Crew Martin

A Very COLD Getaway

2012-02-16T22:02:00.000-08:00

Justin's work had a 21 days straight project at Sky Harbor and I just knew I wasn't going to get to see him very much. I've been through this before, on a smaller scale and it just isn't any fun. He's here but not here, working but not coming home for dinner...it's tough. So, instead I thought it would be easier for both of us if the kids and I went out to CA to visit Grandma and Grandpa Martin and stay for several weeks. Once I looked at the calendar I realized we would be there almost three weeks. The kids were ecstatic.

It was so nice of them to allow us to come out and invade their home that long. Five kids in your house for 3 weeks isn't easy, I'm sure.

Doug road his motorcycle out to Phoenix and visited Jarom and Charla for a few days. Then on Saturday came and took the kids from me so I could pack the bags and the van. He took them on a hike. They LOVED it.

Sunday morning we finished up packing and headed out around 11am. It took until 10pm CA time, which is 11pm AZ time for us to arrive. 2 food stops, gas, and a slight detour made the trip 12 hours. But, the kids did awesome. They watched DVD's, had their snacks, their coloring books and so many things to do. I drove the first leg, while the kids started watching a show. Doug drove the rest of the way. I think the children did so wonderful, all in all.

It was nice to chat with Doug and spend some time talking. I just love Doug and Stacey very much and am so thankful for them. We had a nice time just chatting and getting to know each other better.

Once we arrived the kids were right at home. It was great. The only hiccup?

It was COLD!!!!!!!

It made playing outside a challenge which then engaged Cabin Fever a little bit and drove the kids to playing Wii Dance and Wii Sports quite a bit. At least they got some healthy competition in with Grandpa as he let the kids challenge him to some Archery, Frisbee Golf and Bowling. By the time we left, everyone had mad skills!

We did go to the park several times, the kids played on the trampoline, they rode bikes and went on walks...I was always running after them with jackets and they were always two steps ahead of me. I, on the other hand, was FREEZING a lot of the time!

Thankfully, Westin and I and Brynn all slept in the trailer parked in the driveway so I could run the heat a little warmer than they liked it in the house. The kids never complained about it being cold in the house so it worked out well.

Towards the end of our stay it started to warm up some. That was awesome.

I had asked Lacey and Stacey to help plan a birthday for Brynn. So we had a little shin dig for her 3rd Birthday and they invited some of their friends with little girls to attend. It was so cute. They played some games, won some prizes, made pizzas, ate Chocolate cake, opened presents and had a great time. It was so special to be able to have her birthday there, share it with them, and have friends for Brynn to celebrate with.

I am so thankful for such a great time for her birthday.

We took a trip up North to Sacramento to see Great Grandma Martin. We stayed one night with her, visited, ate pizza, went on a walk to the pond to feed the ducks, and enjoyed a Kings basketball game on the tv. We then headed over to Dianne's house, Doug's sister, for a quick visit. That was nice.

The next morning we packed it back up and headed South West to the Jelly Belly Factory. We took a tour, learned all about how the Jelly Beans are made and even got a free sample. The kids got to take $5 and pick jelly beans from the store to put into their bags. It was very exciting. There were so many cool machines to see and robots to watch make the beans.

We also took a second trip over to the coast and visited the tide pools at Los Osos. It was a cool, breezy hike along the ridge of the shoreline to the tide pools. The kids got to try and race the waves as they crashed onto the rocks. They ended up getting soaked. They found sea shells and collected all different kinds. There was a really neat cave carved out by the sand and Brynn sat and played with the beach sand so contently. The kids really had a wonderful time. It was a first time experience with the tide pools.

We then headed further South to see the Monarch Butterfly farm where all the butterfly's come on their way to and from Mexico. They were fluttering all around in the tops of the trees. I'm not sure if the kids saw them clearly but they enjoyed the walk. I stayed back with a sleeping Westin and a warm car!

After the butterfly's we packed it back in and went to the pier to eat a packed dinner and ice cream. It started to get pretty chilly so that was a fast visit.

The sun began to set as we attempted to stop at the hot springs but the kids were too young. Homebound we were, listening to Silas Marner. The kids had a great time.

Doug took the boys up to Ladybug for a hike one of the days. It is about 1.5 hours away and as soon as they got there, Cole threw up. This was his second time throwing up on this trip, both times in the car. GROSS!

They hiked around some before Cole finally said he couldn't go any further. But, while they were there they saw the coolest redish/orange Salamander near the creek. It looked fake in the picture. It was awesome. They helped put him back near the water. I wanted to maybe try and head back up there when Justin finally arrived, but we didn't get the chance.

We also got to attend a Hanford High basketball game. The boys had a good time, but spent most of the time talking with HS girls sitting nearby and eating licorice.

Daddy finally made it back out to us on Feb. 1st. He rode Grandpas motorcycle back out to CA to come and pick us up. He wanted to relax so we stayed until the following Tuesday, Feb. 7th before heading home. It was so nice to have him there with us, relaxing, no work, just hanging out. The Superbowl was on so we got to see that with the fam before we left.

We did go with Daddy to Adventure Park and the kids got to race the cars around the track and play goofy golf with daddy and grandpa, then settle in for some pizza and dessert. They then spent quite a bit of time playing games in the arcade, which they LOVE, earning tickets and exchanging them for prizes.

The whole trip was a wonderful time.

I am so, so, so glad we got to spend that time with them, share our children with them, let them in to our lives and our hearts and really be genuine and real.

I am thankful for the opportunity, as hard as it might have been to be away from daddy, and living in someone else's space. Hopefully we didn't overstay our welcome!

Funny Things They Say

2011-12-31T23:24:00.000-08:00

Cole-At the tutor the other day Cole had a conversation with his teacher about a little girl he thinks is pretty. He told her how he wanted to kiss her on the cheek but he didn't. The tutor says, "yeah you don't need to kiss little girls." Cole says, "I know my mom taught me all about women."

Brynn-When asked to help put something in the trash or asked to help take something to her room she state, "I can't, my hands aren't too big".

Cole-After seeing his brother throw something on the ground he says, "Hey, that's glittering. It's not nice to glitter."

Brody-Justin pulled a scab from around his nose, which hurt him, and he said, "You can't pull scabez from people's noses with out asking."

Brody-When talking to the kids about their day this morning I referenced the little boys as "the brother" stating we were going to the library. Brody says, "mom, say "the twins" so we know you are talking about us. We are twins." Funny!!!

Cole-"mom I want another tostada just not with Guacavado" (Avocado)

Brynn-when attempting to stick her finger in my "button" I tell her to do her own button. She sharply replies, "my button not like your button, I don't have that kinda button." I guess mine is better. :)

Trace-"

Ringing in the New Year

2011-12-31T22:01:00.000-08:00

We headed back down to Yuma for the New Year to spend it in the sand. There were quite a few of Justin's "co-workers" down there from different companies they do contracting with. It made for a large group which is always fun. The kids had a blast and we barely saw them except for meals. Westin loves playing in the sand and crawling all around the campground. There were a few dogs down there this time and he LOVES dogs.

My parents joined us, or should I say we joined them since we slept in their camper, me and the littlest ones.

The kids got some ice cream from the ice cream truck, sledded down the bowl on the sled, were pulled by the quad on the sled, played games, colored, watched movie or two at night, ate marshmallows around the fire, went on their first night ride and had a BLAST!!!

Neither my dad nor us broke down this trip which is always so nice. It was just a wonderfully smooth trip with good friends and beautiful weather.

A Very Merry Christmas

2011-12-27T21:32:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas this year, cozy at home, with my parents and Nik and Andrea.

We spent Christmas Eve with Jarom, Charla and Evan. We've come to call our get together around Christmas "Sploozebells". We do a game exchange, open Jammies, and hang out for the day. The weather was awesome so the kids were able to play outside and ride bikes, the jeeps, play Frisbee...

It was a great time.

We decided this year to participate in The Advent Conspiracy. To participate, they challenge you, as a family, to take the money you would have spent on Christmas presents and instead donate the funds towards The Advent Conspiracy. So, we decided it would be wonderful this year to give the children only 1 gift (for Cole and Brynn we lacked a "larger" 1 gift so we gave them 3 small gifts in the same category to make their 1 gift). It made Christmas so great.

I spent little to no time shopping since I had it delivered from Amazon and we were able to spend more time together as a family, less concerned about spoiling each other or what we "want" and more concerned with the meaning of Christmas.

We spent the majority of the month, whenever possible, teaching the kids about Jesus being the center of why we celebrate Christmas. I've blogged about traditions and the meaning of Christmas each year, this year we just freed up the time spent on shopping and presents to focus even more on Christ.

We had a brief moment on Christmas morning where we saw the children consumed with presents. Justin expressed frustration. I considered the moment and decided it was okay in that moment for the kids to be excited and concerned about their presents. They had spent the whole month learning about Christ and Jesus birth. They knew they had sacrificed for the sake of others. So, in that moment it was good they were able to appreciate and LOVE Christmas morning.

There wasn't one word concerning more presents. Of course they were blessed to have neighbors, grandparents and aunts and uncles that love them and gave them Christmas presents.

