Life changes, did you know that?

Oh how we've longed for some normalcy, but it just NEVER comes...maybe that is part of life?...still trying to figure that one out, we'll get back to ya.

 I do believe we've experienced so much in such a short period of time that we are still trying to catch up with all that is going on!

However, no complaints no complaints...we've been so blessed and are so very grateful for the crazy in our lives. Here's a little (long) peek...

THE MARTIN'S HAVE MOVED!!!

Shocking right? For real I think out of all of our friends we lived in our house the longest and felt at any moment we would burst through the doors and windows of our home with all that we had accumulated through the years...including our three children! We sold our home in just over a month, all on our own mind you, and feel so blessed to have done so in such a horrible market. We even felt like the lady who bought our home got robbed, which is better than the alternative! We will miss Rogersville, but just knew it was time to move on.

Fair Grove, MO is where we took up camp, at least for the next, oh I don't know 20 years;) Our new home has 5 bedrooms and 3 baths, full finished basement and a little bit of land to boot! It's full of trees and rocks and not a flat space in sight (Matt desperately wants a tractor to fix that little problem)...but I say it'll give him something to do over the years! We are excited to be here, still unpacking and adjusting to all the newness and trying to make it home, but we love it!

 

IN OTHER NEWS...

We are expecting baby number 4!!!

I'm tearing up just typing that...yes I'm emotional and crabby, tired tired tired and occasionally sick, but other than that it's WONDERFUL! However, I must say, very loudly too... I HATE MATERNITY CLOTHES! There, it's out! I hate them! For real I don't want ruffles and plaid anywhere on my clothes!...ever, especially when I'm pregnant. I'm just three months along but you know, since it's my fourth child I felt like I started showing at two weeks! There goes my skinny jeans and all my trendy clothes:( I know the important things right? Trust me, THAT is important.

Matt and the kids are super excited. They all call the baby, baby baby bean bean (story that goes with that which I won't bore you with) but it's adorable! I am due December 31st...I will be induced on the 30th so that this child will have a 30th birthday just like the rest of us in the family (except for Matt) and to keep with tradition...and too, so we can make SURE to have that tax deduction! I mean I don't know about you, but that's basically why we have children.

CELEBRATIONS!!!

Kenny turned 7! Oh truly it feels like He was just a baby:( He is gonna be a first grader! I can't believe it! I love how big he is, and smart, and kind and wonderful!

Happy Birthday Kenny!

Matthew will start Kindergarten in the Fall, and yes this is a celebration! He is so great with me at home but will just be AMAZING in school! Love you Bubbs, but thank goodness for the education system to take him off  my hands help his never ending excitement in life to grow!

To those of you who home school, bless you.

Of course I must put Belle in here somewhere, and we just basically are celebrating her because she is awesome! She is great, and three and full of her own ideas...which is exhausting, but at least we know she has a brain! Yipee!

We will be married 9 years this week! Wahoo, and there were those of you with doubts?!?! I mean of course through the years we have driven one another absolutely CRAZY, INSANE, to the EDGE...but at the end of the day, he is still the ONE...hahaha corny corny, but for real, through it all, I probably most definately... and he too, would have changed some things, but NEVER would I have changed my decision to marry him!

He has my heart for eternity.

 I love that man!

To our future adventures together Matt Martin...

Until next time...

Family Football!!!



lucky me....i get to take a picture with the quarterback;)

The BEST fun we have is together!

Holidays...

We had a great Thanksgiving (at uncle petes). Christmas Eve was spent at Gma Martins. Matthew was sick so that was sad, but we played games and ate lots of yummy food!

 

Christmas day was WONDERFUL! I actually made our Christmas pajamas (well the bottoms anyway). Blood, sweat and tears went into them (because I'm not a sewer), it literally took me hours and hours! BUT they turned out cute and everyone fit into them!

And we brought in the New Year like a couple of old foggies! I sat on the couch and read a great new book on my Nook that "Santa" brought me. Matt played Wii hunting, which "Santa" brought for him. Two minutes till Midnight we turned on the countdown, popped a piece of gum and gave each other a great big KISS:)

Belle is 3!!!

I took Belle and Ellie to get their hair and nails done and then we went to Build A Bear! Had alot of fun, but Belle, for some reason decided she wanted NOTHING to do with a princess dress (which they got to wear while getting their hair done) AND she decided she would make a "kung fu panda" instead of a "girl" bear at Build A Bear! Fine with me. I mean afterall she does have two big brothers;)

Halloween

So since this is my very own personal blog and I can say anything I want on it.....here you go...

Ok so what is the big deal around these parts (missouri....rogersville). Halloween just happened to fall on a Sunday this year and it seemed to be a huge deal to everyone. I don't get it. It actually was very annoying. Uh are we not allowed to trick or treat the neighborhood on Sunday? I mean I get that it's Sunday, but really? Anyway I could go on, but I'm guessing you can tell where I stand on this.

So in true Halloween fashion the Martins did what we do, Sunday or not, on Halloween:) We had lots of trick or treaters, some small and cute and some big and even a little too big! haha But hey I am just fine with a 60 year old lady dressed up as an M&M holding her treat bag out for some candy (although, I gave away play-doh this year, I'm sure she'll have fun with that). Here are some pictures of our fun costumes!

So I didn't mean...

for that last post to last all year!!! haha

I've been busying myself with a new blog I've created with some girlfriends and putting alot of thought and time into it. You can find it at realitiesofasahm.blogspot.com or click the link on the side of the page. I think it's pretty entertaining and even at times, inspirational:)

As far as the Martin's...This is what WE have been doing lately

Matthew started his first day of PRESCHOOL and of course he loves it! He is so so so SMART! I have to be very careful around him. He picks up on EVERYTHING!

Kenny is just proving to be an amazing Kindergartener! He is learning how to read, really really well AND he is quite the ladies man, which I'm not too excited about, however I can see why the girls adore him:) He also started playing basketball. He was "scouted" out basically, and I was so flattered I agreed to let him join.

Belle is just enjoying time with Mommy during the day while the boys are away, AND she is potty trained! Wahoo! Still a couple of accidents here and there but doing really well! She will be 3 in about one month! Ugh I can't believe it!

I took my FIRST ever cab ride! In Chicago no doubt! A little nerve racking and not something I could ever get use to, but it was fun while it lasted!

AND DADDY turned 33! So fun to celebrate him! He is working super hard for Turblex which is now called Siemens, and is amazing at everything he does...except for picking up his socks and putting them in the laundry basket;)jkjk. Really proud of this guy! I know he'll do great things no matter where life leads us!

Post of the YEAR....at least for me.

The day has finally come. The day he has been waiting for and the day I have been dreading. First day of Kindergarten.

I held his hand as we walked to the bus stop, for me not for him. I kissed his cheek a million times, and he wiped it off. I hugged him tight, told him to be nice and then I let him go. He walked so proudly onto that bus, sat down and smiled out of the window as we waved him goodbye.

I'm jealous of the woman he will be spending all of his day with. Jealous that she gets to see his smiles, know exactly what he is doing, hug him if he is sad and see his eyes light up as she teaches him so many new things. The mommy in me wants so much to hold on. Hold on to his innocence and never let the world hurt him in any way. But the mommy in me also wants to share this amazing gift I've been given, with the world.

I love this boy. This boy who has blessed my life in so many ways. This boy who will some day grow to be a man. This boy, I will forever call my son.