Summer 1983

Swim, swim, swimming!  I love pools like this, I wish there was one around here to  bring my kiddos to in the warm months.

I'm pretty sure that this is the campsite where we had a rattlesnake (or two) in the bushes.  I remember those things rattling away and being so scared!

Cousins!  (L to R: Bethany, Alyssa, Stacey, Heidi, and Amy)

Summer 1987

I forced myself to scan a reel of slides *just* so that I'd have fodder for this blog post-- see the plan is working!  So, here are two of my favorites...

From this photo it appears that Mom and Christina were just dropped on this rock in the middle of a lake (notice they are perfectly dry!), but I'm guessing that it's not actually too far from shore! 

And this one is taken closer to home...obviously!  I think Cornelia look so much like Christina in this picture (except with blonde out of control hair in our C's case).

This weekend will be packed with Meal Swap cooking, a birthday party (for Max to attend), and the usual church hustle and bustle.  We'll try to squeeze some family fun in there too.  See you on Monday!

1986

Every family has their traditions and quirks. These four photos say a world about the Armstongs and Bollmans!

Grandma Armstrong loved to play the piano--especially if she could get someone to sing along! I was always a willing singer (haha!) and Heidi would chime in too on favorites like, "How Much is That Doggy in the Window?". Who knows what we were singing here-- looks like Aunt Lesa's getting close to dosing, while Mom is just lapping it up-- she always loved music however poorly it was performed! :)

I don't remember this photo at all, but I'm almost certain what Grandpa Armstrong is plugging his nose over! Grandma had a dressing table upstairs, I guess just for decoration (who knows!?). At the table there was a giant powder puff with rose-scented powder. From the looks of it Heidi and Alyssa are pretty well coated!

Grandma Bollman spent much of every day that we visited in the kitchen (don't we all!). She was always busy fixing us meals or snacks. I have never tasted a roll I loved more or a better orange julius--yum! As cousins, we liked to huddle up to the pass-through window-- you never knew what Grandma might pass your way!

Evenings with our Bollman family was filled with conversation, music, and memories. I loved to watch slides of my mom and her siblings as kids--exploring the natural world as we all have enjoyed so much. In this photo Uncle Keith is weaving one of his hilarious tales. Who knows if it was about a mischievous student or a memory from the past, but one thing is certain-- we laughed!

Thanks for the magical memories, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. I love you!

1985

We're flashing back to 1985 today...

This photo was taken by Niagara Falls, probably not long after we moved to Buffalo, NY.

Christina turns 1 with her sisters and Mommy looking on adoringly! Poor Dad is stuck behind the camera as usual!

One more cute one of Mom and Christina. I can't resist those adorable baby faces!

Goin' to the chapel...

This gal's getting married on Saturday... so I've been busy, busy getting ready to leave my family for a few days to celebrate in Indiana. (Read: This is my excuse for not blogging!)

Please pray for Heidi and Kelly as they start their life together as husband and wife!

Flashback Friday

For the past few months I have been scanning in the thousands of slides that my parents took of my sisters and I in our growing up years. It takes about 2 minutes per slide (not including the part this lowly human needs to do, like loading and unloading slides, and saving them with some sense of order) so needless to say, it's a big job! I had hoped to have it all done by Christmas and made into a snappy DVD for my sibs, but alas, it didn't happen. Now we're shooting for summer solstice!

I've decided to use Fridays as a day to highlight a photo or two from the stash. A teaser, if you will, for those that are eagerly awaiting the aforementioned DVD. Hopefully those that don't share the Armstrong last name will enjoy them as well. :)

Exhibit 1: Circa 1979... My Dad and I. I think it's safe to say crazy hair may run in the family! Hahahaaaa!

Exhibit 2: Circa 1980. I was the child... now I am the mommy--pile of laundry, nursing, hair crazy, amused at the antics of a droopy diapered little girl. Time tromps on, but there's nothing new under the sun!

Have a blessed weekend, y'all. Hug somebody around the neck. Watch that silly kids movie for the hundredth time with your little one. And get outside-- didn't you hear, SPRING'S A COMIN'!