We had a wonderful day, and a true reminder of how blessed we are in Jesus birth and his willingness to come and live, serve and die for us.

What a Mighty God we serve.

Merry Christmas to everyone...we wish we could be with ALL our family and friends during the holidays. We pray each of you is happy, healthy and safe. God Bless you.

A Trip With the Littles

2011-12-20T11:43:00.000-08:00

Justin and I got to take a trip to Sacramento with the two youngest kids, which is sort of like a vacation for us. We flew to Sacramento on Thursday, stopping in San Diego for a layover and t pick someone up before heading up to Sac. The kids did great on the plane. It is much easier with a 1 to 1 ratio. They both slept the majority aof the second leg which made it much easier.

We arrived just in time to drop the two with a sitter at Bobby and Alisa's house and head to an Executive Dinner at Silva's. We got to chat with Bobby and Alisa, Frank and Carrie who were in for Christmas from their boating trip, and all the other people that run Royal. It was a great meal with great friends.

The next day Justin went in to work for the morning while the kids and I joined Alisa and Emmy on a trip to the stables for a horse riding lesson for Emilie The weather was perfect and it was fun to watch Emilie ride her horse. I was jealous for sure. I wish my kids had the chance to ride...such an awesome activity.

After the lesson we headed into the office for the company Christmas lunch in which Randy was awarded Employee of the Year. He earned it for sure and we are proud of him. The kids got to see uncle Casey which was nice because it is rare.

Friday night we attended the First Annual Young Guns Ugly Christmas Sweater Party at Dina and Darren's house. Almost immediately after we arrived Justin was being affected by their cat. He took 4 Children's benedryl and within 30 minutes he was falling asleep on the couch while everyone else was having drinks and talking loudly!! It was almost comical really. This was it, our trip out with only 2 kids, a Christmas party with adults, and he's sleeping...he couldn't help it but it's still funny !!

So we headed home at about 10:00 or so and had a great night sleep!

Saturday Justin had to go back to the office for a little bit and then came home and we had a nice day hanging out with Bobby and Alisa and plans to attend a Christmas party that night for Emilie's stables.

Sunday we attended Emilie's horse show, in which she did a great job, and then headed to the Airport to head home.

The kids had a great weekend hanging out on Thursday and Friday with Prisilla and her kiddos. Then Friday night through Sunday with my parents. They played with the boys, had a sleepover, went to the movies with my parents, and just had a great time in our absence. That always makes leaving so much easier and a lot more fun.

It was a nice little weekend away and we always enjoy visiting them and they are so generous to us. We are hoping to visit again in the Spring when we can swim and play outside!!

Oh and the best part by far of the whole trip, was Brynn's crazy attraction to a young lady staying with Bobby and Alisa, Makayla. She was attached to this young lady at the hip and she was so gracious to play along and pay attention to Brynn all weekend. Brynn called her "her sister" most of the weekend. It was too precious. I snapped a pic of them before leaving for the Aiport. Such a sweet little lady..we hope to see her again.

A Ceremony for the Twins

2011-12-18T12:20:00.000-08:00

As a part of the kids growing up we've dedicated ourselves, or I guess I should say Justin, to taking the boys through specific ceremonies of boyhood to hold them accountable to growing up, call them to the next age level with purpose and to mark transitions of growing older with a ceremony. Rights of Passage of sorts. Well we started with Cole when he was 4 and he attended the "Raising a Modern Day Knight" weekend camp with Justin. They used a sword to knight him into boyhood, call him to follow the knights code, and we gifted him with a bible and a special pin on the bible cover. Then when he turned six we gave him another pin and a pocket knife as a token of him getting older and a necklace to show his commitment to the Cross.

Well we were so excited to find a real sword at the homeschool conference that we could use with the kids as they grow older and we do their ceremonies.

Since the boys (twins) are now four, we decided it was time to do their ceremony. Justin pulled each of them aside, alone, and spoke with them about the knights code and calling them to a new level of boyhood. Instead of bibles this time, we gave them crosses and I bought a pin for each of them (we decided to wait on the bible till they are a little older, possibly when they accept Jesus into their hearts) and he used the sword to knight them.

It was special and they are super excited about turning six and getting a pocket knife and being ceremoniously inducted into boyhood again at a new level.

It really is a neat thing. We have a calendar that talks about the stages and the ceremonies you do. The items the father should concentrate on as they grow.

There is one for daughters as well, we haven't looked into that one yet. She's still young. But, I really think it is a neat way for dad's to place a calling on the boys as they grown and hold them to a higher level of manhood. The goal is to raise boys who are men when they turn 18 and although they might not marry at that younger age, we want them to be equipped...this is part of the way we hope to achieve that.

We also gave Cole a new necklace b/c he lost his first one, and we gave Brynn a pink one which is totally cute on her. I will most likely save it and give it to her again when she's four since wearing one now is a recipe for it being lost!!

A Little Party

2011-12-13T11:27:00.000-08:00

Deer Valley High School had a Christmas event for the staff and employees to bring their kids and grandkids. We took the kids and they got to make cookies, ornaments with paint, candy cane reindeer and much more. Santa came and gave each of the kids a gift with their name on it. It was neat planning on their part. My mom bought a little gift for each child and gave them to the planners ahead of time. For kids that believe in Santa it was a neat little attempt and making it seem like Santa knew they were going to be there. Even my kids, who know Santa isn't real, thought it was tons of fun.

It was a good little time and the kids had a great time. Of course, Trace picked out the prettiest girl in the room and stayed close asking for help with projects. That little man!!

What Would Winter Be Without Some Snow?

2011-12-10T09:29:00.000-08:00

My mom's church brought in a ton of snow from Flagstaff for a fun night of hot cocoa and cookies, pictures with Santa (which we don't indulge being a real thing but allow the kids to have fun with the idea and spirit of Santa) and a carriage ride topped off with some snowballs and a little bit of sledding.

The kids thought it was a great time and weren't ready to leave after almost 2 hours. They could have thrown snow balls forever. Too funny. Last year we went to the same event and they didn't care at all about throwing snow balls. Funny how time changes them and we only see glimpses of it while we hold them so close to us.

They really are growing too fast. I feel like I blinked and I suddenly had five children and they aren't little any more, they are big. 2012 is about to bring birthdays in which my little ones turn yet another year older I can't freeze time.

My sweet Brynnie girl is turning 3, 3...She's so stinkin' cute and sassy. Our family just wouldn't be the same without her special little self.

The Twins turn 5 shortly after the new year...5. What? 5 is like an age I once thought would take so long to come. When Cole was little 5 seemed like so far away. Now 3 of five kiddos will be over 5 years old. It's truly crazy. They, or course, are so excited about turning 5. They think it holds a special power in the world. It's too cute.

So, I will cherish the nights like this night, where their sweet innocence allows them to just enjoy the moment and appreciate the experience. That sparkle in their eye is what makes all the hard work worth it.

Talking but Not Walking

2011-12-02T11:12:00.000-08:00

Westin is just about the cutest little guy I know and to top it off he has started saying words, in his 1 year old way. I have been trying to get him to sign some words for a while now, milk, more, please. Simple words to help him talk to me. He has refused to comply even though I'm confident he is paying attention.

Well when you sign words to kiddos you also say the word. Over and Over again I say the word and show him the sign. Well now, instead of doing the sign he's attempting to say the word.

He says: Mo (More), Meh(Mom), Da (Dad), Ni (Nice), and Da-Da(Doggy).

It is adorable. He LOVES dogs, it is almost strange how much he loves dogs since we don't have one. He would traverse any terrain to get to a dog and be able to put his hand out and pet it. He says, "Ni, Ni" when reaching to pet the dogs hair. Thus, the necessity of the word Nice to his vocabulary.

He loves to push his walking bike around the house and anything else he can get to move, such as chairs, boxes, tables, etc. He cruises the furniture at the speed of light and can get himself down off pretty much anything such as the beds, couch, benches, and more. He is also a star climber just like daddy was. If it is low enough for him to put a foot up, he can usually pull himself onto it. He surprises me sometimes.

When he wakes up in the morning I almost always walk into him sitting in his crib with his hands wrapped around the slats and his little legs sticking out the slats with his tiny feet just dangling and kicking. He says, whoa, whoa, whoa!!!

But, walking...no chance. He doesn't want to take the plunge and take the steps to walk without holding on. He could probably do it if he tried but he just doesn't want to try. It's too funny.

Thanksgiving in the Desert

2011-11-29T16:19:00.000-08:00

We spent thanksgiving at the sand dunes this year. We went with a different crew than at Halloween and the kids were excited to spend the weekend playing with some older kids. Dan, one of Justin's friends from the construction industry, brought his wife and daughters, Morgan and Tori and the kids LOVED playing with them. Nik and Nonny came down, with Niks parents driving out from Tucson for one night and some friends of theirs also joining us for Thanksgiving day.

We did a group Turkey dinner with Tim and Norma and the gang. There was so much food it was crazy. So delicious.

