Fall Round Up

This Fall was eventful, but not very photogenic. Or rather, I didn't take out the camera a whole lot. These are some of the pictures of the doings that the Martin's did.

Enoch and Calvin played on the Park and Rec soccer team...

Willa found the little used lipstick in the car and used it...

Enoch's 1st grade class went to the Children's Theatre and saw the 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins and made these fabulous hats...

We went to a wildlife park and made stick forts...

We bought and brought home a magical pumpkin...

...that slowly carved itself.
Here it is with creepy, gaping eyes...

...which slowly turned into a malicious smile...

...until we finally threw it away and went to celebrate Halloween in South Dakota.

Where Addie, Willa, Enoch, Emma, Ollie, and Henry raked the leaves...

Enoch, Henry, Calvin, Oliver, Emma, and Addie.

OllieWallie in leaves.

And Aunt Kirsti threw a Halloween Party...

Candy corn bingo.

Complete with donuts on a string! Emma vs. Haddassah...

And a little pumpkin startled out of her fit by the camera...

There was so much excitement that we couldn't possibly pack it all in and stay awake...

So Aunt Kirsti, Uncle JB, Addie, Henry, and Ollie decided to continue the fun in Minneapolis over Thanksgiving. We ate turkey and trimmings in Maple Grove with Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Kyle. Then on Saturday (after some good shopping on Friday) we went to Como Zoo...

And enjoyed the beautiful flowers...

And the sleepy sloth...

And each other...

Then we took quick naps and took the train downtown to see the elves at Macy's...

And took the train back...

We said our sad good byes to the Meyers and concluded our Fall by bringing the tree up from the basement and inviting Christmas and winter into our home...

Thus ends Martin Fall 2010.
Merry Christmas!

Na na Na na Na na Na...

BATMAN!

It's his Halloween costume from three years ago and he wears it pretty much everyday.

Martin Quote

[During Family Home Evening, we were reviewing pictures from Christ's life from the Gospel Art Kit (Sometimes FHE gets planned on the spot). I held up a picture of Christ's birth.]

Mommy: What is this a picture of?

Children: Jesus.

Mommy: Which one is Jesus?

Enoch: The baby that's glowing.

Lazy Days of Summer: Monarch Festival

Technically, school had started when we caught the south Minneapolis 2nd annual Monarch Festival. But it was still Summer and the festival concluded our lazy summer perfectly as it celebrates the end of summer through the migration of the monarch butterflies from Minnesota to Mexico. It combines the vibrant, warm culture of Mexico with stoic Minnesotan resignation of impending cold.

There was mucho art.
Here Emma decorates the butterfly kites that they hung and flew during the festival.

Calvin and Enoch made mud balls (dirt packed around milk weed seeds to plant for hungry Monarchs on their way to Mexico).

Willa and me with a hard, young KetzalCoatlicue Aztec Dancer.

We listened to great latin music. As well as canoed, played games, and ate nummy, nummy pastries from A Baker's Wife.

Bon Voyage butterflies! Come back when it gets warm!

Lazy Days of Summer: Watermelon!

One of the best parts of Summer is the watermelon. We ate as much of it as we could!

Emma

Taran

Enoch

Calvin

Willa

Ode to my Pants

Ah, the start of the holiday season: the Eating Season!

So, in honor of all that I will consume, I've dug up a poem I wrote while either pregnant or early post-pregnant with Willa. I was in love with a certain belt that I picked up a second hand store. It's elastic, very 80's and a daily part of my wardrobe...

My Stretchy Belt

O Stretchy Belt, O Stretchy Belt
I write the things that I have felt.

For even though my bum is large,
and my tummy is like a barge,

You keep my pants a-way up high,
so no one can play that game "I spy."

Happy Holidays!

Lazy Days of Summer: Dirt Surfing

August 16, 2010

Willa never worries about getting anywhere fast.

She gets down and really enjoys what this world has to offer.

Ahhh, to be young in the summer...

AHHHHH! To be her mother!

Lazy Days of Summer: Dancing with Bumpa and Nana

August 7-14, 2010

On our wait out to Sacramento to visit my family, I learned that my parents were coming to visit me (or Minnesota really) just a few weeks after I would get home from California! While they were here we went to the art festival at Powderhorn, visited distant relatives, and danced...

The old and the young, Generations cutting a rug.

Calvin with cool moves.

Taran doing the sprinkler.

Summer makes us want to dance!

Lazy Days of Summer: Taran turns 9

August 4, 2010

Summer means 3 Martin birthdays. Emma's birthday and my birthday were celebrated in Sacramento. Taran's was celebrated in Minneapolis with popsicles for cake.

Birthday popsicles lit up...

Blurry wishes.

Happy 9th Birthday BOY!

Willa's First Christmas Photos

Lazy Days of Summer: Lookin' GoooOOd!

August, 2010

Enoch and Calvin took advantage of long mornings and did there own hair.

Martin Quote

Nae-Nae [our 3 year old neighbor, tattling to me]: Calvin hit me.

Calvin [defending himself]: It's because she called me not nice--and I AM!

Lazy Days of Summer: Announcing Elizabeth Kaylin

Summer 2010 wasn't lazy for everyone. David's sister was very busy making a playmate for the Martins.

She started like this...

But came out like this...

Hopefully she can over come her parentage.
Welcome to the world!