyard I realized I had my camera and started taking pictures. I have ALWAYS envied Sunny Wright's ability to take such amazingly beautiful pictures of just "grapes" or "onions." I know, I know, they aren't just "grapes and onions" they put roofs over many of our heads. But it is one thing to take stunning pictures of people, but nature is a whole nother thing!So, I gave it a try yesterday and found it quite relaxing! I found myself standing on the top of the truck to get different angles and views and also kneeling down into the dirt to attempt something totally "artsy". It was fun. I did realize that Sunny has a MUCH BETTER camera for that sort of thing and A LOT more talent than I will EVER have. But it was still fun to see what I could snap.

The other thing that I realized yesterday was how much work Will does to keep the vineyard running. I always give him a bad time about just driving around in his truck all day, when in all actuality he is a very busy man, accomplishing a lot in a LARGE area in one day. He has developed what was just acres of dirt blowing in the wind, to a breathtaking vineyard now swaying in the wind.

It was peaceful to sit and enjoy the quiet sounds the wind made whisping through the vines and absorbing the fact that "my husband" has done all of this from the ground, up!

I think many of us take for granted each day what a wonderful place we live in. It is absolutely incredible! Taking these pictures yesterday reminded me that I need to take more time each day to look outside and be very thankful for what we all have!

Our Anniversary Present!

Ten years ago Miss Taylor arrived as our "1st Anniversary" present. I find it very special to share that day with her. Will and I have found that it is best for us to celebrate our anniversary a couple days before August 9th so Miss Tay can have the 9th all to herself. She doesn't seem to be bothered with having to share her special day with us but every child should have a day "as their own."

The Armstrong Fam: All Growd Up!

The three of us in order of age, not height, left to right!

Why is it the baby is always the tallest?

"Da Twins" look very engrossed in someones story!

My family has made a point to be here every year on Miss Taylor's Birthday Weekend. It puts a bit of stress on me but it is always nice to have everyone here for her. This year was a change in that the weekend was not stressful for me at all. The meals went smoothly (and those of you who know me so well know that I HATE TO COOK!!!!) But you would all be very proud of me in the fact that I was very "Martha Stewarty" this weekend and even ENJOYED IT. This stay at home mom thing is mellowing me out a bit...don't worry I still have plenty of Drama Queen left in me.

Poor Brian got to spend the weekend with our crazy family!

Dick and Marge, our Republicans, talk politics by themselves...

Brother Scott is ALWAYS welcome with his massaging hands!

Miss Taylor had a wonderful birthday weekend receiving wonderfully thoughtful gifts. She gets to add more songs to her iPod with her iTunes card. A new mountain bike thanks to Nana Cheryl and Papa Dick, will allow her to ride a bike without hitting her knees on her chin. We will need to do little shopping thanks to Nana Juli and Papa Mack and their great taste in clothes. Thankfully Will and I had little problems coming up with a gift for her since she has taken up guitar. She now will be carrying her own guitar to class!

Mr Ryan even got a gift or two from the Nana's and the Papa's but also Miss Taylor gave him a gift so he had something to open on that day.

G.G. Marge and Miss Taylor

Here is to another year Miss Tay...

Love Mom, Dad, and RyJack!

A Decade + One

It is hard to believe 11 years ago, August 9th, Will and I got married. When I think back over the last 11 years it seems like it was a LONG TIME AGO but then again it also seems like just yesterday. There have been MANY rollercoasters ridden during the past 11 years!

My Dear Will was this calm, cool, and collected young man when we started dating. Then, the high strung, Drama Queen that I am made his life WAY more eventful than he ever imagined. I want to thank you, Will, for the past 11 years together. You have stood by me through some VERY, VERY difficult times and I thank you and love you for that more than you will ever know! For some bizarre reason, you love me for who I am and allow US (and only US) to worry about life's little (and big) challenges as we continue to work on them TOGETHER. Let's hope the next 11 years are not as "rollercoastery" as the first. We have been a great team working hard to raise our children to be respectful and kind to one another along with others around them. We are blessed to have our wonderful family!

"A friend loves at all times."

Proverbs 17:17

Imagination: FOUND!

Today Ryan came to me asking to help him get into his Air Force Pilot outfit. I started to giggle because this was his Halloween costume from at least two years ago! I knew there was NO WAY it was going to fit him. But, he wanted it on anyways. So, once we got him dressed he looked like a pilot waiting for a flood!

That was not the funniest part of this dress up adventure...he then wanted his winter snow boots from the top of his closet. As I was putting them on him I said "These are the coolest moon boots ever!" He replied, "Moon boots? I thought they were snow boots.? I guess I am going to the moon on my flight today." I thought I was going to fall off the bed I was laughing so hard. He then ran off to play...

I then found him on my bed dressed, still in all the previous gear I had put on him, along with his Seahawk helmet, Prosser Mustang chin strap, one gardening glove, and one Old Navy sock as the other glove (he said he couldn't find the matching gardening glove). It was absolutely the most adorable thing I had ever seen. I am amazed each day at the things he finds to entertain himself. I was a bit concerned he was missing a strong imagination...apparently I was very, very wrong!