The best part of this trip was the addition of our new ride. We purchased a Manx, orange, with a jump seat for the kiddos. They LOVE it. It's road ready so Justin can drive it to the store with the kids if he wants to. And it rides in the dunes great. Even Westin got to spend some time on a ride. He loved it too.

My precious little guys Love the dunes and my wonderfully supportive husband has been so gracious to dive into the sand and make memories for the kids.

I love the fact that not only do my parents go to the dunes but his dad and mom Stacey also love to go. Although they haven't had an opportunity to go so far this year we look forward to many years of meeting them down there for some fun in the sun and sand.

We did have a fun little adventure as the rear wheel of the Manx fell off while Justin and the kids were out for a little ride with Nik and his friend. The guys spent several hours attempting to pull the Manx out of the sand. We have some great pictures I'll have to upload later. Justin spent the better part of the next day fixing the Manx and got it rolling again. He amazes me.

The last morning we were there we headed over to duners diner for some breakfast. It was a great way to end the trip.

[hr]

We have so much to be thankful for this year. Including precious 1 year old Westin James, I can't believe he's already one year old. We've had amazing health this year thanks to regular adjustments at My Family Chiropractor, great friendships have blossomed, wonderful family trips and memories made, incredible time with Doug and Stacey after Westin was born as they came back out in January, an abundance of blessings with Justin's career and valued time with my parents including trips up North, Disneyland for the twins and so much more. God has saved us from our sinful flesh, redeemed us and set us free. That is what we are thankful for the most and all blessing come from Him.

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Birthday Baby

2011-11-17T21:41:00.000-08:00

My little Westin is 1 year old. Sweet, loving, playful, fun, smart, and wonderfully adorable my littlest boy is now growing up. I can't believe it a whole year has passed. It's been an amazing thing to watch this little blessing grow up this past year.

He LOVES his family, brothers, sister, mom and dad. He loves to snuggle, give big, open mouth kisses, look at pictures of his family on the wall pointing his cute little finger at them one by one. He loves music, dancing up and down while standing along the furniture and playing outside getting all dirty and crawling into the col-de-sac.

He recently discovered his love of riding in the jeeps with the boys outside. He sits back and enjoys the ride. I LOVE it.

He is all boy but he loves his mamma and I relish that now while he's little. No question that sometimes its a little nuts when he is clingy and wanting to be up a lot but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

His tiny little toes, his crazy crawl and his adorable little laugh that causes his nose to crinkle up...He melts my heart.

Here's my birthday boy.

Letter to Westin

2011-11-17T15:41:00.000-08:00

Westin,

You are fast approaching a year old and I'm both mourning you leaving your infancy and excited for what the future brings. You have been such an amazing little boy and a wonderful addiwtion to our family. God knew exactly what our family needed when he gave you to us. A purely wonderful gift.

God has given you a content little spirit and a joyful heart. You are always happy and find almost everything fun and entertaining. You are excited when your brothers and sisters play with you and love to be entertained. In these past months you've come to love balls, cars and trucks, and music. You love to clap to the beat and to be sung to. Singing almost always make you calm down and listen. You love music, more than any of the others.

You spent your early crawling days belly flopping instead of truly crawling. You sure learned to move fast while you were flopping all around the house. Then you finally learned to get up on your knees! Hallelujah! But....oh...what....you don't use your right knee. Instead you use your right foot. So, you have this adorable, fast as heck, one kneed, one foot crawl!!! It is the cutest thing.

You love to laugh and be tickled. You totally get humor and teasing...I love it! Now, you are walking along the furniture and sailing through the house wherever you want to go. You are a wonderful pointer, with your little precious finger, and a strong communicator with the things you want. Although, against all my attempts to teach you signs, you would much rather point and moan. But, it's okay, I'm your mommy, I know what you want my little boy.

You are a fabulous sleeper, minus the waking at night to nurse part, and always wake up happy and ready to tackle the day. Such a sweet blessing.

Westin, I love you. I'm so blessed to be your mother and to have you join our family, full of love and a lot of chaos at times. But, it is what the Lord has given to us and we embrace the calling to be parents of an abundance of children.

I pray for you Westin. I pray you will follow and know Jesus, the one true, sacrificial God. That He would call you and stir in you a passion for His work in your life. Your father and I worry not about what you will do with your life but rather who you will serve. That will then lead you towards a path of what to do, what skills He has given to you and what He wants you to do with those skills. We know the path is not always straight or easy but we pray you will hold fast to Him through all the wanderings this life may offer. We pray you will be a leader, a hard worker, faithful, diligent, dedicated, and a good husband with a good wife, and a father of God's blessings that does Him honor.

God has given you a special place in this world and we know He has big plans for you. I love you son, so much words can't even express it. I'm beyond grateful for your healthy, loving, happy, joyful, adorable, precious self.

It is a special thing to be part of a big family and full of lots of love. You are part of what makes us so special.

Family Fall Pictures

2011-11-06T11:43:00.000-08:00

We got our pictures back from our Fall Session. I wasn't convinced he got anything good b/c the kids were a little bit crazy and uncooperative and the sun set unusually fast during the shoot. But, he actually got a few goodies. I was excited.

The Fab 5!!

2011-11-06T10:57:00.000-08:00

We have plans to have family picture done soon so I ordered some cute newsboy hats for the boys and a cute bow for Brynn from a friend of mine. I couldn't wait so I put them on and took them outside to take some cute pics. They were actually, surprisingly very cooperative and smiley. I think my little amateur shots with my little camera turned out super cute. Plus, my subjects are adorable so that makes it easy.

My sweet babies...how did we get so lucky.

Schooling at Home

2011-11-05T15:04:00.000-07:00

We started in September and things have been moving right along. The kids have good days and bad but that is normal, I think!

We have done lots of projects, cutting, gluing, painting, tracing, coloring, reading, science lessons, watching You Tube videos about the human body, space, earth, and creation.

I've learned a whole lot about myself through this process as well as gained so much insight into my children. They are all so precious, unique, challenging, and amazing.

I treasure the time I get with them as we learn about God's design of the world, the body, reading, math, and tie everything together through His word. We have explored Egypt, talked about Pharaoh's, Hieroglyphics, Mummies, Myths, Legends, The Nile River, the Earth's layers, Space, Galaxies, Creation of the Earth, Pananea, the Flood, Moses. the Plagues, Mt. Sinai, Tectonics, Adam's sin, and so much more. We have traveled through the body learning about bones, muscles, the Central Nervous System, the Brain, Hands and Feet, Cells, Tissues, Systems and more.

We have taken a few field trips, one in particular to the Body exhibit at the State Fair. That was so neat for the kids to truly see up front everything we'd been discussing these past few weeks. They quickly moved from body to body telling me about all the things they knew.

I love the flexibility homeschooling offers us. We can easily do activities during the day and school later in the afternoon or take the day off completely.

In order to properly prepare the lessons for each month, we've been taking the first week of each month off of school. we recover, recoup, prepare, see our friends, etc. It has worked out in a lovely way.

The daily schedule seems so full between the chiro twice each week, soccer on Wednesdays, PE on Fridays, Tutoring sometimes twice each week, Karate for the twins and gymnastics for Cole...whew, we sure do get to do a lot of things.

Now that the holidays are passing quickly, with Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas on the horizon schooling will begin to take a back seat, other than our daily reading, spelling, and math whenever we can fit it in.

We basically have two weeks of schooling before Christmas to finish talking about Abraham and Sarah, the Tabernacle and fit in a couple more science lessons as well as talking about sentence structure. Then, Christmas break, which for us will last through January (except the daily reading and writing etc.).

The part I love the most so far...being with them. Having them close to me. Talking with them, holding them, laughing with them, them having time together as siblings. Way more time together than if I was sending them off to school each day. I would miss my crazy monkeys, that I know for sure.

It may not always go as planned and we may not get through all the material exactly like we imagined we would. But, we are building hearts for Jesus, training up warriors, playing and having fun.

I can't pass that up.

Halloween in the Sand

2011-10-31T10:16:00.000-07:00

For Halloween weekend we went to the dunes. It was beautiful. Aside from the great weather, we were with great friends, my parents, and had a GREAT time. It was a really wonderful group to go with. Tyler, Adam, and Eric and Julia. The kids had a great time playing with Adams kids, Colby and Shelby. For the first time we really saw how much the kids LOVE going on rides in the sand buggy. We were so excited to see them truly enjoy the ride, with no fear, and no reservations.

We carved pumpkins headed up by Tyler and Katie. They put all the pumpkin seeds in the ground into a hole they had dug. It was so cute to watch them work together. It was quite the project Tyler and Katie took on. The kids loved it.

It was a quick weekend and we headed home, in which Halloween was on Monday. So we went to Walmart and bought 2 new movies to watch with the kids and some Candy to consume. They were completely satisfied and we were excited to avoid the Halloween chaos.

I sure love those little, crazy, sand loving munchkins!

Twins Take Disneyland

2011-10-12T09:47:00.000-07:00

My generous parents took the twins to Disneyland. It was such an awesome thing for them to do. According to my parents my children, each time they were asked where they wanted to stop to eat, said Taco Bell. So my parents ended up eating at Taco Bell about six times! Hahaha, they are so much like Justin!

