Mountains

The bi-annual Martin family trip to the cabin has come and gone. It was so good to see everyone and actually have time to talk to people beyond the one paragraph synopsis of what happened in the last 3 months. I love my family! Every last blessed one of them! It is so wonderful to be a part of such a gracious, kind, fun loving group of people, where there are no spats, no people who avoid each other, and no ongoing feuds! All the children and grandchildren are here and accounted for, living godly, responsible lives. No rebels or divorces; such peace and unity. It is a rare thing for which I am very grateful. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for investing your prayers and lives on our behalf, we have you to thank for our rich heritage and happy family.

Jourdan and Anya

Matt, Danny, Ben and Alex

Ethan saying good-bye to the crayfish

Hans playing a mean round of croquet

Dad with his grandsons:)

All of the cousins!

Grandpa and Grandma Martin

"All because two people fell in love . . "

Oh the simple pleasures! Sack races!

chubby knees

Ethan made this bird house (credit to Daddy also) from a kit Mom gave him. It is now hanging out in the tree waiting for some birds:)

Anya is learning to walk and loves leading someone around for a while

Jeremiah and Anya

Those chubby arms and legs are just so cute, Anya's I mean;)

camp out!

Friday Earon and Becky came to our house armed with a tent and sleeping bags. The boys and Jeremiah and the Aunts slept out in the back yard. Mom slept in the house because somebody had to stay in the house with Anya:) The boys had a grand time and only stayed up an extra hour watching the dark and the stars. They were up with the first rays of sunshine, because their sleep was not interrupted by how hard the ground was!

trying out the tent and new sleeping bags. The first time they zipped Hans in has bag, after he tried going in head first, he lay there perfectly still, happy to be all snugly:)

Jeremiah and pre-proposal Earon:)

Becky, Ethan, Jeremiah, and Hans

the scary face picture which the flash ruined

bed time! Doesn't he look sleepy??!

Anya's decorations

I just finished some new decorations for Anya's room. I am really happy with how they turned out. I worked on them for a couple of months, here and there, a couple of afternoons a week. But first, a couple of pictures of the kids from last week:)

Jeremiah and Anya

the boys playing in the pool

Anya, before playing the pool. She loved sitting in the water and was un-phased by being splashed, which is a good thing!

Anya's room

I made these tags and decorated them

and then strung them on the ribbon.