tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-305211092024-03-18T22:53:01.834-05:00The Martins' MinutesThis. Is. Life. ... a daddy, 6 boys and a grown-up princess ... taking life one minute at a timeThe Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.comBlogger101125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-11611802440461289952016-04-09T22:14:00.000-05:002019-02-07T08:49:30.167-06:00More projectsThis is just basically a list of projects I did on the house... I don't really have the time-frame of when they were completed.<br />
<br />
<b><u>The fish tank:</u></b><br />
<br />
Basically, we were tired of having this huge fish tank in the living room. The novelty wore off and we were looking to sell it... that is until Theresa had a great idea... put it in the basement!<br />
<br />
Before:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHTJdPhzDl1YYagJUSosZpwAWNmJ4P2-5n2Oqk3eWaNiS35_Lpbg9fonaeDgoMQPaNJA9rRLu2nTCZQUUxSTlO92G0NORCz9tgZKbucBKgnYYvwnICckzi5Dpm5ZzlCwHYs9Wfw/s400/2.JPG" width="400" /></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">This is it... big, not so pretty and, after getting rid of the bathtub in the guest bathroom, a pain to clean (I filled up 5 gallon buckets in the tub). Theresa's idea of putting it in the basement was PERFECT because there's a utility sink down there and it's much easier to clean...</span></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
After:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zFfYVgVk_drcV2TDYtqnN6K8oiQ9KTUCfhqDtPaWSIXA7C0yJuspJHNoURW_ph4f0BeR-Ly_bAQ4Z7Gwn_nxTBuJyeyaNGPiUqciUwZUd6BMz6dYqM9CuyHow_FyTgiOUZ1EUg/s1600/Fish+tank+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zFfYVgVk_drcV2TDYtqnN6K8oiQ9KTUCfhqDtPaWSIXA7C0yJuspJHNoURW_ph4f0BeR-Ly_bAQ4Z7Gwn_nxTBuJyeyaNGPiUqciUwZUd6BMz6dYqM9CuyHow_FyTgiOUZ1EUg/s400/Fish+tank+004.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It is still sitting on the same cabinet... but it is also resting on the studs in that wall. I'm really pleased with how this project turned out... it was actually pretty easy. Just had to cut a hole in the wall!</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><u>Garage Storage:</u></b></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIm8ZU8Lmzq7LUHFw81GuQxYVGcmabTNexIiE0nxO3qj0Q5lFp2_r3C9Vj3Cmrb208CRHawof-UgKnURyxmC6KDSMuz5oEcF77HMGwcmBfvSBw7PQR1btIsaFkZgF8K4ITSHIEJg/s1600/227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIm8ZU8Lmzq7LUHFw81GuQxYVGcmabTNexIiE0nxO3qj0Q5lFp2_r3C9Vj3Cmrb208CRHawof-UgKnURyxmC6KDSMuz5oEcF77HMGwcmBfvSBw7PQR1btIsaFkZgF8K4ITSHIEJg/s320/227.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><u>Windows:</u></b></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><u></u></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><u><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeVF_V2i9P8hyRQQs8XZdC1SIqjWKTfA-6bxM8Ugrsd6xsUf14pqsMZsPNq07tabL0bqTuYyWnDGKKAUKhnKmD_hJG9TqnXWh5nI4I_gogt8Bhx72MHGujGIaaMCU3NUIXNyMJkg/s1600/Renovation+008+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeVF_V2i9P8hyRQQs8XZdC1SIqjWKTfA-6bxM8Ugrsd6xsUf14pqsMZsPNq07tabL0bqTuYyWnDGKKAUKhnKmD_hJG9TqnXWh5nI4I_gogt8Bhx72MHGujGIaaMCU3NUIXNyMJkg/s320/Renovation+008+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></u></b></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><u><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIgMtLwhLATxs8PVl6BZTV5Ipc8e2QutFchqdS_9R-Byop3ueHBY_3lRTrUD0FBW3r1LFH6eueGmmVggMvKrXpwday-cq3dmKMfquv2Qk6mO9LQhYstRwQtAaO8M1vbQFq_AQ5g/s1600/Renovation+011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIgMtLwhLATxs8PVl6BZTV5Ipc8e2QutFchqdS_9R-Byop3ueHBY_3lRTrUD0FBW3r1LFH6eueGmmVggMvKrXpwday-cq3dmKMfquv2Qk6mO9LQhYstRwQtAaO8M1vbQFq_AQ5g/s320/Renovation+011.jpg" width="320" /></a></u></b></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><u>Hide-a-bed:</u></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This has always been on my bucket list. Thankfully there was still this beautiful cherry wood back at the farm. My father cut a bunch of wood one year and had it processed at a mill... we used a lot of it, but it dawned on me that there might still be some there and luckily it was the best (the cherry)!