Once they got to LA they settled into the hotel and prepared to take on the park! They spent the day at Disneyland on Friday, riding all the rides they could. Unfortunately Pirates of the Caribbean was closed, such a bummer. But, they quickly moved on and found rides they loved. Thunder Mountain was a HUGE hit. They LOVED roller coasters, so much it took my parents by surprise.

That then required that my mom go on rides with them, which is fun to know she had to go on some rides since she doesn't love it. Oh the things grandparents do for their grandchildren to have fun.

After a fun filled day at Disney, seeing the parade twice, eating some park food, and having a blast, they headed home to prepare for the next day...The Pirate Dinner Show.

At the pirate dinner show they serve a meal while you watch the Pirates battle the "bad guys". At this time the show was Pirates battling Vampires. Not the ideal "bad guy"for 4 year olds but totally fine and fun. They were spellbound watching the pirates battle. My mom said they served so much food they couldn't possibly eat it all. The kids really enjoyed the experience.

Before the Dinner Show they went to the beach and had fun digging in the sand. They LOVE to dig in the sand. The water is another thing..I think they could live without it. They just want to dig in the sand!

I'm so thankful for my parents generosity and love towards my children and all the experiences they offer to them. They have a neat relationship and I'm so grateful. Thank you mom and dad for all the fun things you do and give to the kids.

Starting School

2011-10-03T00:31:00.000-07:00

We came back from Legoland and I had one week to make final preparations for school starting. At the homeschool convention in July Justin and I had put together a plan for this year. We spent many hours talking about the coming school year, making decisions about what was important for them to learn this year and seeking the Lord's wisdom concerning the best curriculum for our family. Once we made the decisions, placed the orders, and I set about preparing material it started to set in.

Schooling is not a task for the faint of heart, that much I have learned. I'm aware that I possess some qualities that would require a certain amount of organization and pre-planning that others might be able to glaze over b/c their personalities are much more laid back and require less preparedness. That is the beauty of homeschooling...there isn't any one right way. Anyhow, due to my type of personality and liking things to be organized and the end goal to be clear schooling requires much of me.

I'm actually okay with that, so I'm not complaining, because it is the way I work best. I have a desire to just be a good mother and a good teacher to my children, teaching them more than just ABC's but also values, a moral compass, training them up to Love Jesus and Obey Authority. This is a heavy calling.

So, I set about preparing for the coming months and the schooling that will be underway. I'm thrilled with our schooling curriculum choices and confident they will learn much this year. Hopefully I can make it fun at the same time.

I thought it would be or could be helpful to note our resources this year and what we are using. Maybe I might want to look back on it sometime or pass it along to others. This is a blog about our family and homeschooling is a big part of our family.

We will be starting with Calendar in the morning going over the Letter of the Week. I set the schedule for the Letters with our lovely Tutor Alana so we aren't doing them in alphabetical order but we will get through them all.

I bought the download from Confessions of a Homeschooler to print for the kids. She has TONS of amazing things and I could spend hours of time on her site. Check it out.

Along with the LOTW we are covering weather, shapes, signs, character traits, Bible verse of the Week, color, and Songs or Days of the week and months of the year. I will have to come back and link each item to its source I compiled them from different places on the net.

For academic organization I am using the Workbox System. Since mine are so young we are mostly just introducing the system and getting used to the kids progressing through their day in an orderly fashion. Eventually using this system will help the children become fairly self sufficient in their school work. To really use the system the children need to be able to read. Until then the Workbox system will just be a practice of steps. If you wanna see more and read more about how they work, this is a good place to start. But, if you google it, you will see there are virtually hundreds of ways to execute the system to fit your family.

We incorporate music into our learning when we can and to begin I'd check out Seeds Family Worship. There are thousands of printables at Bible Story Printables to go along with learning scripture to music.

For Bible, History and Geography we chose Tapestry of Grace. It utilizes the Classical Method and so far it is wonderful. Very thorough, so thorough in fact, I have to scale it back for my age kids. It runs in four year cycles and you can start in any "Year" 1-4. Once you go through all four years you just cycles back through at their higher grade level. You study the same core material again on a deeper level. It could carry you through Highschool (if you want).

For math we chose Right Start Mathematics. It is also very thorough and completely written out for you so the lessons are quick, easy and totally boy. There are manipulative materials, math games, and so much more to help them learn the math principles. We are taking slow and being thorough.

Science, which is solely an introduction at this point, is Answers in Genesis God's Design. I am loving it. The lessons are simple, basic and quick....perfect for little guys! Totally Creation based science, if you know anything about AIG and I LOVE that!!

For Spelling and Reading we are using All About Spelling and All About Reading, both from the same company. It is so great. Thorough, easy, clear, concise, Phonics based (but includes the vowel sound of Y, which not all Phonics programs do). Their process or learning to read has been exactly what Cole needs.

We start our day at 8:30 with prayer and calendar and end by noon for lunch. It's pretty great and although it has offered its fair share of challenges thus far, I couldn't imagine being away from my kids for even 3 hours each day and definitely not 6 or more.

I know it isn't for everyone and that is just fine. But, it is for us, even if it requires all of me and all I have to give and it isn't always perfect. I wouldn't rather give myself to anything or any one else.

Day Trip to Payson

2011-09-23T10:19:00.000-07:00

We took a day trip to Payson to visit a church of a gentleman Justin met on a flight back from Aspen. He is the pastor of a church up there and invited us to come and stay in the apartment above their church building. It was so cool to stay on the church grounds, right above the little church and spend time at the park across the street. It was so beautiful up there. There was a lake across the street also and a wonderful park area and the kids could have stayed alllllll day! I was so envious of people who live there. It has such a small town feel but not completely isolated. I love it!

Westin was so adventurous while we were there, crawling away and into the sand, exploring all the grass and the playground. The weather just calls you to spend time outside and all the kids loved it. It started to sprinkle some for just about 15 minutes, making the air nice and fresh. Then it stopped and the kids all ran out from under the lunch table canopy and back into the sand.

The service was good on Sunday morning and we were thankful to be able to join them for worship. I enjoyed the worship music very much. We then drove down on the outskirts of town and found this cute little antique shop. Inside was a treasure trove of weapons; swords, knives, guns, you name it he had it. It was SO cool, the boys were in heaven looking at everything.

Cole, Brody, and Trace were so adorable out there in Payson. Just being in the mountain area is totally their element. It just brings out the complete boy in them. I love it. I love watching them play, organize games with one another, and meet friends at the park. They are just friendly, adorable, wonderful boys.

We captured a few pics at the park and we tried to get one of the antique shop but it hardly does it justice.

Wegowand!!!

2011-09-18T23:50:00.000-07:00

So blessed to be able to take a trip and spend 10 days together as a family. Even more blessed to be able to have Doug and Stacey join us in San Diego, making the trip much easier with the children and a lot more fun!

I did my research ahead of time and managed to buy 5 day passes to Legoland for the price of 1 day, park hopper passes, so we were able to plan for the waterpark and the aquarium too. We booked a suite with two adjoining rooms with a kitchen and two bathrooms so we could make lunches and dinners and cut down on the cost of eating out. When we arrived on Sunday Stacey and I went out to the store and bought groceries for the week.

Each day we took stuff to make lunch out on the grass in the nice weather (wooohoo). The kids did AWESOME on a seven day vacation. Always willing to take a break for lunch, walk from ride to ride, sometimes run, well mostly run, and exuded excitement each and every day we headed back to the park.

It was such an awesome park for our kids at this age...they LOVE knights, pirates, and bionicle legos. It was truly an amazing fit for where they are at this age. They were excited about almost everything. The waterpark was the part of the trip that didn't go over as I thought it would. I expected to spend a whole day at the waterpark with the kids, but they weren't that into it! We got settled, got there early so we could get shaded seats, and they got in the water for about 45 minutes and seemed to be done. So funny.

The pirate section and the knight section were a complete hit, as you can imagine. They spent a long time, and went back several times, to the knight playground castle. It was so huge, many levels and large slides. They loved it. It was like running the gauntlet.

After spending a few days at Legoland, on Wednesday we left a little early and stopped at La Jolla Beach to see the seals and the water. They loved looking at the seals. They were up close and personal, even at the later hour that we arrived there.

On Thursday after the park we went to the beach. We managed to drive back to the hotel from Legoland, the kids fell asleep, Justin and I and Doug and Stacey took turns running into the room to change into swimsuits and gather things for the beach and we all got back into the van and the kids were ALL still sleeping. Crazy!! They were so tired just from having so much fun.

We headed to the beach with all the "beachy" items ready to take on the waves. The kids were VERY excited about the boogie boards, which Justin's dad has had since he was the boys age. Two generations of use that day at the beach! They took a couple of waves on the boards, did good for their first time, then made the sand their home. They were enjoying sitting in the sun, digging in the sand, and just relaxing.

Westin loved the sand! He just sat and crawled around in the sand loving every minute. Eventually they were ready to leave and the leaving process is not fun. Trying to wash off all the sand, in all the parts...not cool. So, we decided it would be easiest to jump into the pool instead of taking a bath.

