First Day of School

Brycen started preschool this year at Stanley Presbyterian Church. I don't think he really knew what school was when we would talk to him about it, but he knew he was going to play with his friends Shawn and Jace. We got there early and we me his teacher and sat on the rug while we waited for the other kids. Once they started coming I slipped out. On my way out of the parking lot I realized that Andrea would be in preschool next year as well. This time with my children at home is going to slip by so fast...
I didn't cry like I though I would. It was a big day for both of us.

Bear Lake Vaca

Let me just start by saying I learned several things on this trip about myself, my family and my life. But, that was the boring part about the trip. I want to talk about all the fun we had. If anyone of you have never been blessed with the opportunity to go to Bear Lake, UT let me fill you in. Bear Lake looks like the Caribbean of the Rockies because of its intense turquoise-blue water. This is due to the reflection of the limestone deposits suspended in the lake...(I looked it up ok)
I learned that if I had to live in Utah, I probably could learn to love it there. I think that state fits me in so many ways. I love the summer weather and all the outdoor activities. Not to mention the fun family atmosphere that seems to follow you from town to town.
When we got to the house it was amazing three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a full unfinished basement where grandma and grandpa slept. It was up on a hill so you had a good view of the lake. It was Sunday when we all got there and we had to check out the beach and find the spot we would pick for the next day.
The first day at the beach there was a cloud cover. Not too hot or cold. The kids played all day and there were waves washing up on the beach the kids played in. By the time we got out on the boat the water was too choppy for skiing but we enjoyed watching everyone tube and wake board. Yes I did get up wake boarding. I felt like a fish out of water cause I didn't know what the heck I was doing but there were plenty of people to watch who did know. The kids all tubed. I went with Andrea one time. Brian was going slow so he wouldn't scare her and I was dragging really bad. I tried to readjust my grip and I fell backwards into the water. Andrea held on but the tube toppled forward and she fell off. It shook her a bit but she got back on later and did great. Brycen did awesome. My kids are so fearless it scares me. What ever Brycen does, Andrea will do...just like me when I was her age. I think it is a middle child thing.
As the week went on it got hotter and hotter. Tuesday we all got burned so we stayed away from the beach on Wednesday. We played tennis and Taylor schooled me and heather bad. I did win one game. I still have my awesome serve, but it didn't phase Taylor too much.
I skied pretty good considering that it isn't the smoothest lake. Maybe if you got up at 6am and went, but the earliest we ever got out was 9 am. I am such a weenie. I am going to start lifting weights so I can last more then 5 minutes. A good pare of gloves would help as well. When I loose the rest of my baby weight it may add a couple of minutes on my time. Brian was such a good sport taking us all out everyday. He has a great boat.
Every morning I went running. I ran into the same cow each day...I named her Tessie. She was always outside the fence right next to the road. Running is my therapy. Heather and Kass both went with me once.
A Martin vacation would not be complete without games. We kept the tradition alive with Settlers, Scrabble, Rook, and a few others.
Emily Brought her boyfriend Cliff...he was a hit. We all liked him and he did well putting up with us for a few days before he had to get back to work.
We spent time at the pool and also the playground on the beach. Seriously beautiful area. We had such a great time and look forward to going back next year. I also need to say that husband was so incredible on this trip. He was the biggest stud and watched the kids way more then his fair share so that I could go out on the boat and ski and just enjoy the water. He is not much of a lake guy and he knows I love it and don't get to do it very often. He wanted to let me enjoy my time and really stepped up and was a supper husband and dad. He did get to golf with my dad and brothers each day so that was fun for him.
We ended the trip going up to Pingree Idaho to go to my Aunt and Uncles homecoming at church. They got back from their mission in Africa. I got to spend some time with my dear cousins. Even though it was short, it was so nice to catch up.
This trip meant a lot to me cause my whole life every summer we went to Island Park, Id or Star Valley, WO and spent time together with family in a cabin. Some of the BEST memories of my life came from those places. I am so glad that we will be able to continue that tradition at Bear Lake for my family. I don't know what I did to be blessed with such a great family...probably nothing, just luck maybe. But I feel so blessed and so grateful to my Heavenly Father.

This is the famous swing at my Aunt's house. I have this same picture of me when I was a kid.

Me with my cousins.

Laura's Wedding

My sister-in-law Laura was getting married to Greg Alder on July 31st so we came up to Norfolk, Nebraska (this is where Tom grew up) to be with the family. We got in late Thursday night and spent the next day helping with preparations for the wedding. Betty was busy cooking all day, she was making all the food for the reception. She is a fantastic cook and did a great job--she cooked a family favorite, taste beef. I am not a normal fan of hamburger but this dish is simply delish. I helped by cutting up veggies and then Tom and I helped set up for the reception at the hall they rented out.
With it being the end of July, I was expecting a blistering hot day, but surprisingly it wasn't too bad, of coarse I wasn't wearing a Tux either. Brycen got a bug bite on his left ear the morning of the wedding and it swelled up to 2-3 times the size. Tom ran out to get Benadryl, which did help. It didn't stop him from looking totally adorable or "handsome" as he always says.
He was the ring bearer and did a fantastic job. He walked up the isle without a hitch. It was a small wedding and I quietly whispered his name to get a quick pic, I hardly realized what I was doing until it was done. I don't think anyone noticed. He stood by Greg the whole time. The ceremony was lovely by the lake. Laura and Greg were both stunning.
Andrea and Makayla did great as well. I loved them in their cute matching outfits. They are just the sweetest lil' girls.

