You're Not Alone

Cami follows Kyle for a Time-out.

Re-Tired

Lance had a friend over today that he's been wanting to play with since the beginning of school because they both wore the same shoes (crocs). His friend's dad is also in medical school, and today he wore shoes that matched Kyle's shoes. It was fun watching friends play together with oh so many similiarities. The conversation at the lunch table today went like this:

Lance: I’m going to be a doctor
Me: I thought you were going to be a policeman.
Lance: When I’m done being a doctor, then I will be a policeman! (of course, why didn’t I figure that one out?)
Friend: When you are a doctor, you will always be a doctor.
Me: Yes, you can be a doctor until you retire.
Lance: I will always be tired when I’m a doctor.

That sounds about right.

OH NO! Mom's Got the Camera!

It's Valentine's Day at the cabin. The kids are still dressed up from church (minus Jace who quickly changed so that he could relax and read a book that was difficult to put down) and not hungry yet since we just ate a little over an hour ago. This mattress and blanket that I found worked great for our back drop. The flowers Jared gave me were perfect. The lighting was excellent, with help from the snow...

By the way, according to Jared's grandparents who bought this cabin, that piece of furniture belonged to the ninth prophet and president of the LDS church, David O. McKay.

For ME? Really?!Lance reads his Valentine to Kyle. He really got into valentines this year. Aside from making one for everyone in the family, Lance cut out millions (okay, maybe a tiny exaggeration) of hearts and covered the kitchen table with them.

Baby Blue... was the color of her eyes...

I was kicking myself for missing those shots of Kyle at Kiddie Kandids, but kick I did no more... I can't wait to add this one and update his photo in our black and white frames!

Kyle got this dog for Valentine's day so that he would have his own and let Jace have his black dog back. So basically, it was a gift for both Jace and Kyle.There's just something I love about window shots...Sweet. Lance stayed still long enough to get a few shots of him and his precious dog. He sleeps with it every night, and plays most days with it when he and Kyle make their dogpiles. He loves the idea that Evan gave it to him and used to sleep with it, too.Bracing for mom's next tickle

Baby, take a bow!

Injury # 101

I seriously lost count of how many times Jared has hurt himself playing basketball or any ball. Tonight he bumped into someone's elbow playing basketball, and is currently in the ER waiting for paperwork after having his face glued back together.

Let's see... there was the time he broke his arm, broke a finger (he broke another finger before we met), cut a ligament in his hand...wait, that was when he was working on the truck. Sprained ankles, jammed fingers, minor things, here and there...

I took this tonight just after the previous photo to further illustrate my point. He sprained his ankle about a month ago playing volleyball, so he wraps it up nice like this so he can play some more ball! I told him he should try out miniature golf instead.

Love ya, hon!

Get well soon!

All of Us

Someday, it will be all of us, but until then, I will be photo-shoppin':

I made this for one of my family's Christmas gifts. As I went through a few of Evan's non-digital photos, I found this and love it. You may not be able to see that he's wearing his cap inside out. Classic.That's a friend that came to play for a day every week on his mom's "Day off". Isn't that a brilliant idea? I'll have to put that one in my list of things to do. Evan and Jace loved having him over. Great times.

While I'm reminiscing, here's another one. Miss those blue eyes. We used to take Jace and Evan in the bike trailer and ride to the park. He loved chasing the ducks there. This is in the spring before he was diagnosed in July. That boy had energy. I miss hearing his feet clomping up and down the house!

It's a Bop

My friend and her 2 girls call this little looped ponytail a "Bop". She wasn't sure how it came about. It somehow evolved in her family. I'm adopting this word into our family vocabulary. Isn't it just great?

On Reverence...

Lance and Kyle love playing with their stuffed dogs. Today was no exception. Tonight, Kyle got to say the family prayer. He expressed his sincere thankfulness for these dogs and for the fun they had playing with them, asked that they be blessed, and began to close the prayer. Jared and I were stifling our laughs, but when we looked at each other and Jared tried to help Kyle to expand on that, there was no holding back. Our laughter, of course, triggered the kids' unstoppable giggles, and that was the end of a prayer that would have otherwise been a reverent blessing of the stuffed dogs.
Eventually, with his Dad's help, Kyle did mention his family and prophet before closing his heartfelt prayer.

So much for setting a reverent example.

Kyle's Intuition

Cami was being really cranky last night and I couldn't figure out what it was, when I heard Kyle ask her, "Do you have a poopy diaper, Cami?"

Hmmm.... I went to check her diaper again, and sure enough, there it was.

Hey, when Mom doesn't have it, Kyle can pick up the slack.

Healthy Lifestyles

All three boys, and I, got strep throat earlier this week. We all took it easy, with help from sweet friends ;) and then the antibiotics kicked in and it was back to life as usual.

Except I had an idea:

"It's been so nice having all of us home. How 'bout if I just take you out of school and we watch movies all day?"
Lance, shaking his head, said, "my bum will get big."