They were cool with that and we were cool with that...so with jumping into the pool and making dinner at the hotel, we were settled in.

On Friday we decided not to go back to Legoland but to try and find something around San Diego to do. So we headed to the park near Mission Bay and spent the morning eating KFC and watching them play on the playground.

Then we packed up and headed for SD harbor and we visited The Midway. The kids actually, surprisingly, enjoyed seeing the inside of the ship and all the Naval planes. It was impressive for sure. As we were up on the flight deck we saw a pirate ship go by. Oh my gosh, it was amazing. I called the number and although the pirate dinner ship was toooo much money, we just happened to be in town for the Festival of Sail. There were dozens of ships for the kids to tour and see. Submarine's, large sail ships, the Ship from Master and Commander. It really was a joy. There was even a pirate, a lady pirate, walking about they got to take a picture with. It was a great end to a great week.

I treasure these memories with them, and the ones they get to make with grandparents. The years go by so fast I don't want to look back and wish we'd done more as a family. We can't do it ALL but we have it ALL with each other and spending time together is the greatest blessing God could give us.

I always pray the images of my children will burn into my mind, so deep I could never forget. But, the reality is, it just doesn't work that way. So, I've put high value on making photo books and slideshows so I will never forget their precious faces, smiles, joy, and even, sometimes, the hard moments.

They are all beautiful.

Staycation Marriott style...

2011-09-04T16:10:00.000-07:00

we spent a great weekend at the JW Marriott in Scottsdale. We got a little package deal that allowed us to stay for the night, swim all day long, with $50 credit towards the resort, and if he'd been able to steal away, Justin could have golfed, but we have five kids so that wasn't really a choice! :)

So we settled in and spent the day on the lazy river, in the splash pad and small pool, going down the slide and enjoying the buffet. It was as relaxing as it could be for us, having five small children, but tons of fun for the kids and that is what it is all about. The joy in their faces makes all the "work" worth it.

The resort is very nice and there were lots of people there to watch so I was happy! The littlest ones napped some and then we played some more. It was a nice little getaway not too far from home.

(Grammy came to visit us on the first day, to swim and see the kids. It is so nice she gets in the water and plays with them. Such a nice grammy.)

Camping at the Cabin

2011-09-04T15:49:00.000-07:00

We were lucky enough to join our friends Jon and Kelly Bohm at their cabin at Mormon Lake for some much needed wilderness time. Randy Sondreal and his kids, our friend Eric and Jen and their two girls, and Kelly's brother Alex joined us. That equals 13 children 8 adults...in 1 cabin and a pop up trailer! It was fun.

The first night the boys, Brynn, and Justin slept in a tent we set up outside. The next day it poured and the water ran off the roof and onto our tent collapsing the whole thing. So, we moved everything inside including the kids and we situated 10 children and 6 adults into the cabin for the night. It led to a giant sleepover on the living room floor, which the kids loved.

We got to visit the Mormon Lake Lodge and the petting zoo they have there. They saw Buffalo, goats, turkeys, chickens, horses, and on the last day caught crawfish in the fishing pond. They spent the days running around the cabin and rotating into the house to play old school, original Nintendo Super Mario Brothers.

We really had a great time. The boys pretty much just ran around the cabin, like I said, with swords in hand playing the with the bigger kids and enjoying the fresh air. We hope to get a chance to go with the Bohm's again. Thanks Bohm's for a great weekend.

Fun Slideshow

2011-08-04T16:40:00.000-07:00

Shadows

2011-07-24T17:59:00.000-07:00

Such precious little people in my life and their ever growing and changing silhouettes. I wanted to capture their sweet faces while I could. So here is what I got.

I ended up having them printed at Costco so I could mount them in a frame on the wall. They turned out so cute.

Homeschooling Resources

2011-07-24T17:23:00.000-07:00

Just a quick list of resources for those considering homeschooling!

Go Here!!!

Thank goodness for AZ's support and encouragement towards Homeschooling!

Cole's Birthday and a real, Heavenly Surprise

2011-07-20T09:55:00.000-07:00

Today is Cole's sixth birthday. I have to begin, which is expected, by saying how sincerely somber I feel to realize my first born has turned six. So CRAZY. I feel like it was yesterday I was watching him arrive, holding him close, breathing his rhythm while we slept so mingled, nursing, squirming, traveling this new life of mother and son together.

It was out of his birth that my true growing began. The true simplicity of it all hardly encapsulates the beauty of it, but he did save me. Not from sin or in the essence of salvation but from myself. The selfishness I spent many years wrapped inside, constricting my own ability to truly see God and His design for life; His calling on My Life.

The wrestling between mother and son that stretched my wings, nudged me closer to the edge of moving from girlhood to womanhood...my son...he's amazing.

We wrestle still as I'm sure all mother's and sons do as they each grow and mature over time, time that slips...I can almost literally feel it slipping. I try to soak it all in, the wrestling gone wrong, the wrestling with laughter, the belly rolling and the rolling tears from time to time.

Each of us equally navigating the waters while holding tightly to each other and often exchanging encouraging "I Love You's" and "Stay Close".

We recently started allowing the children to sleep in our room, in sleeping bags, on the floor with us. My husband so lovingly sees my desire to keep them close to me. I'm sure the interruption to our quiet time isn't his top priority, nor is it mine, but having them be near to me, in this time while they are small, understanding they will soon, much sooner than I dare to imagine, no longer desire to be near to me. I like to listen to the sleep at night, feel their content hearts at peace while they dream. I want them to know how deeply I love them.

Well, the time passes and the sun comes and goes and my babe at the bosom, toddling along on pudgy, ringed legs has grown into a boy, slowly becoming a man. His body now lean and his legs no longer ringed but lined with strength. He is older, wiser, and no less precious to me than the day he was born.
[hr]

We started the day with chocolate pancakes for breakfast and a morning in our jammies. Where Cole would be in his life every day if he could, Jammies, a show, playing with his brother and not even thinking about leaving the house!

We celebrated with a night of bowling joined by Grammy. It was a night together as a family and the kids enjoy trying to bowl. We had some burgers, nachos, candy and eventually cake. We managed to get in about 2 and a half games for the kids and the adults. They are so precious and tiny trying to roll those big ol' bowling balls down the alley.

We ended the night with some yummy cake from Baker Wee, Spiderman cake. It was delicious.

THE VERY BEST PART OF COLE TURNING 6

I left my mom's and took the youngest kids home while Justin followed behind with Cole. While they were driving they got to talking about why the rain blows off the windshield while you drive and Cole said, "wow, there is so much to learn in this world". Justin told him he already knows the most important thing. "What is it?", Justin asked.
"God loves me and Jesus died on the cross for me because I have sin in my heart", Cole said.
Justin continued to tell Cole that knowing that is what leads to asking Jesus to live in our hearts so He can help battle the sin. He told him about how we pray and ask God to live in our hearts, that we know Jesus died on the cross for us, and we want to live with Him forever in heaven.
Cole said he wanted to pray the prayer and ask Jesus into his heart. Justin asked him if he wanted to do that right now and he said yes. "I want to be a Christian", Cole said.
Justin started to lead him through the prayer but Cole interrupted and told Justin he could do it by himself. He continued to pray and thank God for the gifts in his life, the trees, and for Jesus dying on the cross. He told God he wanted Jesus to come live in his heart so he could go to heaven.

When he got home I was already in our bed with the other little kids waiting for them to arrive. He walked straight into my room and said, "mom, I prayed and asked Jesus into my heart, to keep the sin away, so I could go to heaven with Him. I want to be a Christian."

I was shocked. No way...did my son just tell me he became a Christian?! It was both joy and a moment of sadness when I realized I didn't get to pray with him. But, I am overwhelmed with JOY that he got to share that moment with Justin and have that private moment with his daddy, without the other kids, to really think about what it meant to say the prayer.

For a child who is six years old my son completely understands his need for a Savior. We experience that need daily as we wrestle together through life as God's children, separated by sin, but joined together by His redemptive blood.

He knows he needs Jesus in his life, what the cross means and its power over evil, he loves Jesus for giving his life so he could go to heaven. As he grows I pray he too grows in the knowledge of Christ and by God's grace matures in his faith and the childlike prayer he prayed on his sixth birthday!

It was a big one, turning six. A pocket knife, to be trusted with such power, a party with the people who love him most, and asking the Lord to be the king of his life.

What an amazing blessing! I don't really have words.

Sacred Groves

2011-07-06T22:42:00.000-07:00

Justin asked me to share this video on our blog. He said it really captures his heart about his journey to knowing Jesus Christ.

More Pictures from KOA Flagstaff

2011-07-06T20:34:00.000-07:00

Little Princess

2011-07-05T14:32:00.000-07:00

Look at this little princess...

She dressed herself all up in this little princess gown. Isn't she precious. Finally getting into "girly" things. She always says "Pincess" and "My girl" when talking about baby dolls or princess dolls. She knows PINK is her color. There is no question about that!

Then....the BOY in her pops out! Yep, there it is....totally funny Brynnie Girl.

I love this little girl!

