Happy Birthday Chuck!. November 4, 2010

I can't find a picture of Dad! I remember taking a picture of him with Austin and the breakfast we made him, but I can't find it!
Dad's birthday was a work day this year he seriously kept busy working from dawn to dusk. Austin and I got up and made him an omelet for breakfast. But he ended up being to busy to eat much of it. I hope he liked the streamers Austin and I put up on his office door!

A funny thing happened a week after Chuck's birthday... Austin asked Dad when he was going to take his streamers down, that Dad's birthday was a week ago. Dad asked Austin if it was okay if he left them up. Austin replied, "yes, your a grown up."
It was pretty funny!

Also a big Happy Birthday to Mel, on November 8th. He is up in New York area with Kate and the kids, I hope he had a great birthday, and that he got my birthday card!

Halloween! October 31, 2009

Happy Halloween! The second best day of the year is finally upon us! Every Monday, before Halloween, we carve our pumpkins for FHE. Austin doesn't really like getting his hands messy, but he and Dad suffer through it to make me happy!

Austin is a little older this year, and very excited to carve out his own pumpkin. I gave him a few tips, a safe carving tool, and he was on his way.

Here are our pumpkins, carved and ready to scare those who come to visit.

After classes on Friday, Kelly came over to help me get ready for the Halloween party that night. She helped me make clam chowder and a bean dip, and we also hung a black spider over the kitchen table. I think it turned out pretty good.

Here are some decorations by the front door.

And some decorations over and behind the kitchen sink.

Then after a few finishing touches, I changed into my vampire outfit and was ready for the evening.

Dad had to take Austin to soccer practice before the party, and afterwards they stopped at the store for punch and dry ice. Soon after, the party began with food, some Halloween trivia, and a game of catch phrase. It was nice to have friends over, the Anthons, Laws, Lymans, Solgeres, McLemores, Mauss', Corringtons, and the Ferris'. We had a good turn out, and I think everyone had a good time, I know I did!

On Saturday morning I had to work and Austin had a soccer game. But later that evening we got ready for Trunk-or-Treat at the Church. This year Chuck actually dressed up in full costume as a vampire. Here is a picture of the three of us all dressed up. I should of had Austin dress up as a vampire too, but he wanted to be a pirate.

And what a fine pirate he was!

Austin, you AAARRGGG so cute!

Austin had a great time hanging out with Michael, Spencer, and the other kids!
After Trunk-or-Treat we went home and ate Carmel apples. I stayed up and watched Halloween 20yrs later, and Dad was watching something (anything else) upstairs. I talked to Linds and Cory, and they went to some 'French' subtitled scary movie on campus, and then they had a ward Halloween parties to go to, so I think they had a great time. Sister Ashlie Martin had a weekend jam-packed full of fun!! They had a sisters activity on Friday, another sleepover!!!! So they did not work on Halloween morning, instead they ate pumpkin pancakes and chatted, but then they worked from 1 to 5 and then they had a zone party that night!! Ashlie's email said: "I love my mission!! it is going to me a SWEET Halloween!"
I think we all had a SWEET HALLOWEEN!

Sister Ashlie Martin's Birthday! October 27, 2009

Today is Ashlie's Birthday...22nd to be exact! She is on her mission in Ogden, Utah, so we sent her a package for her birthday, and some money so she could buy some warm boots (seen above). Here is the email she sent me after her birthday.

Sister Ashlie Martin:
Thank y'all so much for all of the birthday emails I love them! I also love the package and cards, thanks grandma and grandpa I really liked that card! I think about y'all a lot and hope things are starting to look up, I love you! :) Mom I love the scarf and thank both of y'all for the b-day money! Dad I loved the card! they made me laugh, thank you. i also got a package form the Robinson's too. they sent me a card the showed where all of them are and a sweater that I almost bought last week. thank y'all! Lindsie, thank you for the email! I am sorry you are so busy with class but I am glad you had time to email me.
Well today is full of shopping and then the Thurgoods are taking my comp and I out to dinner! So I got a birthday day surprise this morning.... the first day of snow :( I am going to freeze! Good thing we will be inside most of the day, well I guess we will be walking to night but we will see what we can do about that.

Picture on my b-day the Thurgoods took me to dinner and later that night, because it was freezing we went there for hot coco before we had to be home.

Happy Birthday Ashlie, we love you!

FISHING! October 23, 2009

At 4:30 this morning, I meet Brother Richmond and 2 other guys from the Klein Ward to go down south/west of Galveston, to Matagorda Bay and go fishing!!! They had a spot open up, and Dean was kind enough to invite me. I'd never been to Matagorda Bay, and it took us a little over 2 hours to get down there. We grabbed some breakfast, made a trip to the restroom, and we were in the boat by 8am.

