Martin Mania: Our lives at a glance...

Emma is in Kindergarten this year. She has wanted to go to school since she was born it seems. She loves to learn and absorbs things like a sponge. She is always prepared and is totally responsible for all her own homework and anything that is needed for school. She always has her back pack ready the night before. She gets that from Jesse. She also has many of his other personality traits. She will break into song and dance at any moment and she writes all of her own "material". One of her songs goes like this: (Imagine this being sung by Jack Black in ACDC style.)

"When your bum bum sits the ground

It don't know where it's goin'

'Cuz it don't got no eyes

It's just cheeks, It's just cheeks"

This is always accompanied with an air guitar and yes, she is aware that this is incorrect English, but that's the way Jack would write it in "School of Rock"!

Riley is in 3rd grade this year. She has discovered that she is really good at Math and always passes the first spelling test given for the week. Riley likes to write books. Some of her titles include "Riley the Wrestler", "A Ponies Life", "My Family Tree", and "The Clubhouse". The books are all illustrated by her as well. They are so cute and I will keep them forever! Riley was baptized this summer at Jared and Heather Martin's pool. It was a small family/friend gathering and was just the setting we had hoped for. She was beaming! She is a fun mixture of contradictions. Stubborn and sweet, tomboy yet girly, obsessive but unable to focus. Sometimes I fear the future with her, but it will be an adventure.

Casey is in 6th grade. I often tell him to just freeze right at this age. I know he has to grow up but I hate the thought of the distance that comes with the teenage years. He is a good boy, a sweet brother and just a happy kid. He has some funny quirks. At night we have to follow the same exact routine or he cannot sleep. Just as I leave his room he always says "Hey Mom" and then one last comment before I say goodnight again and I love you one last time. He is a voracious reader. He speeds through books sometimes in a matter of a few hours. We got him a book that has six of the "Lord of the Rings" books in one. That has held him for a couple of months and when he is bored of it he will pick up a smaller book that he can read in a day. He is also goofy like his dad and when the mood strikes will break out in dance...accompanied by a silly grin.

Beaux is a senior this year. I can't believe it. He goes to school in La Crosse and so he lives with Jared and Heather during the school year. I miss him and my heart aches with the thought of him being off on his own. He is having a good year. He played football and the team won the State B Championship. It was a very exiting, nail biting game to the very last moment. They also had an undefeated season. He is playing basketball and though the season is not going as well as football it is always fun to watch him play. He is high scorer for most of the games and fouls out of most of them too. That is the curse of the tall guy on the team... their fouls are more visible. Or so I think.

Jesse and I celebrated our 12th anniversary on January 4th. I am still crazy about him and miss him every moment we are apart. Jess stays busy with work, fixing the house and serving in the Bishopric as 2nd Counselor. He feels humbled by this calling, but is learning so much from the men he serves with. He is getting to know the ward well and has a greater appreciation and love for the members. I keep busy doing vinyl projects, house projects and just doing what moms do. I am currently in the nursery at church and love it. It is my favorite calling though sometimes we are forgotten up there and feel disconnected from the adult members. Still there is nothing like sweet little children.