Popsicles and Swimming

2011-07-05T14:28:00.000-07:00

The kids are all officially swimming! Even Brynn....yay! They still, obviously, require supervision in case something goes crazy, but they are swimming.

Thank goodness for those swim survival lessons. Cole will be doing swim team next year. I'm so excited for him. I think he will excel if he decides to put his mind to it. All of the boys just look built to swim. Trace is my most timid. He will be the first to sit out and not swim and it doesn't bother him a bit. He likes it but he doesn't LOVE it like the others.

I took some pictures of them swimming, since that is what they do most of the time. They spend the day in and out of the pool and asking if they can have popsicles. I don't blame them, it's HOT! I find sticks all over the yard...it's a sure sign its SUMMER in ARIZONA.

Wesin is now 7 Months Old....so crazy. Time is moving faster and faster I swear. It is the one thing that haunts me...the movement of time. He's so happy, smiley, loves water and music, and is now crawling (belly rolling) all over the place. He gets to swim in his own little 1 inch of water while the kids play and loves to swing in the swing. I just LOVE that little guy!

4th of July

2011-07-05T14:15:00.000-07:00

We spent yesterday with our friends Kelly and Dan at a backyard pool party. They had a group of people over to enjoy the pool and cooked up an amazing amount of food. They are such awesome hosts.

We stayed late, as usual, and the kids got to set off some fireworks and light some sparklers. They really liked it. A simple, easy going 4th of July.

The only thing I'd ever want to do differently on 4th of July is maybe celebrate one year, just one year, in Telluride, CO. That would be awesome. But, until then, simple, easy going, good grubbin', celebration is the way to go!

Someone turned 31!

2011-07-04T13:02:00.000-07:00

Well, Justin got to spend his birthday in Aspen Colorado, alone, drinking a glass of wine and eating some sushi! He probably really enjoyed it, the quiet, while also missing his family. Once he returned to us on Friday we didn't really have a big shin dig we just got to be together.

The kids wanted to take daddy to get Slushes, shaved ice. They said, "daddy would really love slushes for his birthday." I'm pretty sure THEY wanted slushes and dad's birthday was a convenient reason. But, we managed to find a great little Italian Ice place, Frita's, right near our house. It was YUMMY! We even went again at mom's request on Sunday!

We then spent the majority of the rest of the weekend with the kids swimming, eating a bucket of chicken from KFC (one of dad's favs) and watching the UFC fight with our friends Dan and Kelly Levin. That was a blast!

Sunday completed the weekend with a quiet evening at home and the kids sleeping in the living room!

Today we get to spend the 4th of July with our friends, Dan and Kelly again, at their house for a pool party and bbq. It should be a great day!

Happy Birthday Justin!

You are the love of my life, my greatest friend and closest confidant. I'm so thankful for you and the places God is taking us and the places we've already been.

Flagstaff KOA

2011-06-28T23:01:00.000-07:00

We went up north and spent some time with my parents while they camped in their new motorhome at the Flagstaff KOA. The weather is awesome, breezy, sometimes too windy, a little bit warm, but mostly perfect. You can actually hang out outside in the shade. We got to ride bikes around the campground, play in the water, eat lunch outside, jump in a bounce house on the KOA campus, do a little tiny bit of shopping, and just hang out. This is only a portion of the pictures. My mom has the rest so I'll do an update later!

Summer Days

2011-06-28T22:44:00.000-07:00

Just some random fun with the kids during these summer days. Justin got some cute shots of them getting ready for bed. They all sleep in those triple bunk beds, only they only sleep in two of the three beds. Two kids per bed! So funny.

We've been swimming a lot, picnics outside during breaks from the pool...Thank goodness for the water so they can stay wet in the 115 degree weather.

Also...Guess who's crawling? Yep, Westin is 7 months old and official scooting on his belly and raising up onto his feet. He doesn't quite have the hand and knee action yet, but he moves around the house like crazy. Belly flopping all the way!

I just LOVE these kiddos of mine!

Picnic inside in mom's room.

Westin's Pool!!!

Scooting otherwise known as Belly Flopping!

Family Pictures....again

2011-06-26T22:14:00.000-07:00

I try so hard to get family pictures done at least twice each year, about every six months or so. The kids grow too fast and change so much it just blows my mind every time. So, it really matters to me. My dear husband is so patient and willing to posey pose and matchy match for the special day! God bless him.

The kids did great for most of the event, which it truly is, and our photographer, a friend of mine from HS youth group, was patient and generous with his time. Thank you Brian Travis Photography!

So without further adieu...here they are, some of my favorites!

Once A Month Mom

2011-06-26T21:50:00.000-07:00

I wanted to give a little shout out to Once A Month Mom. I've admitted in the past I'm not a good meal planner and often get overwhelmed at the thought of cooking something while the kids are at my feet. I usually wait until the last minute, throw something together, and HOPE for the best!

After looking at Once A Month Mom and then actually taking a day and cooking with some girl friends, I definitely think this is the way to go, for me!

Once A Month Mom does all the hard work, essentially, for you. She puts together the recipe cards, labels, directions, shopping list, etc. All you have to do is do it! Some meals don't require cooking on the BIG DAY, as they call it. But, most you prepare and freeze until you are ready to use them.

Some friend of mine from HS got together and buddied up into pairs. We chose five meals and spent the morning and only some of the afternoon preparing the food and freezing it. So far, most of the meals have been good. I'm excited to try the rest once things get back to normal around here (we went up to Flagstaff for four days!).

It is definitely trial and error and I know I'm not going to do get everything right the first time, try as I may. But, just having things to throw in the oven and/or reheat that are home cooked, healthy, and serve us all is a big WIN!!!

So, this next month, I hope to include Justin in the process. He's agreed to hang with me for the day and help me prepare the food menu. I have to pick my meals, do my shopping and be ready, and then get a sitter. We then get to spend some time together just cooking food! I'm excited.

Here are the meals we've chosen so far: (9)
Pita Pizzas
Smoked Sausage Mac and Cheese
Bacon Cheeseburger Chicken
Ranch Chicken Parmesean
Potato Cheese Soup
Ranchero Chicken over Over Rice
Sundried Tomato Stuffed Chicken
Sweet Potato Wraps
Pizza Casserole

I think I need about 4-5 more and I'll be good to go.

Go check it out! It's awesome.

Daddy Free Printabe

2011-06-20T22:59:00.000-07:00

Subway Art Free Printable

A cute little Father's Day "free" printable for those who love to hang encouraging words!

Round Town Partner

2011-06-19T22:00:00.000-07:00

We've been gettin' around lately. Very busy it seems just spending time together and with friends or family. We've enjoyed some nice weather in Flagstaff, some tennis at the park with my mom, swimming at the Bohm's (Partaaaay!), and much more. It's going to be a fun filled summer.

Tennis

Flagstaff

I LOVE Flagstaff, it has a special place in my heart from College. I spent so many wonderful times up there while attending school. It is nice to get to share some new ones with my family!

Partaaaay!
(with the Bohm's)

Vacation Bible School

The kids did Vacation Bible School at my mom's church this summer. They did a Cowboy theme and it was cute. The boys enjoyed dressing up. On Friday they fed everyone and did a gunslinger. They are able to recite their verses and tell you about sharing Jesus with others. It's super cute.

Setting out for a great summer. Bring on the Fun!

Summer at Last

2011-06-19T21:15:00.000-07:00

It was official about three weeks ago....Summer is here, and by that I mean it's HOT!

We snuck in a few bike rides and managed to get some extra time this year playing outside during the day before the heat really kicked into high gear. Now, it's swimming time!!!

SWIMMING

Last year we were connected with a swim coach, by a friend of mine, who does private swim lessons. She teaches the kids one on one how to, first and most importantly, swim survive. She releases them into the water and tell them to swim to the side. Once swimming to the side is achieved she moves on to more swim concepts including what happens if you fall in, jumping in and swimming to the side, swimming across, floating, diving down for sticks, etc. Last year we enrolled the 4 kids, yes, including Brynn. She was only 18 mos at the time and she learned to swim to the side. This year was ROUND 2.

All 4 kiddos spent just 6 days refining their swimming skills of swimming to the side, floating, swimming across, diving down, etc. Last year the twins and brynn spent almost the entire portion of their lesson crying. This year the crying stopped and they actually started to enjoy it. Well, after the initial good cry or two and a little bit of whining!

Brynn stopped crying by the second week and really took off with swimming and enjoying the water. I was so excited to see her jumping in and swimming all on her own at a friends house. The NO FEAR factor we have to work on as we develop a respect for the water and making sure someone is watching. But, loving the water is what we want.

Next year we hope to sign Cole up for swim team. He's really a natural. Emily, the swim instructor (who is having her fourth baby this year too) said all of the boys are quite natural swimmers. That excites me as I swam on swim team for about 7 years as a kid. It really made the summer FUN.

Now, we put the pool up in the backyard, a real treat to having a bigger backyard is the pool space and the grass still to play in. They jump in and out all day and really enjoy being together outside. Even Westin gets to get in on the fun.

Marriage Free Printable

2011-06-09T22:57:00.000-07:00

Marriage Ampersand Sign

8x10 printable

Enjoy this free printable subway art on Marriage. I think it's rather cute and fun. Just one color this time.