The fishing guide brought all the gear and bait (we used cut up mullet and then blue crab when Dean caught some). They supply some pretty sweet rods and reels...but they don't let you cast the gear, because it's a bit tricky. I'm sure the guide didn't want to untangle line all day! I had about 5 other fish take my bait,but I wouldn't wait long enough for the fish to swallow it before I jerked the line, so they just spit it out or took it! The guide was getting a little upset with me, but Dean and the other guys were pretty supportive; they weren't catching much at the time.

My first fish was a RED, and he put up a good fight. Dean, and the other guys in the boat were also catching fish. One of the Klein guys had a black tip shark on his line and was able to fight with it for a bit. Eventually, the shark swam under the boat and the line broke. The water was only a few feet deep, so we got a good look at the shark. It was amazing how you could watch the water on top, and see that something was headed for the bait!

Here is fish number one! Yeah...I didn't want to go home empty handed. Later in the day I also hooked a shark, but it bit through the line in about 15 seconds! But that was way cool!

This is my biggest fish yet! This RED was 28 1/2 inches, but we weren't able to weight it.

Here are the three REDS I caught! I did catch the biggest fish of the day!!! It was 28 1/2 inches long. And I caught an alligator gar (alligator looking snout on a fish with lots of sharp teeth)they didn't hang it up.

Here is a picture of the 4 of us and the REDS we all caught for the day. It was a great fishing trip! Only thing that could of made it better, was if Chuck was there too! I did text him while I was fishing to let him know what I was catching, and sent him a few pictures. It was very sweet of him to trust me to go fishing with 4 other guys,in the middle of who knows where; not many men could do that!

The guide stays out until everyone on the boat catches a couple of fish, and we didn't finish until 5pm (and boy did I have to go to the bathroom!). It was a long, cold, windy day...but it was so worth it! When we came back in with the boat, they clean our fish and bagged em for us. Yum...can't wait to have fish for dinner, and try that alligator gar. Now I need to book a trip for next year, when Chuck and I can go together!

Bye-bye Flower. October 19, 2009

After Target, and before Game stop, Brother & Sister Dyess came over and picked up Flower. Ashley is going to take the rabbit to a pet-rescue adoption so someone can take him home as a pet. Dad found a pet store that would take Flower, but Ashley insisted she take him, she doesn't trust the pet stores. So now we are back down to just one bunny, Rosie!

Austin's Birthday! October, 19, 2009

This morning Chuck woke me up at 7 am asking where Austin's streamers were....I had stayed up late finalizing my paper and reading the Book Club book, Mr. Darcy, Vampyre, (which is great) that I totally forgot to put them up before I went to bed. Thank goodness Chuck remembered, and we had the streamer up just minutes before Austin woke up.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUSTIN!

The first thing Austin wanted to do, was open a present! So we let him open two presents before school.

He gets pretty wild when he opens his presents!

Right now he is into Star Wars Lego's. After Austin got on the bus, I went to my Microbiology and English class, and afterwards I went and had lunch with Austin. I took him some Chick-Fil-A...it's his favorite... so he was very happy.

Austin saw this cake at Kroger last time we went shopping and begged to have this Spongebob cake for his birthday. I couldn't resist...the pieces on top of the cake are little spring action figures he can play with later.

After school Austin came home and opened one more present and then we had BIRTHDAY CAKE.
Just after we lite the candles, Cory called to wish Austin a Happy Birthday!!!!!

Ready...

Set...

Blow... out all the candles! After cake, we check the mail....and there a card from G. Rose & G. Scott...with $50... he was so excited. Then he opened a card from Ashlie and he loved the candy and a picture she sent him. Immediately, Austin wanted to go to target so he could buy a toy. At target he wasn't able to find a toy he wanted....(he was limited to no guns, swords, or anything shooting or fighting), so we went to check out the video's and there was nothing there that he wanted... until he saw the DS and he had to have it! I told Austin he did not have enough money to buy a new DS, but we could check for a used DS at Game Stop. So we did, and he was only short fifteen dollars, so we pitched in on the DS and bought 1 game as a present from Mom and Dad.

On Friday night, Dad took Austin, Michael Ferris, Spencer Greenwood,and Quentin Metcalf, to Laser Quest for Austin's Birthday party. It sounded like they had a great time. The boys teamed up and hunted Chuck down! And then after Laser Quest they went for ice cream. I had to work that night, but I think it worked out best with it just being the BOY'S! Austin was so happy. I'm not sure what his favorite part was, but he had a pretty awesome birthday! Happy 7Th Birthday, Austin! We love you!

Soccer season 2 ! October 2009

Austin was really excited for soccer to start again!

He has been practicing at home in the back yard, and he's a lot better at getting the ball around.


All of the kids on the team are getting a lot better at passing the ball to each other.


Chuck is usually to excited to sit and watch, here he is standing behind his Mom and Dad as they watch Austin play.

It's so funny when Austin plays the goalie position, he usually starts playing in the dirt,and we all yell at him when the ball starts to come his way.

Austin was pretty excited to have Grandma & Grandpa Martin come and watch him play!

Can't wait for the next game!