Typically, Jamie does a great job of keeping our blog posted with the most current events in the Martin clan. However, today is a very, very special day...Jamie's Birthday, so I wanted to let the world know how very blessed we all are (especially me!!) to have Jamie in our lives. I am eternally grateful for the love that brought Jamie Currie Watkins into this world twenty something years ago. She is a wonderful person who brings out the very best in me. I am the man I am today because of her endless support of me and our beautiful family. She is optimistic and happy, spunky and fun, loving and humble. She is such a wonderful example to our children and to mothers everywhere. She makes our house a home and a refuge from the world. When we were married over 8 years ago, we picked John Michael Montgomery's song "Home to You." For those of you that don't know it, it is about the joy of coming home to a wonderful person after a long days work. Over the last 8 years, and especially recently, that song and its meaning have become alot more meaningful to me. What's amazing is that she does it all with 4 beautiful children in tow. She amazes me and I love her with all my heart. I do not know where I would be without her. I am so very grateful to have found my eternal companion and soul mate!! Jamie- I love you! I may be your someday, but you are my every day! Happy Birthday!
While we were down in Florida for the weekend it was also my 10 year high school reunion. It was great to see all of my old friends and classmates. Everyone looked great and we had a bunch of fun reminiscing about old times and catching up on what everyone is doing now. I think I shocked them all by how many kids I had. If they had handed out awards we would have won the one for the most kids!!!! I must admit I am completely satisfied with where my life is. I can remember talking with my friends about what and where we would be in ten years and I have exceeded all of my old expectations. I have a wonderful husband and family, a degree , and on top of all that the most wonderful job in the whole world, I get to be a full time mom. This 10 years has been great, and I am looking forward to the next 10!!!!
They had a BBQ lunch on Saturday morning.
We loved getting dressed up! It is not very often we have an excuse for just the two of us to get dressed up and go out.
Two of my closest friends from High School Rachel and Adriene. The others could not come, but they were in our hearts!!
It is hard to believe that my baby is 1 already. I can remember the day that I found out that I was pregnant and to say it was a surprise would be an understatement. Brice is living proof that our Heavenly Father knows exactly what we need in our lives. I can not imagine my life with out my sweet baby boy. He makes each day worth waking up for. His little smile lights up a room and warms my heart to the very core. We celebrated his party at grandma and grandpa Watkins house. Jeremy and I had some work to do on a rental house in Ocala. Lets just say the hi-light of our trip was definitely Brice's party, fixing the house was a nightmare. The family gathered together to celebrate and we love being with them. It is tons of fun to catch up with everyone and be surrounded by those who you love most in this world. I loved watching Brice dig into his first birthday cake. He devoured every last bit of it and was covered head to toe in the icing. He is so cute and I am honored to be his mom. There is nothing in this world that I cherish more than being a mom. I would have to say that the question I get asked the most from almost everyone I come in contact with is "If we are done yet?" Although it is a very personal question if we are going to have any more kids or not, I get asked it at least 5 times a day if I go out in public with my babies. It is also a very hard question to answer, and one I don't have an answer for because I love my babies, and it is the love that I have for each of them that makes me always want more. As I watch each of them on there birthdays I am excited, but also a little saddened at the fact that they are growing bigger and bigger with each passing day. They are my sunshines!!!
I let Ashley, Ethan, and Hayden pick out his cake. I think that they did a great job!!
Ethan was there ready to help with blowing out the candles.
He wasn't too sure about cousin Kaitlyn sneaking some of his cake.
He had the cake all over, especially on and in his ears thanks to uncle Tony who helped him out a little.
Kissing cousins!
Grandma enjoying the party, even though she and dad must have been exhausted from working the early morning shift at the temple. They even had to get up at 3:30am the next morning. Now that is what I call love to let us have a party at their house, with all of the family even though they had to get up so early. We love coming home and spending time with them. Even just a little bit of time is worth the 8 hr drive!!! The kids love every minute of being there, Hayden even cried half of the way home to go to grandpa's house (all the other kids call it grandma's, but not Hayden it is grandpa's house to him). The next trip is never soon enough.
