THE BIG 2-4!!!!

SO this last week we celebrated my 24th birthday!!! WOW!!! I cannot believe i am not 17 anymore! Anyways....I think that is was pretty much the best birthday ever!!!! I have no pictures to prove!!! The day started out as normal, Got up, went to work, yaddiya......I came home for lunch and Shane made me close my eyes....he then put some money in my hand (from him and my parents) and said these are for you new Nike's that you have been wanting!!! YAY!!! I was so super excited! I thien went back to work where I was sitting at my desk doing my regular old Monday stuff, when all of the sudden my boss (also the owner of the company) comes in and says " Paige, I need to talk to you" and it was not in a nice tone! He sounded so made!!!! So i follow him down the hall into the conference room......the whole time I am thinking "I am so getting canned on my birthday!" We turn the corner to go into the conference room and lo and behold there is my husband along with 15 other people I work with....singing happy birthday!!!! (totally speechless at this point and bright red in the face). There was also a HUGE cake there....marbled cake with raspberry filling!!!! YUM!!!!! After I got home from work Shane Surprised me with a Nintendo Wii (i have wanted one FOREVER)!!!! He then took me to this new BBQ place I have been DYING to try called Sonny Boy's BBQ and it was AMAZING! We then came home and played the Wii till our arms were about to fall off!!! Yay it was amazing!

Upcoming in the Armstrong Family (hopefully there will be pics?) We are training for a triathlon!!! Now before you think I am crazy (which I am) It is just a mini Triathlon!!! But I am so excited!! This will take place on April 9th, 2011. It is set up so cool! You have to run on the Treadmill for 25 mins, Bike for 25 mins and swim for 10 mins! Shane and I joined in on a friendly wager with a co-worker to see who can win so it will make it more interesting. We are also looking forward to the warm weather so can plant flowers and a garden. We are right in the middle of what we call "birthday season". EVERY week to 10 days there is a birthday!!! We miss our family so my much and wish that we could be there for each and everyones birthday!

