Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts

Friday, April 02, 2010

The Longest Update in Blog History!

Things have been quite busy in the Martin house lately! The kids got a swing set for Christmas, so they would prefer to spend every waking minute being pushed on the swings. It takes a lot of pleading and negotiation to get them to come inside for boring things like lunch and dinner! As usual we have had a load of projects going on, and we have finally finished a few of them up!


A week before Christmas Brad and I decided to do the floors in our bedroom. So we broke down our bed, emptied our room and tore out the awful carpet. We were so excited! The floors actually went down pretty quickly, and it is amazing what a difference wood floors can make in a house. In the process we had to take down the lovely wire closet system we had put in when we moved in. At the time it was better than the single shelf we had in there, but since we don't have a dresser in our room, we quickly realized we needed something with drawers.

So one weekend we went to our favorite store- Ikea- and bought a custom closet system. It took a few days to get all the components put together and installed in the closet but it is gorgeous practical and everything finally has a home in our closet! I just wish our closet was big enough to get a good angle to take pictures of it!

Then one weekend I was in Gainesville doing photography with Jaime- when I got home, Brad had finished the floors upstairs! I still don't know how he did it all, by himself. He did the guest room and Savannah's room, and then rearranged all the furniture.

I keep forgetting that I haven't made an official blog announcement, but we are expecting another baby!! We found out mid-January, right after we got back from California. I am due September 21, which is Brad's birthday and also his Grandpa's birthday, so we are kind of hoping for three generations on the same day!

So to make room for our new arrival (lovingly referred to as Thing 3) we have rearranged the upstairs of the house. What was the guest room is now Savannah and Landon's room- though Landon isn't sleeping in there yet. Savannah's old room is now the nursery, and Landon's old room is now the guest room. We debunked the bunk beds so now there are two twin beds in that room, which we repainted a few weekends ago. The theme of the kids room is Mermaids and Pirates- it works really well for a coed bedroom without being too boyish or too girlish. Since we aren't finding out if Thing 3 is a boy or a girl, we aren't going to bother doing anything in the nursery until after s/he is born. That way we can have a gender-specific nursery without having to find out what we're having! Since the baby will sleep in our room the first few months anyway, it works well.

So the next project is to clean out and repaint the guest room. That room has become sort of a catchall as we have been cleaning out the other rooms, but luckily we haven't needed to use it so it hasn't been an issue!

We also decided to finish off the garage around New Year's. The kids have SO many toys, a ridiculous amount really- and even after going through and tossing broken things, torn books, and random happy meal toys, we still have baskets and boxes overflowing with toys. So the garage has become a combination game room and play room. Brad found a pool table for dirt cheap on craigslist that just needed new felt, so we now have a new (Gator blue) pool table, plus an air hockey table we bought "the kids" for Christmas and an arcade machine that Brad built. We moved Savannah's kitchen and Landon's tool bench out there, as well as boxes full of toys. It helps keep the house a little more organized and we can all spend time in the garage with something to do.

Savannah and Landon are growing up way too fast, of course! Savannah turned four(!) on March 1st and is becoming such a little lady. She is still stubborn as her Mama, but is so sweet and cuddly most of the time. Landon is two and so much fun these days. They both have a fabulous sense of humor- Landon is the silliest little boy I have ever met. His language has just exploded over the last few months- a lot of it has come from mimicing his big sister but he comes up with some funny tales all on his own. Just today I pulled the vacuum out of the closet and he covered his ears and yelled "No, not the vacuum Mommy, it is too LOUD!" He thinks he is hilarious, which makes me crack up so then he cracks up. We do a lot of laughing these days. And singing too! My kids absolutely love the music from Glee. It amazes me that Savannah knows all the words to some great classic songs (Imagine, I'll Stand By You, Don't Stop Believin', to name a few) and Landon is learning them right along with her! He will tell me "Want to listen to Glee songs Mommy!" and on they go.

So we have been busy growing, rearranging, decorating, and planning for life as a family of five! The last few months have gone by so fast, I kind of hope things slow down a little but now that the weather has warmed up I think we will be go-go-going even more!!

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Our Photoshoot
















Friday, August 15, 2008

North Carolina 2008

We just got back from an amazing, relaxing week in the mountains of Blowing Rock, NC. We stayed in a gorgeous cabin, it was actually built onto the side of a gorge so we had some amazing views of the mountains from the 3 levels of decks on the back of the house. It was Brad and I with Savannah and Landon, my mom, Jaime, Shawn and Madalyn and Brad's parents. We definitely had a full house, but we were very sad that my dad and Kevin weren't able to join us. Just more reason to do it again, soon! I took over 400 pictures, and it has been so hard to narrow it down for posting! But here's a few, guaranteed to make you want to schedule your next vacation as soon as possible!