We had cookies tonight after dinner, and Lance said,
"Mom, I thought you weren't going to eat cookies anymore because there's too much sugar."
I answered excitedly, "How 'bout if I eat a cookie today, and have NO COOKIES tomorrow!"
Lance's eyes got wide open as his long eyelashes blinked in realization and he said enthusiastically, "That's a GREAT idea!"

I'm with him. How's that scripture? "Eat, drink, and be merry? For tomorrow we die?"

Heavenly Prophet

At breakfast this morning, Kyle was saying the prayer:

"... Thank you for the food. Please bless us to have a good eat. Please bless our prophet, Heavenly Monsen..."

In the Gym

If you're on the floor when Jace has the ball, watch out! This speedster's shootin', stealin', passin' and takin' names at the speed of light (which is 186,000 miles per second, he might add).

Okay maybe a few itty-bitty-proud-mom exaggerations, but when he made 12 out of the 18 points made in the first game, the Martin Crowd went a little wild. Even Cami was clapping. Go Jace!

In the Classroom

Jace gave his 3rd presentation Wednesday. At the beginning of the year his Fourth grade teacher asked the students to present anything of their own free choice, and it's been fun to see what topics Jace has taken an interest in. His first presentation was "How to Make a Bag Pop" (with baking soda and vinegar); his second was "How to Make Maple Syrup"; and this week, he presented "Light" (and also how light bulbs work).

I took him to the library and he found about 5 books about light. He read them, and practiced on us during Family Night the Monday before. I couldn't believe the numbers and specific details that he remembered. I was surprised when he said he was nervous and his voice was shaking. I couldn't tell as Lance, Kyle, Cami, and I watched him in the classroom, presenting the facts about light.

(sidenote- the librarian in the hallway saw us while we were on our way and, after looking at the kids, said, 'You've got Jace Martin in each of your faces,')

What a joy it is for me to watch him up there. It makes me emotional to think about the talent that he has in retaining information like that. When I told him about his talent, he thanked me, but I don't know if he realizes what a blessing it is to retain information like this. Ah! If I had it, I'd go find my keys...

Cami's BD with Martin Side

Princess cake again, hopefully I'll get this princess cake decorating thing down by the time she's old enough to want one :) Jared's sister hosted the Martin family celebration. Then Lance got sick (strep throat) and I stayed home with him while Jared took the rest of the fam to the party. Poor Lance.

I think she handled the attention well.

Party at Gillands

We spent Cami's Birthday with the Gilland family at Jimmy (my bro.) and Verusca's.

She got all kinds of fun, pink things. She's since been using this dinnerware set from Aunt Jamie and Uncle Johnny many a time and really enjoys it. She hugs her doll that she got from Gramma and Grampa now and says, "aww." She loves pushing this stroller around the house. Finally something pink on wheels!

Jamie's and Cami's feet. Can you guess who gave her the socks?

Putting herself in Mom's shoes This cute outfit is from Jimmy and Verusca, who loves shopping for little girl clothes. I know how she feels :)

Remembering Kiddie Kandids

I remember walking in the mall as a little girl back in my hometown in Midland, TX and looking in at the "Kiddie Kandids" portrait studio there. I loved the props and baby pictures they displayed. In my mind, it was THE PLACE for photography.

My relationship with Kiddie Kandids began in Ogden, UT, just after Jace was born and I found a coupon in my hospital packet for a free 8 x 10 photo of my newborn up until he was 3 months old. FREE! I didn't waste time, and we got this beautiful picture of Jace. He was only just 3 months and didn't really know how to pose like this. Can you see the photographer's finger marks on his elbow?! She was quick and I was so impressed. Needless to say, this photo began a hobbie of numberless trips to Kiddie Kandids and many more priceless photos.

Angels Among Us 5 years later...I could go on and on with photos from them, but you get the idea. I began a trend with these black, white, and red photos - when they turn 5 (or 3, in Evan's case), they get an updated photo in a suit (or dress, in Cami's case) with those cute white pillars they have. When Evan was sick, the Layton Hills Kiddie Kandids became one of our best friends. When Evan began to sleep a lot more towards the end of his illness, I called them up and told him that he is only awake for short periods of time and asked if we could please be put in the front of the long line of people waiting for pictures. They completely understood and made sure we had a good, experienced photographer. The photo below was taken in June, one month before Evan became an angel:Jace and I needed some time together while Evan was sick, and I took him for his five year's old shot. The photographer told me to come into one of the photos, and I wasn't even planning on it! Nonetheless, she got this one of the two of us, and I loved it.They kept this one in their display photo album:

As well as this one:

Gotta get one of Lance quick, while he's five!

Mommy and LanceWait, I didn't get one of Kyle and me yet! Why'd they have to go and close on me?!

We have always been pleased with their photos. They would make sure of that, if we weren't, they let us come back and try again, same day. They have treated us so well. When Evan passed away, they framed an 11x14 of him and gave it to us. A couple of photographers even came to his funeral! We continued to drive out to the Layton Kiddie Kandids even after we moved here. I will SO miss Kiddie Kandids.