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The kit was relatively inexpensive... the worst part was the fact that I never had much time to dedicate to it, so it took forever. The main reason we did it was so that we could actually use the guest bedroom (otherwise the bed took up most of the room).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWfc_ui1LmPe0CN0KFUvtMVhi5JTHbFmsZd07DYSOWFnsZc_0-c70hyphenhyphenlONibRyzGIeSEq0ZE51ZULyClsP-mox8FWy8qCUXUUvP1ekgaMher17BNx74ladOrvbUO_5vw3-gdHkA/s1600/531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnEm1_F6ch5JQGCzZOxiLUY0X1C4eT0p-JrUZcqoJQkWrQT_VvE6RRP-sILntrsKKhxbwxqA5wbNbERI2L9ff8cI43EhzUhmFVctjL0hWWc7XnmYN-0Xxi1tblWBDA_PVJ4OaZtA/s1600/532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnEm1_F6ch5JQGCzZOxiLUY0X1C4eT0p-JrUZcqoJQkWrQT_VvE6RRP-sILntrsKKhxbwxqA5wbNbERI2L9ff8cI43EhzUhmFVctjL0hWWc7XnmYN-0Xxi1tblWBDA_PVJ4OaZtA/s400/532.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnEm1_F6ch5JQGCzZOxiLUY0X1C4eT0p-JrUZcqoJQkWrQT_VvE6RRP-sILntrsKKhxbwxqA5wbNbERI2L9ff8cI43EhzUhmFVctjL0hWWc7XnmYN-0Xxi1tblWBDA_PVJ4OaZtA/s1600/532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWfc_ui1LmPe0CN0KFUvtMVhi5JTHbFmsZd07DYSOWFnsZc_0-c70hyphenhyphenlONibRyzGIeSEq0ZE51ZULyClsP-mox8FWy8qCUXUUvP1ekgaMher17BNx74ladOrvbUO_5vw3-gdHkA/s1600/531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWfc_ui1LmPe0CN0KFUvtMVhi5JTHbFmsZd07DYSOWFnsZc_0-c70hyphenhyphenlONibRyzGIeSEq0ZE51ZULyClsP-mox8FWy8qCUXUUvP1ekgaMher17BNx74ladOrvbUO_5vw3-gdHkA/s400/531.JPG" width="300" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<br />The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-30163153524095694412016-04-09T21:23:00.000-05:002016-04-09T21:23:44.661-05:00The Guest BathroomYou'll have to go back a couple of posts for the back story on this bathroom, but the thing that held up the completion of this project (other than distractions) was the Master Bathroom... I wanted to complete all the plumbing up there before closing up the Guest Bathroom since it was basically the only access.<br />
<br />
While we went away to New Orleans I had a friend of ours come and finish the taping and mudding and now it is finally complete! It was probably a year (or more?) in its unfinished state.<br />
<br />
The list of things that we did in this bathroom:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>removed the tub (we didn't see the point of having a bathtub on a floor with no bedrooms)</li>
<li>removed the sink (both the sink and the tub went up to the Star Wars bathroom)</li>
<li>added a new toilet</li>
<li>added a bathroom fan</li>
<li>added a nice vanity</li>
<li>upgraded the floor</li>
<li>upgraded the door</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I hope the pictures can show the rest!</div>
<div>
<br />
(Click on the image for the album):<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://goo.gl/photos/GrNd7pTSHZGTF563A"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8xS0fBhyG-4/Vwm24o1RnUI/AAAAAAAAF3Q/JkoZBBclQhEmjgHxuHaiKASRCQ_U6N6eQ/s640/605.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-38035081527943375032016-04-09T20:48:00.000-05:002016-04-09T20:48:52.995-05:00DistractionsI think I may have mentioned how we have been trying to weatherize the house (by adding new windows, for example). Another thing I wanted to try was better insulation. We <strike>were convinced</strike><i> knew</i> that the walls were not insulated very well, so we decided to see just how bad it was and then re-insulate.<br />
<br />
First of all, the walls are all 2x4, so there's not a lot of room for insulation. Second of all, they didn't do a very good job! At one point they ran out of insulation and used "sound proofing" instead... and there was that one place in the kitchen where Theresa and I knew there was little-to-nothing insulating that part... it turned out there was nothing... the plumber came and fixed the plumbing, but he forgot to put the insulation back.<br />
<br />
This post is called Distractions because I have so many projects going at the same time that this is what the new projects become: distractions from the projects I've already begun!