Our first day there there was this beautiful rainbow just off the back deck of our house. It was an amazing feeling to actually be above the rainbow! 

Landon spend quite a bit of time hanging out in the Bjorn, which was fine with him because it fulfilled his top 2 requirements of the moment- being held, and facing out to see the world!

There were actually fresh blackberries all over the bushes surrounding out cabin, but I was too chicken to actually eat one!

I love these old stairs- I haven't had a chance to mess around with editing but I would love to see this one with a little photoshop action. 

Come on, you can't say that you'd mind waking up to this outside your window every morning!





Jaime, Shawn and a sleepy Madalyn!

Landon's first Gator football

It was the most amazing thing, there were butterflies everywhere up there. I had so much fun trying to take photos of them. There were some HUGE orange and blue ones but they were stubborn and wouldn't sit still for me. 

Playing at the park in Blowing Rock

Landon, practicing sitting up like a big boy!

This is 'Picnic Rock'- up on Brad's parents property near Boone, they used to sit and have picnics there when Brad and Kevin were little. 

I have a love affair with this sign. I think I have taken a picture of it every time I have been up there. 

I loved this empty rocking chair. I actually have a picture of Brad and his grandad sitting in 2 of these chairs, right in front of this store, from Christmas of 2004, which was just a few months before Grandad passed away. Somewhere...

Again, the butterflies! This one is so beautiful and I love the colors of the flower. 

Landon, all tuckered out after a long day in the car. Clutching onto his stuffed lion that Uncle Shawn bought him. 

Ahh, Savannah discovered candy necklaces, thanks to GiGi. Like the shirt? It was a quick purchase, to replace the clothes she'd thrown up on in the car. Yes, Savannah discovered the joys of car-sickness the day we went to the property and Valle Crucis- we accidentally ended up taking 221 instead of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and 221 is probably the windy-est road in all Creation. It was bad. I don't know if her car seat will ever be the same again. And I remember that feeling oh so well, so I had plenty of sympathy for her, poor baby. So of course we celebrated our safe arrival home with candy necklaces. 

Brad and Savannah at Appalachian State University's football field, which is currently under construction. Brad was thisclose to playing football at App State, in which case there likely wouldn't be a Savannah. Or a Landon. Or this blog you are reading right now. 

Savannah, practicing drinking out of her big girl (aka non sippy) cup in the GAP jeans I bought her (a 2t) that are HUGE in the waist, hence the pretty green bow around her waist. A ribbon from one of my shirts, which was tied around her waist twice to keep her jeans from falling off. Because no matter how hard I look I can't seem to find a belt to fit the kid. Ahh, to be that thin again!

Nothing to spectacular about this picture but I love, love, LOVE his outfit. He looks like such a grown up boy to me here. Where did my baby go??

This swing was hanging from this tree right by the side of the road on the mountain we were staying at. I saw it when we went for a walk one night and I just had to come back with my camera to capture it. I love it. And I want one. Too bad al our tree branches are 1/2 a centimeter thick. Darn new construction houses and their baby trees. 

The homeowners also had this swing on their property, right behind the single swing. Lucky...


And we finished out the week with Savannah and Madalyn taking a bath in the big jacuzzi tub. Savannah was a huge fan of the tub. One night I filled the thing with half a bottle of bubbles, then turned the jets on which made the bubbles double..... it was amazing. I had to join her. And we took pictures. But no way are those going on the internet!

Monday, July 14, 2008

Eight years

Eight years ago today I was 17 years old, enjoying summer vacation up in Gainesville. I had a rough junior year of high school and needed to get away, and my parents knew it. So they packed me up and off I went to live with my sister for the summer. I was not expecting to meet anyone, and especially not my future husband! 


Eight years ago today I got dressed in a little blue sundress, was picked up by Brad and off we went to the Olive Garden. We sat across from each other at a tiny little table, tucked in an alcove and decided to label this thing we had started- exclusivity, boyfriend/girlfriend. I was giddy. I was so young. 