Today I spent my first week in the new ward as a pew widow. Jeremy was called to the Bishopric in our ward a couple of weeks ago, but because of General Conference this was the first week of him being on the stand and me alone with 4 kids in the pew. The kids did really great, there were only a couple of times my face turned bright red because of me constantly telling them to lower their voices and not take toys or crayons from each other. I have never been a mom to bring in a stroller to church, but today Brice spent sacrament in the umbrella stroller. He only fussed a little now and then, and it was much easier than attempting to keep him still while trying to control the rest of them from turning our row into a circus. I know Jeremy will do a great job. He is over primary again in this ward and I look forward to serving with him seeing as I was just called today to be a counselor in the primary presidency. I know that this seems like a lot, but we are both really excited. The one thing that we have learned in our lives so far is that where much is given, much is required and we are more than willing to serve where ever it is that our Heavenly Father has need of us, because he has blessed our lives immensely. Jeremy is such a dedicated man that I know the ward will benefit from him being in this calling, I just hope that I can give him the support that he needs, and that I won't be lacking too much in mine. Primary kids can be a hand full, but they are so much fun.
We recently put up a swing in our back yard from one of our big trees. The kids love it and so do all of the neighborhood kids who come and play. I have gotten use to school aged kids playing out there since we put it up, most come and ask if they can swing, since it is in our yard and is our swing. Something different happened today though, I was fixing the kids lunch and 3 moms brought 7 of there smaller kids to swing. I don't really mind, but I thought it was really weird that they didn't even ask. I can't imagine myself going into someone else's back yard with my kids and playing on their stuff without asking. Is this weird or just me?
After singing to Ashley tonight at bedtime, Jeremy walked out of her room to see Ethan hanging out in the hall waiting for his turn. Jeremy commenced to go after him with a growling face, and of course Ethan ran to his bed. He half-hopped on his bed with his rear end facing the door and when Jeremy got close enough, Ethan fluffed at him, then jumped into his bed to hide under the covers. Jeremy approached the bed and Ethan looked at him, giggled, and said "That was my super powers!!!" Needless to say, Dad was proud and I couldn't help but laugh at the sense of humor of my 5 year old!! Like father, like son, right?
Today we were lucky enough to have a free Saturday with nothing to do, but spend time together, this may not seem like much to most, but it rarely happens to us. We always have one thing or another to do which isn't bad, but it is nice to have a day where we can take our time and enjoy being with each other. We decided to take the kids to Carowinds amusement park, and they loved it. We have had season's passes all summer, but today the weather was perfect and the crowds were small. They also had tons of fun fall activities for the kids to do on top of the normal rides. We let the kids guide the day, it was a blast watching there faces light up with smiles.
Brice wasn't too crazy about the group picture, the rest love the pumpkin scarecrow .
This is a Dora balloon ride, neither of the boys wanted to go, but we convinced them to join Jeremy and Ashley. Ethan loved it and Hayden was scared to death, (notice Jeremy holding his hand and Ashley stroking his head.) he cheered when it was finished.
The Dora sing-a-long show. The kids loved every minute and their daddy had some fun with the chicken dance too. What a daddy won't do for his babies,now that is a good man!!!!
The ghost bubble were the kids favorite. It was one of the fall things brought in for just this time of year, 3 huge ghost blowing tons of bubbles. The kids were able to play and almost swim in the bubbles. They absolutely loved it!!!!!
Hayden was so proud of all his bubbles. He was even brave enough to get in with the big kids.
"Hey, what's on my head?"
Ethan thought he was surfing.
Ashley was ready to jump right in. They were soaked by the time they were through, but at least they smelled good!
Brice found a good way to pass the time while the others were on rides by chewing on his shoes and shoe laces. It was entertaining and a little tasty too.