This insulation project turned out pretty well... the walls that were insulated are much warmer, but it didn't seem to make much difference because we didn't do ALL the walls and so, it only helps in that area where the work was done (but obviously it still helps).<br />
<br />
If I could, I'd finish the whole house with this spray foam insulation, but there's not enough time, energy, resources for all of that! Here is the album of photos (click on the image):<br />
<br />
<a href="https://goo.gl/photos/TVBqTqZ8zjZs7e2J9"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OEKlhnvZPPE/VkVfzHD9g7I/AAAAAAAAFp8/7qgMIovjX8099JD13Tu8QNvCqoHcMfiAg/s320/IMG_1527.JPG" /></a>The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-81886652446492657132014-12-13T09:20:00.003-06:002014-12-15T08:49:07.858-06:00Bathroom Renovations~Written by Pete<br />
There were other projects on our list before this one, but thanks to a leaky shower and a bunch of mice, we gutted out two bathrooms... The upstairs bathroom had the leaky shower which dripped into the main floor bathroom. There was nothing I could do to stop the leak, so I simply tore out the drywall below (just a small area) and let the water drip into the bathtub below. That temporary solution lasted until one morning... before getting in the shower, one of the boys discovered a cute little critter... A baby mouse! Ugh, so not only were the mice getting into the house and crawling around in our ceilings, but they were also starting a family and settling in! :(<br />
<br />
I was determined to find the place they were getting in, so I began with the upstairs shower room. I call it a shower room because that's all it was. It was a bit weird, to be honest. It was connected to our "master bath" and had a door which opened to the rest of the upstairs bedrooms. For the first couple of years that we've been in the house, we basically kept the door locked which opened up to the hallway, but we always had in mind to change that into a full bath for the boys to use.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2dRM2YTVLRcI4_mVosE9gtDCob5EFJuNGTZuy8PbPnD4n5rkmxhkyi8Y4MWgpT765DhwbH2tpntyLcpv8MhsG0t8CMYCjgYWI4hQJAsJTUg4AapaXJ9Iswwa-gQJRZ_S4c-Hlg/s1600/Upstairs01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2dRM2YTVLRcI4_mVosE9gtDCob5EFJuNGTZuy8PbPnD4n5rkmxhkyi8Y4MWgpT765DhwbH2tpntyLcpv8MhsG0t8CMYCjgYWI4hQJAsJTUg4AapaXJ9Iswwa-gQJRZ_S4c-Hlg/s1600/Upstairs01.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This is a view from the master bath doorway.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The first thing I did was cut out the old fiberglass shower unit (my sawzall was the favored tool of this whole project). Guess what? I found NO holes to the outside from here. Basically, they're getting in from some other place, walking around the ceiling and crawling up to the bathroom (for water?) and building a nest. :( </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
By the time you get this far into the project, whether you want to be or not, you're committed... so in order to try to summarize this, I'll put it in list format:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
