To say its has been a big year would be an understatement. Let me sum up what our family has been up to. Marrying my wife Shannon in May was the ultimate highlite. We spent the summer traveling together, just her and I and our van Elvis... and of course a bunch of airplanes, crazy festivals, wacky summer camps and road construction too. This fall, Shannon took a job in canada and has been sending me out the door to tour the US with two fine gentlemen named Sam and Lukey ( also known as Acilleus and Dutch Butter, their self proclaimed stage names... they're crazy). We have had a busy fall helping out with 7 Real Encounter Events with our friends from Clear Vision Drama and Brad "motorcross haircut" Bennett and Tim " this bike better start " Wilson. We also managed to fit in some really great events in Michigan, Illinios, Louisiana and Tennessee. Our website has a bunch of new pictures in the scrap book from this fall that will tell more of the story. http://www.rileyarmstrong.com/tour__fall_2004.php

Also included in the photos are some shots of the three of us (Sam, Lukey and Riley) in the studio working on some new songs. Its been a long time since "Whatever the Weather" and I have grown up a lot, had many hard lessons, a few misfortunate events and yet many joyful times since that album, God has been faithful. Its funny cause I had no idea when I titled that CD "Whatever the Weather" that it was going to set the course for my next two years. I figure I must be more careful when titling this next CD, maybe I should call it "health and Happiness"!!? or how about "Dollar Bills Falling From the Sky" !!;)

So now I am back in Canada for the rest of the year, working on the new album. I still have some songs to finish and some vocals and guitars to put down. Definitely this will be a refreshing album for me, I am really excited about it. More over I feel like I have no industry to impress (like I did on the last couple) this album will be songs that abound from the heart, written for the Glory of God, to hopefully be enjoyed by my friends and family, thats you guys!!

I hope everyone has a really great thanksgiving! May we be reminded of all that we have to be thankful for, the Lord's blessings come in many shapes and sizes. I am working on setting up a little christmas surprise for you guys. I'm hoping everything works out and I'll be able to send it your way in the next christmas newsletter. Of course it won't be like the Oprah show where everyone gets mass free jackpot o'prizes, but it will be kinda cool and unique. So stay tuned for that!!

If you are talking with your friends and they mention that they didn't get this newsletter, make sure to tell them that it might have been cause they have really messy hand writing and we couldn't read it.


visit www.rileyarmstrong.com