Ethan loves roller coasters, but he always makes this face on the first drop down!! It is the best!!
Ready to ride the Carousel. Brice loved just sitting there with Ashley, but as soon as it started moving he didn't like it too much and wanted his daddy.
Mom and Ethan are ready to ride too. He switched horses 4 times, it took him a while to find just the right one.
Hayden and Ashley our future pilots!
Last weekend was General Conference and Jeremy decided that it would be the perfect weekend to try and potty train Hayden. I had absolutely no desire to even start, being as sometimes I feel like I am still potty training Ethan and it is the one motherly duty that I feel like I could definitely live without. I don't care what people say it is much easier when they are in diapers, you don't have to make the made dash to the bathroom in the middle of Target praying they don't have and accident on the way, and hoping that all of your frozen goods will still be frozen by the time you convince them that it is ok to use this foreign potty. With all of that said Hayden has done an amazing job. Sunday it seemed like there was no hope and I just gave Jeremy that "I told you so look", but as the week progressed he has done great!! He now wears big boy pants all day long!!! So I will give full credit to the daddy for this one, if only he was the one that had to go shopping with him all would be complete!
Brice is starting to take his first steps. Any day now he will be walking, and then running from me if he is anything like his brothers and sister. It makes me so happy to watch him grow, yet a part of me is a little sad with each new thing he does. Another one of my babies is growing up and it won't be long before they are all grown.
Ashley started gymnastics this year and loves it. She has learned how to do a kart wheel and enjoys showing them off. She is so petite that it is the perfect sport for her.
Jeremy had a business trip this last week in Washington DC and I was able to join him for the weekend. We had a ton of fun. I had never been to DC and loved every minute of it. The city was beautiful, but more than that it was amazing to see all of our country's history.
The night before I left I was rushing around trying to get things packed and the kids stuff ready to go to their friends for the weekend. I put the kids to bed and was down stairs getting things in the car, when I came back up to go to bed I found this wonderful note on my bed from my sweet baby girl. Lets just say that it made my heart swell with love and my eyes fill with tears. I am so blessed to be a mom, no other thing in this world could fill me with as much love and joy as my babies do. I miss them terribly while they are not with me, but I love being with my husband.
One of our first stops was two of the Smithsonian's, we went to the Air and Space Museum and the Natural History Museum. They were amazing!!! I wish we had more time to visit all of the different ones.
The dinosaurs were our favorite. It is mind boggling to think that these massive creatures once roamed the earth.
Leave it to Jeremy to find humor where ever we go.
National Air and Space Museum
There is nothing like going to the temple. We had a day full of great activites, but there is nothing that even compares to the feelings of going to the temple, it really does put the things of the world into perspective and reminds us why we are here and what is really important in our lives. This was definitely the highlight of our trip. The DC temple is absolutely beautiful, it stood out above all else that we saw!!!!
Arlington Cemetery (If you can make out the words, take time to read the sign.) It was breath taking to see row after row of tomb stones of those who have fought for our country.
Pentagon - On the side of the the Pentagon is the memorial for September 11th, it was touching to see this since it is a day that I will never be able to forget.
I don't think that there could have been a better time to visit DC. With our country in the uproar it is now, it reminded us what a great nation we are blessed to live in. Visiting Arlington and the Pentagon memorial helped put all of the trails we are facing now into perspective. This is a great nation that we live in, with men and women who fight and who have fought for the freedoms we enjoy everyday. So many before us have paved a way for this country to prosper and it will prosper as long as we the American people remember what we stand for and keep believing in this great country.
Lincoln Memorial
National Cathedral, it was incredible. The architecture of the building and the stone work was beautiful. I loved the stain glass windows.
Jefferson Memorial
This was the funnest part of our trip. We did a 3 hr Segway tour and it was a blast. Learning to ride only took a little bit of time and then we zoomed through the city on them. The tour was just a bonus, we really did it just to ride the segways. Don't we look just great in our helmets??!!