Free Printable Subway Art

2011-06-04T16:48:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Author and President of Lamplighter Productions, Mark Hamby, a great quote to remember about raising our kids. I plan to post this on the wall in an 8x10 frame just outside our school room as you pass into the living room/kitchen. It is a great reminder of what Christ does for us as we ought to also model for our children.
**revised note...this is not meant to leave out harming oneself or others, it just didn't look or sounds as nice on the subway art! :)

Bike Ridin'

2011-05-31T22:33:00.000-07:00

I'm certainly not ready for the heat...who is? I'm even a native of this here HOT state and the heat seems to bother me more and more as I get older. Getting five kids into a hot care isn't exactly the FUN part of my job as a mother. But, it is inevitable and fortunately the summer heat also brings with it some swimming and creative ways to keep the kids busy indoors. We also get to enjoy some wonderful bike rides in the evenings while the weather remains nice at night.

So we spoiled ourselves and got two of these awesome bike trailers that also disguise themselves as strollers from time to time. We actually rode them to church last week, don't ask me how I liked it, it was HOT after church, whew! But so worth the exercise and time out with the kids.

We also got this awesome little insert for the baby to sit in, inside the trailer, so he is comfy and upright. It is called the Chariot Baby and it works awesome. We have it HERE in our Amazon.com store under Things We Love.

We bought a jump seat for Brynn and that makes 5 seats. It is too small for the twins. We originally thought it was bigger. But, it fits Brynn pretty good!

We have enjoyed taking family bike rides and are hoping the weather stays nice long enough to really get some use out of them!

The kids love them too. We put a helmet on Brynn since she's up front and she just holds on for the ride. Westin loves the trailer. He just puts along looking around. It's awesome!

Subway Art-Kids Printable

2011-05-18T15:43:00.000-07:00

Subway Art is all the rave and I am having fun!!! Enjoy this free subway art printable.

So Much Going On

2011-05-17T15:04:00.000-07:00

We just spent the most wonderful *again* two weeks with my in-laws. They came out for my BIL Jarom's graduation from GCU with his Master's and stayed in our driveway in their trailer. We are so blessed to have them here, spending time with the kids, developing special relationships with them, and having their company through the sometimes lonely days of being a mom.

Doesn't that sound crazy. How can a mom be lonely? I have five children and I'm talking about being lonely? It's true though. It can be a lonely job being a stay at home mom. That is something women should talk about more to younger women who want to be stay at home moms. Being prepared for a bit of loneliness is good. Anyhow...that's a topic for another day.

So, it was awesome to have them here, hanging out, watching the kids play, building a tree house, and sleepovers in the trailer for the kids. Then add in Jarom's graduation, his mom, Sheri visiting, Mother's Day, Cubbies and Sparks graduation, my SIL having her baby, Ace, several weeks earlier than expected, and my in-laws extending their trip, things were CRAZY!!

I got some good pictures through it all. The kids thoroughly enjoyed all the activity. They've been sleeping in trying to recover for a few days this week. Each morning I think they'll be up early but they've been sleeping. They played super hard!

I'm so thankful for the relationship I'm getting to develop with Doug and Stacey and the time we've gotten to spend with them this year. It has been good for my heart!! If you are reading, thanks for coming out. Hope to see you soon.

Okay enjoy the pics. They are all bunched together into this one post...

The Passion

2011-05-11T21:40:00.000-07:00

My son turned the channel tonight to The Passion of the Christ, and was instantly swept away by the images of Jesus bloodied and battered. All of them were glued to the TV asking a barrage of questions about Jesus and the Cross. It displayed to me how deeply they LOVE Him and how much they understand. As they drove nails into Jesus' hands my 5 year old son cried...his heart was moved by Jesus' Love.

Home Printable-Revised

2011-05-10T15:35:00.000-07:00

Please Enjoy this week's Printable!

Remember to give some comment love and refer your friends!

Easter Pics

2011-05-06T20:19:00.000-07:00

HE IS RISEN

The Resurrection

2011-05-06T20:16:00.000-07:00

It is only the single most significant day in Christian History and the History of the World for that matter.

The Resurrection of Christ

There is so much to know about the significance of Christ's resurrection and what it truly means. I'd like to talk about a few.

The resurrection of our Lord was unique because of His deity.
The significance in the event of the resurrection is intertwined with the significance of the person who was raised. It was no mere mortal who rose from the dead on that Easter morning, it was the Son of God. Throughout His life, Jesus had claimed to be the Son of God, for which reason the religious leaders sought to put Him to death (cf. John 8:31-59). At the sight of our Lord’s death, a soldier standing nearby declared, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39). Beyond this, the resurrection was proof positive that the Lord Jesus was the Son of God, even as He had declared (cf. Rom. 1:3-4).

The resurrection of our Lord was unique because of the death which preceded and necessitated His resurrection.

The death of Christ was the death of one who was sinless, on behalf of those who were sinners. It was not our Lord’s folly, but the “fickle hand of fate” or the “evil plots of a few threatened men” which brought about the premature death of Jesus, before He could establish His ideal kingdom on earth.

The death of Christ was unique, however, because it was a part of God’s eternal plan that Christ would die as an innocent sacrificial lamb, as a substitute payment for the sins of men. The sacrifices of the Old Testament system anticipated Him who was to come as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29; cf. I Cor. 5:7). From eternity past, Christ was designated as the perfect sacrifice, without spot or blemish, whose death could thus atone for the sins of others (Is. 53; Heb. 9:11-14; 1 Pet. 1:18-20; 2:21-25).

The resurrection of our Lord was unique as an event which had no precedent.

Never before had anyone been raised from the grave in such a way as to be completely transformed and thus beyond the icy fingers of death. Our Lord’s resurrection was the first genuine resurrection in the history of man. His resurrection is referred to as “the first fruits,” for there will be many who will follow after Him (1 Cor. 15:23).

The resurrection of Christ was necessary to prove that Jesus Christ was who He claimed to be.

Our Lord had clearly claimed to be the son of God, which was the reason why the religious leaders conspired to kill Him (cf. John 19:7). The resurrection was God’s proof that the Lord Jesus was Who He claimed to be: the Son of God.

The resurrection of Christ was necessary to prove that Jesus Christ had accomplished what He had promised.

The death of our Lord alone would not have sufficed, since it is by our identification with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection that we are saved.

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life (Rom. 5:9-10).

The resurrection was a necessary in order to fulfill biblical prophecy.

In Acts chapter 2 Peter argued that the resurrection was biblically necessary, citing David’s words in Psalm 16:10:

“Because Thou wilt not abandon my soul to Hades, Nor allow Thy Holy One to undergo decay” (Acts 2:27; cf. 13:33).

The resurrection of Christ was also a logical necessity.

In his message in the second chapter of Acts, Peter also contended that the resurrection of Christ, the Messiah, was a logical as well as a biblical necessity.

“And God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power” (Acts 2:24).

The resurrection of Christ is vital because it is a necessary element of a saving faith.

In both the Old and the New Testaments, a saving faith was a faith in a God’s who could and would raise men from the dead. A careful study of the 11th chapter of Hebrews will indicate that the faith of Old Testament saints was a resurrection faith.

The resurrection of Christ is not just a matter of fact, which can be taken lightly--it is literally a matter of eternal life or death. The resurrection is not simply a fact to be believed or rejected, it is a fact to which our response will determine our eternal destiny. The resurrection of our Lord was a kind of watershed event in the New Testament. It was an event which brought about some significant, but seldom considered changes. Here, I wish to underscore two changes which are the result of our Lord’s resurrection. These will be of particular concern to those who are not really born again Christians, and yet who falsely find the resurrection a source of hope.

The resurrection of our Lord assures all men, saved or unsaved, of being resurrected from the grave, but it in no way assures all men of experiencing the same blessings:

“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2).

1. First, we fail to grasp our own true condition as it relates to the death and resurrection of Christ.

Since our Lord was the innocent, sinless Son of God, His death was on our behalf, and not for His own sins.

2. Second, we fail to properly grasp the majesty, power, and awesome holiness of the Resurrected Lord as He presently is, and as He will be when we stand before Him.

3. Third, we fail to take the death and resurrection of Christ personally.

I pray you find the saving grace of Christ and His resurrection so that you too may spend eternal life with Him. It cannot be earned but rather is a free gift, given to you by God so you cannot boast of your own works.

Spring has Sprung!

2011-05-04T11:25:00.000-07:00

Creativity

2011-05-01T22:42:00.000-07:00

The Beginning-Printable Number 1

I've been inspired to create some printables to both encourage, inspire, and spice up your home. I was encouraged these past few weeks by some bloggers out there that dedicate creativity and time to provide printable art. I realized, "I can do the same". I've been using Photoshop for some time now and I'm shocked I didn't think of doing something like this sooner.

I tend to use PS for websites, graphics, logos, t-shirt art etc. but haven't ever considered making things other people might want to download and use in their homes. I would love to do digiscrap stuff but can't fathom the time it would take me and my first duty is to be the keeper of my home. So, printables take far less time to produce and I'm excited to post my first one!!