Well hopefully next time we will have pics, but until next time

TA ta

~~~The Armstrong's~~

RIP Grandpa Dodge

Ok so I haven't blogged since October! I am terrible! But I feel that tonight is a time to blog. Shane and I just got home from Roy and it was a bitter sweet visit. My Grandpa Dodge was diagnosed with Stomach cancer on Devember 17th, 2010, after his ever short, intense battle we lost him January 17th. That was our bitter sweet visit. This weekend was his funeral and our family laid our Grandfather to rest. Grandpa lived a good life and was a good man and he will be missed. He would have been 73 years old on June 17th of this year. Him and my Nana would have celebrated there 50th anniversary on August 25th of this year. This whole experience has been heart wrenching and breaking. It also has been a very spiritual experience. Grandpa got to tell us all the he loved us and that he will miss us before he left us. He is now out of pain and in a better place which I am grateful for.
This past month has been so hard on all of my family that I want to take this opportunity to tell them that I love them all and that I have the best family in the world. I know that not many people read my blog but I think it is important to make it public. We will miss you Grandpa and we love you! You are now our angel watching over us!!!

Rest In Peace Grandpa

DISNEY LAND 2010

Me, Mickey and Shane!!!

So Shane and I got back from our Disneyland/California trip about a week and a half ago!! and I must say that it was awesome!! I have been totally excited about blogging about it but I have yet to have a chance!! So here we go!
Above is a picture of the San Diego temple! This is a BEAUTIFUL Temple! This is the Temple that Shane got to go to on his Mission! I am super jealous! We didn't do a session here we just walked around outside! But this is seriously most breath taking temple I have EVER seen!!!

This picture is in front of the Newport Beach Temple. It was also amazing! We did do a session here and it was so much fun! We got to meet the temple president!

I have to put this picture on here because I LOVE the boys with Tinkerbell!!! It was so awesome to meet her!!! But seriously these boys look so studly especially the one in the gray shirt!! But I think I may be a bit bias!

Here is the Disneyland bunch just inside the gates at Disneyland. The weather was so gray and rainy the whole time that we were there and this pic if funny cause we are wearing shorts and panchos at the same time!

Shane, Sully, and I !! and may I say that Sully is freaking awesome!!! I gave him a big hug when we went up for pics! After that he didn't want Shane it the pics!! Watch out Shane our your out and Sully will sneak in!

Finally A pic of Shane and i and his beard at La Jolla Beach after we had been playing in the waves all afternoon. La Jolla beach is beautiful and Shane and Dane got to swim with Seals! We ate dinner at this really Yummy place just off the beach and drank hot chocolate!! We love vacation and want to permanently reside in Disneyland!

Until next time
-The Armstrongs

Shane's Big 30 Surprise Party!

So since July I have been trying and trying to figure out what to get Shane for his birthday. I swear men are the hardest people in the world to shop for. I also wanted to give Shane an awesome birthday because last year I had my apendix out just a few days before his birthday and I wasn't able to get him all his present...and I laid on the couch all day. So it was the middle of August when we had a nice TV come into the pawn shop...BINGO!!! I put it on layaway and he was done shopping for. Well two weeks before his birthday I decided it would be fun to throw him a surprise party....it wasn't until the Tuesday before I decided that I wanted to do...that I had actually decided on when to do it. So I called and text all of our friends and BINGO!!! And everyone came!!! Thanks to every one that came!
Shane was totally surprised too! I picked him up from work that night and took him to dinner. I told him that we had to be home at 8 so I could watch dateline.....I couldn't think of anything else to tell him....so we hurried through dinner and booked it home! When we got home I made sure that he went it first. Every one was sitting so quietly in our living room, with the lights off. When Shane walked in he was calling for the cat "Snickers, Snickers?" and then the lights came on, and everyone popped their poppers and yelled SURPRISE!!!! It kinda scared me and I was expecting it! Shane was speechless!
So I decided to go little kid style and buy a pinata. Can I just say how much fun those things are even if you are an adult! We all were laughing and having so much fun! Above is Shane taking the first swing!

Little Ella was so cute! She wanted to do it all by herself. Hanna tried to help her but she refused! and she did really really good!
Finally the pinata was hit open and notice who is the one grabbing the most candy! THAYNE and DANE!!! Not the little kids!
Shane in all his 30 years of glory, opening his birthday presents! You can kinda see his new TV?
On his actual birthday (September 21st) I made him sloppy joes for dinner and we made some cookie dough....and ate it...and thus ends Shane's Birthday celebration! I love him so much and i hope he had an awesome birthday!!!

Until next time

-The Armstrong's

SuMmEr EnDiNgS

So It has only been 3 weeks since the last blog!!! This summer has totally rocked! Here is a small glimpse of what we have been up too!

The sad ride home:( guess that every thing fun has to come to an end but we sure did enjoy our selves!

We spent part of labor day weekend up at the cabin. Shane's Dad was their and our friends Dane and Stephanie joined us up there! WE ate like KINGS!!!! had smores and sand Ku-bye-ah!!!
The rest of labor day weekend was spent at the Iron county fair and the Festival of homes!!! (AMAZING!!!) I just love going to fairs! They seriously have the best stuff there! I bought the cutest necklace for $5!!!!

We went to the demolition derby! It was out in Parowan and it was a blast! Before we went to the derby we went to the famous Hamburger Patty's!!! And it was a amazing. We went with some friends Stephanie, Thayne and Jenny, we also met up with our friends Tyrell and Janelle. The crowd was pack so we all sat in a tiny little area!!! But it was a blast!

Here are us chicas!!!

Until next time!
-The Armstrongs

Oreo Cookies

OrEo CoOkIeS

Ok so this picture does not do this cookie justice but it is the best I could do! I really don't know what to ever blog about and I was talking to my sister and she said that I should blog about crafts I do and things I bake....well I LOVE TO BAKE!!! so BINGO
This is a very simple recipe and I hope you enjoy!!!

2 Devils food cake mix
1 1/2 cup shortening
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all of these ingredients together. (WARNING: the cookie dough is really thick and I have burnt up a few mixers just with these cookies so start out on low!!) Roll the dough into balls and cook at 350 for 12 mins (may very depending on oven!) Makes about 52 cookies

Now for the good stuff!!!

CrEaM cHeEsE fIlLiNg

1 8oz package of cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 lb powdered sugar (I never used this much!)

Mix the cream cheese and butter together. Add the vanilla. Begin adding powdered sugar until you like the taste. If you add the whole 1 lb then it makes a ton.
Spread the frosting between two cookies. Be sure to keep cookies refrigerated!!

ENJOY!

THE BEAC H?

A Little R&R

So Shane and I went to the new "Lake on the Hill" here in Cedar city. It really isn't much may I add. They claim that it is 11 acres of water. They have an area blocked off for swimming only and the rest of it is for fishing. Shane and I decided that we would make up for some list time together by packing a picnic lunch and heading up there. We get there and find a nice solitary place to lay out our blanket away from every one else. Enjoying a nice lunch/afternoon. So this is were I have to take the time to say how great full I am that we do not have children yet. Almost every one that was there, well at least all of the adults, had children there. While all of the other adults there were chasing there kids around, worrying about sunscreen, and yelling at them to not get the towels wet, Shane was completely dead to the world asleep, while I was completely enthralled with a book. Now I must say that is a good way to spend a day off!