We have been through so much in the last eight years- a long distance relationship; dealing with the pressures of our age difference [in the early stages of our relationship, while I was finishing high school]; the loss of my best friend 6 years ago that affected me so deeply, I am still dealing with it; a marriage proposal, wedding planing, becoming man and wife. Law school, exams, papers, losing Brad's beloved grandaddy. A positive pregnancy test while he was still in school, preparing for our first baby, law school graduation, the bar exam, the birth of Savannah, the move to Bradenton, building and buying our first house. Brad changing jobs, a second positive pregnancy test, a much different pregnancy with elevated blood pressure and bed rest, the unknown (a boy or a girl?!) the unbelievable surprise when Landon was born. Going from a family of two to a family of four in two short years. 

And now here I sit, eight years later and more in love with Brad than I ever thought possible. Just watching him with our children, the babies we made together and were so blessed with, the love that we share and the faith that we share and knowing that we have the rest of our lives to spend together, but somehow that still isn't enough. And the peace in knowing that when we are gone, we will spend eternity together with our Creator. And that is enough- more than enough. 

I love you, B. 

Monday, July 07, 2008

Independence Day

Whew, what a whirlwind holiday weekend we had!!


It started on Thursday night, baking a yummy carrot cake for our family reunion on Friday. Savannah was very into helping- she wanted to count all the carrots as I was peeling them, and then of course couldn't wait to get her hands on the beater after I whipped up my cream cheese frosting!






Friday we headed to our cousins home in Tampa for our annual family reunion. Savannah was so excited to get to play with her cousin Olivia. Of course I couldn't get a good picture of the two of them playing. But Savannah and Landon looked too cute in their matching nautical outfits!


I LOVE this one of Savannah, she looks so grown up!
Landon's first football photo!


My sweet babies

After the reunion we headed down to my parent's house for the weekend. Last year one of the neighbors across the lake did a big fireworks display, so we were hoping for another.... unfortunately he didn't do it (the first time in 4 years he didn't!) but luckily a lot of people around the lake were shooting them off so we still had a good show! It was so nice floating in the pool and watching the fireworks. We did a lot of swimming this weekend!

Landon with his PaPa


Landon LOVED floating in the pool!

Savannah discovered her inner daredevil and spent most of the weekend trying to jump in the pool. She is crazy but had so much fun!



Random Landon cuteness....


And a great shot of our family!! I can't wait to print/frame this one!

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Busch Gardens

It has become an annual tradition with our family and Chris and Julie's family that they come to our house the weekend of the NFL draft. Usually the boys camp out in front of the TV and Julie and I spend a lot of Saturday shopping- leaving various babies behind. This year, the NFL commissioner decided to have the draft start at 3 o'clock instead of noon, so Julie and I tried to think of something to get the kids out of the house so they would be tired out when the draft started. Julie mentioned maybe trying the Lowry Park Zoo and I thought, if we were going to drive all the way out to the zoo, why not just go ahead and go to Busch Gardens? Brad and I hadn't been in close to 5 years, and right now they have their Florida resident promotion going- buy a ticket and come back for the rest of the year, for free! 


Julie and I concocted this whole plan on Thursday afternoon, then had to present it to the husbands. Surprisingly, they both agreed wholeheartedly, so early Saturday morning we headed out. I am sure we were quite a sight- Chris and Julie pushing two strollers, and me with my "monster truck" of a double stroller, even though half the time Landon was in the Baby Bjorn. The adults didn't get to go on many rides- Julie and I went on 2 roller coasters and poor Brad and Chris only got to go on one- but the theme of the day was tiring the kids out. Busch Gardens has a whole area dedicated to kids, called the Land of Dragons. Now Savannah absolutely LOVES dragons, so once we told her we were going to Dragon Land, she was set!

All of us, minus Landon (under the Hooter Hider) and Julie

Grace, Savannah and Caleb on the boat ride in Dragon Land

Me and my big girl

Julie and Grace

I LOVE this picture of Grace. She was bummed that she wasn't quite tall enough for most of the "big kid" rides, so she was stoked to get to go on the Sand Storm. I love Chris' face, too. She had so much fun!

Grace and Savannah- I can't believe Savannah is big enough to ride without me!

LOVE this one- the three amigos checking out the flamingoes

Chris, Caleb, Julie and Grace

Grace and Savannah on the flying dragons

Julie had to take Caleb and Savannah on this pinwheel looking ride. My favorite part was catching Julie in a big ol' yawn!

Me, Landon, Savannah and Brad

It was so much fun, even if it was a short day focused mostly on the kids. We are already planning future trips, to take full advantage of our free year passes. And we are planning these trips with lots of babysitters in mind, ha!