If you click the image above you will be taken to 4shared where you can download the color combo that suits your style best. Whether it be for a child's room, your family room, your bathroom, your office, etc. Hopefully you find something that you like.

I gathered some of my favorites and had them printed at Costco. While picking them up I purchased four frames (they come in two packs) for $14.99. I split up the prints into the four frames, layering ones I wasn't putting at the front behind the rest so I could just rotate them throughout the year. We hung the frames on the wall by the kids desks. Some of them we will refer to while schooling, others are just inspirational. I LOVE the way it turned out!

If you want to make a special request I can do that too. Just email me:

chelsea martin 1 (a) yahoo (dot) com (NO SPACES)

Random bits of Fun!

2011-05-01T22:19:00.000-07:00

Daddy Love for his two littlest ones.
It is too cute.

Just some random shot of us and the littles one night while the big boys were gone with Grammy!

Daddy and Westin...aren't they cute?

Brynn and Brod = LOVE

Trace and Cole. They really are buddies. They like to play the same kinds of things and Trace follows Cole's imagination lead with ease. Two peas in a pod (most of the time).

Our neighbor around the corner has four boys with her oldest being nine and her youngest two. We play every Friday at the park. This day they came to our house to play and they fit right in. This is what boys do. Tie each other to trees and beg for a surrender!

My Pirates!!

We took the kids to Chick-fil-A for a Pirate and Princess Party a few weeks ago. It was Great Fun!

They got to dress us in their pirate gear (or Ninja Pirate gear if you are Cole and you can't bare to just be a pirate) and hit the town.

Brynn dressed up as a Pirate Princess thanks to an awesome costume she got handed down from a dear friend.

Brody was totally in HIS element! He LOVED being able to go out as a pirate! He sure makes a cute one.

My sweet Ninja Pirate Cole.

And apparently this is the face Cole makes when I ask him to "say Arggh"! So awesome I almost wet myself!

Showing off how tough they are. Ready to rock that Pirate partaaaay!

Sweet Princess Pirate Brynn. My mom captured this picture at her house while getting Brynn ready to meet up with us for the party. Isn't she precious? That sweet face.

Don't let her fool you. She's the sweetest, prettiest, sassiest little thing I've ever met! I love her.

Here they are people...arrived for the Party! 3 of the cutest boys I know!

Brynn at Gymboree with Grammy!

Brynn at Grammy's house playing with kitchen food. SO cute.

Playing at the Park!

My boys with Gram and Pappa at a Coyotes game. The best part? Dippin' Dots!!!

Staying the night at Grammy's house. She got them new bathrobes. They are so cute. My boys love them. They wear them a lot more than I thought they would!

All dressed up from the Renaissance fair. Swords? Check
Shields? Check
Tunics? Check

Ready to rock!

Sunday Night

2011-04-03T22:15:00.000-07:00

Just snapping some shots tonight before bed. So cute my little ones and my guy!

Shhh, don't tell him I told you but he is the BEST dad. He spends his time with them unconditionally, puts them to bed at night, reads them stories, prays with them, helps them brush teeth, gives them baths, feeds them ice cream, makes smoothies and pancakes in the morning, helps me fold laundry, and even helps me with coupons...It is "normal" around here but I realized again recently how special he really is!

Just One of the Boys

2011-04-03T21:33:00.000-07:00

My sweet little girl doesn't bat an eye at being the only sweet girl in this crazy family of boys. She wakes each day asking for them, "where brothers?" and spends the rest of the day either fending them off or joining into their play.

She makes her stand when it comes to sharing and toys and never wants to be left out. Since the turn of the year I've seen her language explode and her ability to express herself growing. She is potty training herself, practically, and never lets you forget she can do it and it is her turn, "my turn, I do it". She can explain just about anything to you or express what she wants or is looking for. When she struggles she clearly says, "Show me" which means come with me and either show me what you mean or let me show you what I mean! She is funny.

She is helpful, joyful, LOUD, and happy. She loves her belly button and mine for that matter and never fails to have her finger in her mouth when she isn't talking or laughing. She laughs like the boys, talks like the boys, finds the same things funny as the boys, and LOVES the boys.

Lately she has been sleeping in the bunk beds with the boys. I wondered how it would go the first time, thinking "oh no, here we go she is going to be up in seconds". It only took one time of telling her to stay in bed and she stayed for the whole night until the morning. Now....it is her spot to sleep. I think she won't ever go back to her bed (although the other night she just couldn't calm down and she did sleep in her bed by choice but I don't think she'll be doing that very much). The boys LOVE it too and don't mind having her at all. In fact, even tonight they let her sleep with both of them. 3 in ONE BED.

Usually Cole and Trace sleep in one bed and Brynn and Brody have been on the bottom. Tonight Brynn cried wanting to sleep with Trace and Brody did too, so all 3 in ONE BED! Cole moved to the bottom and gets a night to stretch out and be comfy not squished. He actually wasn't really happy about it. He wanted a buddy.

I LOVE that my children LOVE each other. It is the BEST part of it all.

Arizona Homeschool Convention Registration Now Open

2011-03-31T09:08:00.000-07:00

Here is the link to the Parent's of Preschoolers registration form for those of you who want to attend free, have kids under schooling age or have not attended school yet. It is AWESOME I highly encourage it.

They are offering a Pre-Convention meeting to parents who are new to homeschooling and have questions. It is FREE and registration is not necessary. I would definitely go to this if you are even considering the benefits of homeschooling now or in the future.

It is July 21, 2011

3:00-6:00pm

At the Convention Center

You can find more information here.

Parent's of Preschoolers Registration

Early Registration Form (available until June 22, 2011)

Online Registration ($6.45 charge for online processing services)

To find additional information for the convention go here.

I'm SUPER excited this year because KEN HAM is speaking!!! Yahoo. He's the director and founder of Answers in Genesis and I've been trying to find a way to attend one of his conferences. Well, now he is here in AZ.

Here are some of the other speakers:

Ken Ham

Mike Smith

Hal and Melanie Young

Davis and Rachael Carman

Dianne Craft

Colene Lewis

Heather Haupt

Carol Shippy

David Quine

Nancy Manos

Valerie and Jessica Monk

Janice Campbell

Speaker Bios here.

Ken Ham

Since moving to America in 1987, Australian Ken Ham – president and founder of Answers in Genesis U.S., the highly acclaimed Creation Museum (over one million visitors in less than three years), and visionary behind the construction of a full-size Noah’s Ark – has become one of the most in-demand Christian conference speakers and talk show guests. A biblical apologist, Ken gives numerous faith-building talks to tens of thousands of children and adults each year. Ken’s emphasis is on the relevance and authority of the book of Genesis to the life of the average Christian, and how compromise on Genesis has opened a dangerous door regarding how the culture and church view biblical authority. His Australian accent, keen sense of humor, captivating stories, and exceptional PowerPoint illustrations have made him one of North America’s most effective Christian communicators. Ken and his wife, Mally, reside in the Cincinnati area. They have five children and five grandchildren.

Convention Sessions:
· Not Ashamed: Raising Godly Children in an Ungodly World (Keynote)
· Genesis: Key to Rebuilding the Foundation in Family and Culture
· Already Gone: Why Your Kids Will Quit Church
· Learning How to Think Biblically
· Answers for the Most Asked Questions About Creation, Evolution, and Genesis
· How to Reach Today’s World with the Christian Message
· I’m Not Ashamed of Natural Selection: Do Animals Change?
· The Origin of Races

This convention is going to be AWESOME!!

Grammy's Birthday Bash

2011-03-30T22:55:00.000-07:00

We packed up after church, stopped at Safeway for some fruit and Starbucks (doesn't everyone do that?) and parked at the Anthem Park to celebrate my mom's birthday. The weather was awesome, the kids were excited, and the park was not too busy. It was great.

The children spent most of the time we were there playing on the playground and riding bikes/scooters around the clock tower. They quickly ate their Subway sandwiches and chips, grabbed a juice and ran off the play structure. I got some cute pics while we were there. Man they growing up so fast.

The boys played so good together that day, running all around, pretending to be on a hunt of some kind, running from a bad guy, battling. They were playing like a team. It was awesome.

Teeth x 3

2011-03-30T22:48:00.000-07:00

That is almost 60 teeth, give or take a few for Brynn since she probably doesn't quite have all her molars. Crazy...

They went to the dentist and they all did great and even had fun. We see a GREAT dentist. Dr. Brenke at Kidz R Kool dental on 75th and Deer Valley. They are awesome there. It is an Incredible theme and so fun. The kids actually look forward to it.

Clean bill of health minus a small little spot on Brody's back tooth. For it being Brynn's first appointment she did awesome. She sat, put her glasses on and sat back for her cleaning opening wide.

We go back April 5th for Cole and Brody's quick fix to his tooth. I'm so glad we found a good dentist. It is critical to good dental hygiene, which is critical to being healthy.

My camera died right before their cleanings so I only got quick pics of two of them at the office in the waiting room. (I hate it when that happens). But I did get some shots off their website of their office. So KOOL!!!