"1st Annual" Beightol Campout

So, the Little Beightol children are so deprived that they have never slept in a tent outside. They were so excited to set up that tent and get into it they could hardly stand it! They used it during the day as their Kid Klub House.


It was so much fun watching them spend time running around and playing games outdoors. We did take some time inside though. Aunt Linda brought the motor home as her "tent" for the evening. We found ourselves starting the festivities off with a little Karaoke. We each were GIVEN a turn to sing. You probably heard the dogs howling as I was singing! Chance even got into the spirit of things by dancing to the YMCA song with all of us.

Mia had found a rubber snake in the toy box at Nana Cheryl's and Brandon thought it would be a great thing to use to trick people.

Aunt Linda (our Activities Director) came with events and times planned out for the camp out. After setting up tents, singing songs in the motor home, it was time to make our own ice cream. It was a blast. The kids were able to shake the cream in a baggie until it turned to the thickness of their liking. They did complain a lot about how cold their hands were getting trying to shake the cream with the ice.

Notice Mia is wearing her vest with the hood up. She spent all weekend needing a jacket on and a hat whenever going outside. She said it was too windy and cold in Washington! She is WAY TOO FUNNY!

As it started getting dark the campfire got a roarin'. Thank goodness for Uncle Wade though. He helped get green sticks, as apposed to dry sticks to use to roast the marshmallows and hot dogs. We could have had a disaster on our hands!

Along with never sleeping outside in a tent my kids had also never roasted marshmallows or hot dogs on an open flame. That was so much fun to watch the sparkle in their eyes while they sat impatiently waiting for their marshmallows to finally be ready. Again Uncle Wade's outdoor expertise came in handy teaching Miss Mia not only how to roast a marshmallow but also how to eat one! The entire day was so much fun! We were able to sit and watch our little ones run around and play with each other. While we got to giggle at them, tell funny stories of "when we were little" and just enjoy an evening together as family!

I do hope this event is able to continue each year. We forget how quickly we grow older but also how soon our little ones will be off hangin' with friends and not wanting to do fun family things together.
It was midnight before we could get any little ones to even begin to think about heading into the tent for the night. Ryan was a walking zombie. We decided he is exactly like his Uncle Brandon...neither one of them wants to miss ANY of the excitement. What's really funny is they usually are the excitement.

One suggestion for next year: we should start looking immediately for something comfortable to put underneath us while sleeping in the tents next year! I might still have bruises to show NEXT YEAR from sleeping on that tree root all night!

Until next year Beightol Family...

IT'S HERE...

I can not tell you how badly I have been waiting for August 2nd to arrive. "Breaking Dawn" is finally out and we can all find out what Bella decides to do. The problem is...The Flo Rida Beightols were in town that day and so I knew that if I started the book they would never see the whites of my eyes until I was finished. So, I kindly did not open the book until late Sunday night. I am sure MANY people are finished with all 754 pages already and know what I have been dying for since February!

If you have not even started the Twilight Series I strongly suggest you get your hands on the first book entitled "Twilight". But, I should warn you...you will want to make sure you have PLENTY of time to get lost in a book. Once you start, you will NOT want to put it down!!!!!

I must get back to my book where Bella and Edward so far are living the life we all hope to live!

Flo Rida Beightols

If today is any clue of how the month of August will be for the Beightol family we are in for a WONDERFUL month!!! August 1st brought the entire Beightol family back together for the first time since Christmas of 2006! Ryan and Taylor couldn't wait to get to be with Ms. Mia this morning. Mia on the other hand wasn't so quick to jump right in with the crazy ways of the Washington Beightols!

We have had a fun FILLED day. Starting with haircuts at the beauty shop thanks to Aunt Brezzi! Ryan had to model good haircutting behavior for Mia because there was NO WAY she was getting her hair cut! Then, we had to bribe Mia to sit in the chair with Polly Pocket toys. Finally, she sat on Nana Cheryl's lap while the rest of us talked and made faces at her so she would keep her head up. Brezzi your beautician skills are amazing!

Then, it was off to our house to get Mia acclimated to our home before Sunny arrived to take pictures of the three kids and Nana and Papa. Mia came right into the house and was ready to play! As we waited for picture time to arrive, outside was beginning to look like a scene from "The Wizard of Oz" as Taylor put it. The wind was blowing and dust filled the air. But leave it to Sunny, she found ways around the wind to capture some fun and interesting pictures.

After an hour plus of picture taking the three kids then decided it was time for a fashion show in Taylor's bedroom. We were all given invitations and as we arrived we were welcomed with wonderful music from The Jonas Brothers blaring from Taylor's iPod! They gave an eventful fashion show along with a couple side shows of their individual dance talents! Ryan loves the robot, Mia shakes her booty, and Taylor, well, Taylor just likes to be on stage performing it all!!

The night finally ended with Mia telling her mom that she was just so tired her legs hurt! That was the sign for everyone to begin to pack up. Well, everyone but myself and Will. Yes, we sent our kids home with Nana and Papa and the Florida Beightols promising to join them first thing tomorrow to begin ANOTHER eventful day for" The 1st Annual Beightol Campout!" So, you know there will be great bloggin' coming with a title like that!