Fun with popsicles!

Just a regular afternoon...add some popsicles, and it's immediately special!  :)

ooh, the intensity...popsicle eating is no joke!  :)  takes concentration :)

now onto play...this girl ADORES her little brother!

Lucy's current favorite hairstyle...she asks for me to put one side up and one side braided.  I have absolutely no idea where she got the idea, but it's classic Lucy!  I love it!

Doesn't everything just look so timeless in black and white!?!

"Mommy, can I climb up to the top and you take my picture?!?"

Notice the festive attire!  I pulled out all of Lucy's fall clothes for this season, and since last week she has worn nothing other than her velvet Christmas dresses.  So, I stand corrected, Barbara...  Apparently a girl does need many formal Christmas dresses :) 

And another new thing...Lucy has learned to tie her shoes - thanks completely to the wonderful caretaker at SportsMed, Amanda.  One night, I dropped Lucy off to go to zumba, and when I picked her up, she had learned how.  Lucy insists on tying her own shoes, but often, she tromps around on the loose laces  :) 

It's wonderful to experience the positive side effects of her own blossoming independence.  She dresses herself (clearly :) every morning before she comes downstairs, and my favorite thing she does on her own now is taking her own showers.  It's a very close second to how awesome it was when she started going to the bathroom on her own!  :)

My parents like to poke fun at me for being such a follower of John Rosemond's theories on child-rearing, but like he says - and I firmly believe, too - parenting - the hard, demanding components - is all about "working yourself out of a job."  I LOVE that Lucy is doing such a great job at taking some of the things off my job description and adding them to her own list.  Way to go, Lucy!  Mommy really appreciates the breathing room :)

Just a few more of cutie Connor!

Golf League Party

So, way back before Lucy was even born, Jason and his friends played nine holes of golf on Wednesdays.  He sure loved golf league, but after child #2 came along, he made the sacrifice of giving it up so he could be home.  Anyhow, the guys still get together at the end of each golf league season for a party where the loser provides the drinks and the winner is awarded the pink, dancer-statue trophy with their name engraved on a gold plaque at the base.  Eric won again this year!  :)



Proving they can still shotgun... :)

It's hard to tell, but Jack's face is covered in grime and dirt :)  As always, he played hard!  :)

love these of connor!

caught in the act.  all the big kid were playing on the hill, and he wanted to be part of the action!

"hi-ho, hi-ho, it's up the hill we go..."

Sarah's Wedding

I can't believe this wedding was already a month ago!  Sorry for being so late on posting...At least I know all the family that is interested has likely seen these pics.  But, there's a link at the end if you want to order these.  (Wait, I think I sent out a link already...well anyhow :)

We love, love, LOVE Justin, Sarah's now husband!  From the day we met him, he's always impressed me with his genuine nature and easiness to be around.  Great choice, Sarah!  So glad he's part of the family.  And just watching him on their wedding video will make you fall in love with him:  http://jasongibsononline.com/justin-sarah-highlight/

And seriously, how amazing and wonderful and beautiful and unique is that video!?!  Love it!

Sarah was the picture of a beautiful bride; gorgeous dress, and she looked timeless!  Setting for the wedding, St. Albans, MO, was so picturesque, and the weather PERFECT on Saturday.  Of course, it was wonderful seeing extended family we don't get to see often enough, and I have to say I've never seen Jason's more more beautiful.  Barbara, you looked stunning - I am so sad I don't have a picture on my camera.  I always just saw you in passing going from one place to another.  You looked gorgeous! 

There were countless handmade touches that added so much to the day.  All the best Pinterest ideas were there, adorable and so cute in person!  Colors, food, drink, people, everything just so lovely!

A few favs:

kids trying on their clothes a few days before the wedding...

blissful smiles! 

at the rehearsal dinner:

Wedding Day!

Uncle Scotty is so much fun!  :)

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Girl danced the night away!  Here with Grandmama and Bert.  :)

Classic Jack...

and my very favorite pic...can you find connor's hands?!