I just wish you could tell kids to smile and they would sit pretty and SMILE. Too much to ask, I know.

Brycen and Andrea were dancing and I got a quick pick. They look so sweet and innocent--if you don't know them.

This is cousin Alek and Julie, Tom's youngest sister.

A view of the lake right before the wedding.

Brycen standing perfectly next to Greg during the wedding. Such a cutie!

Laura and Greg have been dating on and off for over 8 years. Laura has been waiting for this day for a long time. You look stunning Laura!

Pic of the Week

What this picture doesn't tell you is how excited they were to be wearing their princess dresses. Andrea twirled so many times she fell down.

The Saga Continues

Today I noticed that the carpet in Andrea's room was still not dry and it made me think that this water damage was probably a lot worse then we first anticipated. I called Tom to have him send out a water damage restoration crew. Turns out that the water went threw the walls all the way to the basement. They had to tare out some of the ceiling on the main floor to get out all the wet insulation and tear up the carpets upstairs to dry it all out. We went a head an made a claim with our insurance since their bill alone was $5000. Sounds like a rip off to me. We are still going to have to hire someone to replace and repaint the drywall so we figured we better put in a claim. I still can't believe it. I will never underestimate the power of a two-year-old again.

This is where it all started in the bathroom right off of Andrea's room.

This is the living room where the most damage was done. They taped it off because of the hot air they were blowing into the walls to try and dry it up. The temperature was 108 degrees in there. Luckily with the AC running nonstop we were able to keep the rest of the house at a cool 85 degrees.

Pic of the living room. You can see the tubes that they stuck into the wall.

This is a pic of the crown molding in the living room. The water settled in between the paint and the wood. The paint fell off.

Andrea's room. They pulled up the carpet and put a powerful under the carpet to dry it out. The kids loved it cause it made it look and feel like a moonwalk. The carpet lifted off the ground a good 6 inches or so.

What a disaster

So I got home from work this morning and my babysitter called to tell me she was sick and couldn't make it over. Tom was already gone, so I called another sitter and she didn't answer. Then I thought to myself, No high school girl is going to be up at 8 in the morning during the summer. I have taken naps with Brycen watching T.V. before, so I am sure I could just put a movie in and get two hours of sleep and then everything will be fine. What a mistake!
I had worked two nights back to back with not much sleep in between, and I think I was hallucinating at this time.
I took Makayla to bed with me and left my door open to hopefully hear anything that I might need to wake up for. I must have gone comatose for a bit cause I woke up hearing the kids playing in the bathroom upstairs. I walked in and there was water all over the floor. I wiped it up but did not know then the extent of what had happened. I took them back down stairs and went back up to my room. I wake up this time to Brycen telling me that Andrea was making a mess, then I hear shattering glass. I am on my feet in a second and go downstairs to find her sitting on top of my wood buffet . She had gotten into the cabinet and dropped a crystal bowl my granny gave me and it had shattered all over the floor. On top of the complete mess she had made with the things I had in the drawers, she had taken my arisol spray sunscreen and sprayed it all over a section on the wood buffet--and it's not coming off. I cleaned up what I could of the mess and then noticed the downstairs ceiling was all wet--I was about to die. I called my husband and told him he had to come home. The water from the upstairs bathroom had settled on the ceiling downstairs and caused some of the drywall to fall off. It had also made water pockets between the paint and the wood on our crown molding in the living room. What A Disaster! The worst part is, I can't get mad and anyone but myself. Tom is dealing with it ok. He is such a perfectionist and this kind of stuff kills him. But he understands that I really thought in my deranged mentality at the time that I had it under control. Another lesson learned.

Serenity

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love to workout. To be more exact, I love to run--especially outside. I don't care if it's raining, snowing, freezing or hot as heck--I am outside. Since I have had kids, I've adjusted my game plan for my workouts. I usually always take my kids running with me. I have a Schwinn single and double jogger that I have used the crap out of. So naturally, after I had Makayla, I needed a new stroller, and I got one. The Baby Jogger Summit 360 in red and black--a triple jogger. A freaking expensive stroller that I felt I had to have. I begged and begged my husband for it.
After my c-section, I had to wait 6 weeks before I could even walk a fast clip --Dr.s orders, and I really didn't feel like it either. Then I had to juggle getting three kids out the door--that was more difficult then I thought it would be. So finally I said screw it, and got on the treadmill cause something had to happen. Now that I am regular with my exercise routine it's been easier to take out my stroller, but it's still way easier to get on the treadmill and go. I just don't like it nearly as much.
So Saturday night July, 17th, I felt a little stressed out because I had worked a lot that week. I have also been killing myself trying to lose this weight before I go on vacation in August, and my husband knows that. So as the wonderful person he is, he put the kids to bed for the 4th night in a row so that I could go running. It was an inspirational run in so many ways. I had forgotten almost what it was like to pound the pavement by myself without trying to entertain kids the whole time. I felt so rejuvenated. This is what I wrote when I got back that night:

I took a sunset run along a hilly country road. The scene was beautiful, a vibrant orange and yellow sunset, tall prairie grass blowing in the muggy breeze and fireflies twinkling in the horizon. The cows in the background were calling but their sounds were drowned out by the cicada screeching in the trees. The white "popcorn" flowers, as my kids call them, densely line each side of the road. A rushing stream near by added to the ambiance of the evening. In this quiet hour in the "country" I am able to reflect on my life. I ponder the wonderful blessings that I call mine and then I thank the Lord for them. I think to myself about how much I have been given and ask, how could I ask for more? This kind of evening might not be everyone's idea of serenity, but it was mine tonight.