1) Added a bathroom fan to the upstairs shower (which will now be a bathroom for the boys)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
2) Replaced the fiberglass shower unit that was there with the bathtub from the bathroom below (we want to make that bathroom a nicer "guest bathroom" and we didn't want to keep the bathtub there any longer.)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
3) Added a surround to the "new" tub upstairs.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
4) Added electricity for an outlet to prepare for the "new" sink (which was conveniently already in the right place... I just needed to remove an electric heater that no longer fit).</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0OqUDSik19BOtjLtHi5HDeYa6D_S0TQY-MJa3qTW8HZoxfsHKNh31HkVrO9OZ04cmvCQLAZ8cs_AtPgwMQ1DfevePJH9lPG9kYpExCtVmpeirMImWwvjcMm4rV9qUJmu9ezkdnA/s1600/Upstairs02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0OqUDSik19BOtjLtHi5HDeYa6D_S0TQY-MJa3qTW8HZoxfsHKNh31HkVrO9OZ04cmvCQLAZ8cs_AtPgwMQ1DfevePJH9lPG9kYpExCtVmpeirMImWwvjcMm4rV9qUJmu9ezkdnA/s1600/Upstairs02.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfgChPD2ZNdNXVPRstgdwbh7TxXoNWq90VUZXTskwtDUL1EbkywOkhon5aHLDQg4VbLRNPbOrwpam2jIr-pjnkKLjpOe0_U79sCrS3Xu0zd9GZ-SXCHSHaL_l7WE1eDR6591KfLQ/s1600/Upstairs03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfgChPD2ZNdNXVPRstgdwbh7TxXoNWq90VUZXTskwtDUL1EbkywOkhon5aHLDQg4VbLRNPbOrwpam2jIr-pjnkKLjpOe0_U79sCrS3Xu0zd9GZ-SXCHSHaL_l7WE1eDR6591KfLQ/s1600/Upstairs03.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The plumber came and added a toilet to this room (behind the door), re-connected the new shower, and set us up for the "new" sink (we brought up the sink from the downstairs bath.) Remember: this is going to be the boys' bathroom... we realize it will probably be treated, um... not-so-gently, so we are using all used things.<br />
<br />
Obviously with the toilet behind the door, that needed to change, so I took out the door that connected the Master bath and replaced it. This involved moving it over a little bit so that you didn't walk right into the toilet when entering the room.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskDT92w3WXJzJ3vWo1VQeVhfN9Jy3QDiXMq_nX_eZT6epW19cTATfbzTxEu76qQ-LV2h9VVU5A-hfyGH-tQ9_1nNlZE7x9hp_Y9svZ5nYhGYGUOGI6TWv4JdUiFqJGfJ_15xoPg/s1600/Upstairs04.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskDT92w3WXJzJ3vWo1VQeVhfN9Jy3QDiXMq_nX_eZT6epW19cTATfbzTxEu76qQ-LV2h9VVU5A-hfyGH-tQ9_1nNlZE7x9hp_Y9svZ5nYhGYGUOGI6TWv4JdUiFqJGfJ_15xoPg/s1600/Upstairs04.png" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention the new floor!</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOF7-8xkQl19O53Z0kfjHr-9Xx8nw9MOiPrmhJhL8Yuig-FNm3EaIiMCnfBvVLAc-Pjb8z0Nf-yRHe_QtYIuKnUxbFYCE3QDpCNJ2QUvbdTPzpuxak5YvyeTcf7rKjcFxvcsjEWA/s1600/Upstairs05.