Catch that boat!!!

Our Spring break was a few weeks ago, and what an adventure it was. We had planned on going to Puerto Rico, and up until on the way to the boat, did the kids figure out we weren't going to Puerto Rico. A couple of days before we left, Ivan and I decided to go on a cruise instead. We called around, compared prices, and got a pretty good deal, but I said, let's not tell the kids. So, we kept it a secret until we were in the taxi from the airport in New Orleans to the dock to get on the boat. When we were making our reservations, and comparing prices, 1 or 2 people told me, that we could start getting on the boat at 3:00 and it left at 5:00. We got to the dock at 4:05, thinking we were doing just fine on the time, and the boat was un-tied, and pulling away from the dock. After spending a couple of hours in the boat terminal, it was determined that really the only option we had, was to catch up to the boat. We spent Monday night in New Orleans, most of the day Tuesday was spent in airports. Since we fly stand-by, we have to do carry on for all of our luggage. And if the airplane allows it, a lot of times we will gate check our luggage. When we got off the plane in Houston, Kimball's bag was not at the gate check to pick up. We let Kimball go and try to find it, and partly because of that, and partly because we were now flying on a different airline, we missed the flight to Progresso, Mexico. We spent Tuesday night in Houston. Wednesday morning we flew to Cozumel, Mexico. We spent the day kind of relaxing, and playing on the beach at the all-inclusive resort we stayed at. The next morning when we woke up, we could see our boat from our motel. We did some souvenior shopping, then got on the boat around 1:00 Thursday afternoon. It pulled out of dock at 4:00, and we stayed on the boat until it got into New Orleans on Saturday morning. So, all in all our Spring break was pretty stressful! We wanted to go on a relaxing vacation when we got back! Marshal was thankful he was in Florida with his cousin. Quin was in military school.

Entertaining the kids in one of the many airports we were in


Yeah!! We made it to Cozumel!!.

After souvenir shopping, before getting on the boat.

Putt-putt on the top deck of the boat.

Ours is the one on the left.

Quick run down of our happenings

Ok, I don't know how to add pictures at the end of what I have typed. So, enjoy the pictures, then keep scolling down for a little update.

Ivan and I at my first UK basketball game.

Orin made it to the county spelling bee. He came in first in his class, and second in his school, and through 2 rounds at the county.

Ivan and Orin playing with the Legos that Patrick got for his birthday.

Me, being goofy, with a pair of Lukas' sunglasses on that he got for his birthday.

Legos, again

Lukas turns 16!!

Kimball giving Patrick a piggy back ride up to bed.

Orin and Ivan playing a quick game of foosball before bed.

Ok, so it has been quite a while since I have had the time to write anything on here. Here is a quick run-down of things going on in the Armstrong house. Ivan is still working for the airlines, (for now), they let quite a few people go, and we thought he was going to be let go as well, but they decided to keep him on. So, since he/we still have flying privileges, we are going to Puerto Rico for Spring break next week. I have entered to run a half-marathon that is exactly one month from today. My mom, 2 sisters, 2 brothers and I are all doing it together. Kimball may also run it, depending on how his knee feels. Also, this Saturday I am going to a scrapbook convention in Louisville. YEAH for me!! Kimball has gone these past 2 days to take the test for his GED. He thinks he did pretty good on it. He is also doing some volunteer work at Eastern State Mental Hospital, and is liking that. Quin is in Fort Knox, Ky., at the Bluegras Challenge Academy. It is a program ran by the National Guard. He will be able to earn his GED, and some college credits. He started it in Jan., came home a couple of weekends ago, will get to come home one weekend a month from now on, and graduates in June. He is doing pretty good in the program. Lukas is liking the curb out in front of our house, to practice his skateboard moves on. He has decided to not take marching band next summer/school year. I would like to see him stay with it, but it does free up our summer quite a bit. Marshal has started playing LaCrosse, and really likes it. I didn't get to see his first game, but some friends of ours from church, said that he played really well. He also goes with Ivan in the mornings a few days a week to play basketball. Nicole had her first year of church Young Women's basketball. She is also currently playing soccer. Rebecca is on her first official ball team. She is playing soccer, and loving it! Orin and Patrick played basketball, and they are also playing soccer. Rebecca, Orin, & Patrick are all on the same soccer team. Orin and Patrick have also started baseball. (I know I'm crazy for letting them play 2 sports at the same time, and that kind of goes against our "rules", of only doing one thing at a time.) Oh, well, it's not as bad, since Kimball can drive and help run kids around. So, that is just a quick little run down of our lives.

Some recent pictures

Some recent pictures for Project 365.


This is all of what is left of our 18 foot cedar Christmas tree. I'm glad that we have tile floors, it makes cleaning up the needles a little bit easier. But, it still took all day to take all the decorations off, cut up the tree, and put it on the curb. Our garbage men didn't take it, so we had to cut it up some more, and we will be putting it out again this week.


It was cold and rainy, so we decided to bring in Ewok, (the dog), inside for a little while. We tied him up to one of our pillars in the front room, so he had limited range of motion. Oreo, (the cat), doesn't really care for Ewok very much, but we think that he liked that he could just stay out of Ewok's reach.



Saturday morning, Quin woke up to his bedroom flooded. Water had even leaked out into the rec room area of the basement. We dried it up as best as we could, then called somebody on Monday morning. They told us that the floater on our sewage pump had gone bad. The floater is the part that causes the pump to kick on when the water level rises, and pumps the water out to the street sewer. So, obviously, we couldn't keep the carpet, even if we had been able to get all the water out. We will proably put tile down, in case something ever were to happen again.



Two of Ivan's partners, Rick & Jay Mohler, came out for a few days to meet and discuss things. I took this picture from our balcony.

This is Nicole after her all city concert. She was fifth chair.


This is not a very good picture of me, but, I think it shows us having fun on a Sunday evening, playing spoons.