Weekend Notes & Notes & Notes

I'm sure by now all the patient souls who check on us Martins by blog have noticed that this medium is our family journal. So, I feel compelled to catch up and put in as many pictures as tell our family story these past weeks.

We've had a wonderful, whirl wind of life these past weeks. We've been gearing up for Christmas, getting school assignments done, and David & I even went on a *gasp* DATE!

Week of December 1-7
When we last left the Martin children, the Christmas decorations had just come up and snow covered the ground. This week we kicked Christmas into high gear. On Saturday we took a trolley ride with Santa at the historic Minnesota Street Car Museum, we rode the Como-Harriet "Holly Trolley."

All children in front of the trolley.


Enoch at the back of the trolley.


It was cold out! The museum kindly provided a fire outside the station while we waited.


Inside the trolley with Santa.


There were sooo many picture opportunities! While the car before us was full, we were the only family on the trolley we rode! We had Santa to ourselves, hence, a Santa Collage...

 

Sunday we focused more on the real meaning of Christmas by taking our children to a Crech Festival. It was beautiful.

David showing the children nativities at the creche.


Trying to get a family picture at Creche Festival. (I tried all weekend to get the perfect family photo for our Christmas card. Never happened.)


Taran looking at the lights at the Festival.


Emma playing with the nativities in the children's room.


After seeing the beautiful displays and feeling the reason for the season, we went home and ate a Thanksgiving Dinner part II!
We were the lucky recipients of a free turkey & all the trimmings. Such good fortune needed to be shared with friends.
Of course, again, I forgot to take out the camera and document the joy of gluttony. Again, you'll just have to believe that it was delicious!
When the meal was over we sat down to watch our church's Christmas Devotional.
http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,8450-1-4729-1,00.html

Boys watching Christmas Devotional. (Emma was there too.)



Week of December 8-14

After a long week of house work and school work (David was frantically writing papers) we wound down by jumping into the car and taking a Minneapolis Christmas Light Tour.

Then because it was perfect weather for it, and a Saturday night, we made snowmen in the dark.

David, Emma, Taran, and Enoch in front of the first snowman.


David, Emma, and Taran, in front of all the snowmen.


Then we came in, drank peppermint hot chocolate and sent the kidlins to bed. They fell asleep quickly and snuggley.

Emma, Taran, and Calvin share a pillow.


This week! Week of December 15-21


This week was all about running around and getting it done! But it is! mostly. David turned in his paper, had his office party (much of which he was in charge of), our Christmas gifts and cards were sent (if you did not get yours, please let me know), and the last of the presents have been purchased. Ya-hoo!
We also made time for fun. We went to the Minneapolis Christmas Parade, the Holi-Dazzle. It's a parade full of lights. Yep, I forgot my camera. Still, I don't have to prove it was fun. It was.

Also at some point in the week someone snapped this picture. Probably Emma.
This is a common sight in our house, David on all fours with 1-4 kidlins on his back. (He must have just gotten home from work because he still has his neck warmer on.) Another common sight, the two youngest boys are not fully dressed. (At least all they are missing is their shirts.) And yet, another common sight, laundry on/near the couch (Hey! It's clean!).


After Saturday chores were done, we decided to head to the mall to take part in the hustle & bustle of Christmas shopping and see the decorations. Sadly the decor left much to be desired. Ironically, when there was very little to see, I remembered my camera!

These are pictures of the kids playing on a car near the mini-golf, Moose Mountain.




This is also the night that David & I had our first night out alone in 3?, 5? months. Not that we don't do date nights, we just do them at home while the children sleep. But, we had a great time going OUT to eat. We just sat still and enjoyed the silence.
At one point I thought to myself, I ought to ask him a question, like one of those first date questions: "If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?" But then decided, Why? The fun of the date was just to be with my man and no one else.

Sunday at church the primary children put on the nativity. Here are Enoch and Taran as shepherds.


And here's Emma as a shepherd.


No Sunday is complete without dessert. We ate cookies and ice cream while David read to us from Luke chapter 2.


Taran.


Calvin really gets into his dessert.


And so does Emma.

Martin life: Good to the last drop!

Have a great week and a very merry Christmas!