Congratulations Sarah & Justin!

To view and/or order prints:  http://kjjlmartinpics.shutterfly.com/4341

What do you do all day?

So, the title is that all-too-often phrase some stay at home moms hear from time to time (although no one has ever said it to me; which must mean that I don't know any stupid people, because only a total clueless person would ever ask that question to a SAHM :) But, I digress... :)

So, here's a glimpse in pics: not really in order, though :)


This is how I manage to prepare a dinner... kids stay busy with the Keurig cups :)

on weekends, family might come to visit!

and in the morning, after Lucy has left for school, the boys watch Cat in the Hat (a favorite of theirs!) while I attempt to clean up the tornado that was breakfast.

Jack's position:  t'he he he

and we have play dates with friends, where we are obsessed with counting down the minutes until we get...POPSICLES!

another "X"

I enjoyed lunch with Lucy at school today.  While eating, she fessed up to earning an X already that morning  (Lunch is at 10:33, so it didn't take her long :(

It was because of talking again - specifically, talking in line. 

We've tried a variety of punishments when she arrives home with an X for that day.  She's had playdates canceled, extra chores assigned, and time spent alone in her room.  Today, I tried a new tactic.  I typed up a letter Lucy was to copy on her own, as long as it took her (which was about 45 minutes, turns out), and then deliver to tomorrow to her teacher with a verbal apology as well. 

I'm hopeful this may be effective, because I'm learning with Lucy that while she's clearly careless about trying hard to remember the rules, she does feel shame.  When we were walking back to the classroom after lunch, I commented to her teacher - while Lucy was right at my side - that I heard about her new X.  Lucy immediately got all pink in the face, and eyes a little glassy.  She was clearly embarrassed and felt bad.  It's like in a favorite story of mine that we often read, Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, when Lilly has to write an apology letter to the teacher.  We'll see if there's improvement...

Anyone have any suggestions?  :)

Lucy's a Dasiy!

Well, it finally happened...we've signup up Lucy for an extra curricular activity.  She's a Girl Scout!  Particularly, a "Daisy."  Her troop meets at school every other Friday, after dismissal.  I went to the first meeting last Friday because I wanted to check out how things work and order her uniform.  In the future, however, Lucy will just go to her meeting from her classroom, and I'll pick her up at 4 o'clock.  Super convenient, and I really appreciate the thoughtful scheduling.  (i.e. not at dinnertime as so many sporting activities seem to be.)  The mom leaders did a super job of organizing a meaningful meeting and incorporating the new Daisies with the girls who were in the troop last year.  Check out all that they did:

To learn each other's name, they played a neat game where they threw a ball of yarn to each other, calling out the other girl's name before throwing to them. 

They ended up with a cool web, and when one girl tugged on her part, all could feel it.  The moms used that as an example to show that all the girls were "sisters" with each other and how they were all connected together.  Sweet lesson.

Daisies earn petals as the complete their activities which teach them a variety of things like honesty and respect, helping others, using resources wisely, etc.  Each petal color represents one of the values, and here, the girls made their own Girl Scout Law keychain.  They had fun adding beads to their string and talking about what each color meant.  I really like what Lucy is (hopefully :) learning!  :)

Lucy had a great time at the meeting, but you may notice here that she is wearing quite a pouty face.  What had happened was this:  the meeting was wrapping up and I pulled Lucy aside to tell her that as a reward for having her first week where she earned all five "good behavior" stickers, we were going to go to the movies right after the meeting with some friends to see Finding Nemo 3D.  She was so excited, but then quickly asked if Jack was coming.  I told her yes, and well, she was super sour.  We took this group shot right after our conversation, so she was in major pouting mode about her brother also getting to come along to the movies.  Guess she didn't really listen to what the green petal was about, being "considerate and caring"!  LOL!

End of group.

Everybody turn!  :)