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOF7-8xkQl19O53Z0kfjHr-9Xx8nw9MOiPrmhJhL8Yuig-FNm3EaIiMCnfBvVLAc-Pjb8z0Nf-yRHe_QtYIuKnUxbFYCE3QDpCNJ2QUvbdTPzpuxak5YvyeTcf7rKjcFxvcsjEWA/s1600/Upstairs05.png" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Fe5Y1_9YdV56L1Y8PImpg25PtfIsH-shbB2yPEFvl_n1TGiQv4VnHL-bSrOykIyb4oOg2dEYkhTzR3ZMgz7RHecO9ishIJU73dIyPmajzFUFwYkRlDyKQAZarNlOwtGQLXBGkg/s1600/Upstairs06.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Fe5Y1_9YdV56L1Y8PImpg25PtfIsH-shbB2yPEFvl_n1TGiQv4VnHL-bSrOykIyb4oOg2dEYkhTzR3ZMgz7RHecO9ishIJU73dIyPmajzFUFwYkRlDyKQAZarNlOwtGQLXBGkg/s1600/Upstairs06.png" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
You can see that the old doorway has been sealed off now...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: start;">Next step, drywall. Drywall took forever because I basically put up one piece at a time (whenever I found time). Mudding and taping was an off-and on project as well (and will be a task of mine in Purgatory, I'm sure).</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: start;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOAdVr5W7JPnUP-dVqmcSB-z_FoHj1mx7-jndzrNKj0xPCmXov_dWmONQ8-WxEvvK4Q0lc-3C9DZ4SgEJmlFKvVoamvk-fz6xfPHdncHDzERna3Zaw5fYI9xOq5dy9A9c3NQlbA/s1600/Upstairs08.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOAdVr5W7JPnUP-dVqmcSB-z_FoHj1mx7-jndzrNKj0xPCmXov_dWmONQ8-WxEvvK4Q0lc-3C9DZ4SgEJmlFKvVoamvk-fz6xfPHdncHDzERna3Zaw5fYI9xOq5dy9A9c3NQlbA/s1600/Upstairs08.png" height="640" width="480" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_GfQjjmZ8JkikTG_v49HbDeYJui5usnBlynFGQHlcx4D_Idp2y5jKNcDOOhlRy2MXsIBNdGKgMyCEgVu8jkVI8u6iBBDf6lmXqfr98-Wm4HTCqMjW6C6mP1PQ6pUlpkkIKJjCWg/s1600/Upstairs07.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_GfQjjmZ8JkikTG_v49HbDeYJui5usnBlynFGQHlcx4D_Idp2y5jKNcDOOhlRy2MXsIBNdGKgMyCEgVu8jkVI8u6iBBDf6lmXqfr98-Wm4HTCqMjW6C6mP1PQ6pUlpkkIKJjCWg/s1600/Upstairs07.png" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Even by the time I had finished all the mudding and taping, we started using the bathtub... showering little ones is possible, but not so much fun! Finally we could move on to the painting:<span style="text-align: start;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_oIg5XjvnbOwaFjvGWEx5VgD5jw2U8xd928fH9LQ7Fom2yb-vLDqxBPUuASB7Ga6iX8aYx-zi5Z0BgRIhBWADlIU9RUkXpDwSJSTwTmfAvG9PMPKJjkvU3RtOVBwkhuT42CdFg/s1600/Upstairs09.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_oIg5XjvnbOwaFjvGWEx5VgD5jw2U8xd928fH9LQ7Fom2yb-vLDqxBPUuASB7Ga6iX8aYx-zi5Z0BgRIhBWADlIU9RUkXpDwSJSTwTmfAvG9PMPKJjkvU3RtOVBwkhuT42CdFg/s1600/Upstairs09.png" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieNScT6t0wtzPDo-m0i7MOoikc5o7EdAfNel2IMOFDTCmpIjxbfd1E1g1DfCq7gjoVzLRdCjiV0sZbB0eIwBg4tNDfuK4xVcy-JLzaFKJDANiFgRQaNyrnk1YTyIRVFscRtRMBlQ/s1600/Upstairs10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieNScT6t0wtzPDo-m0i7MOoikc5o7EdAfNel2IMOFDTCmpIjxbfd1E1g1DfCq7gjoVzLRdCjiV0sZbB0eIwBg4tNDfuK4xVcy-JLzaFKJDANiFgRQaNyrnk1YTyIRVFscRtRMBlQ/s1600/Upstairs10.png" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The sink is now installed as well as the $15 mirror that I got from the local Re-Store... and then dropped while bringing it in the front door :( Oh well, remember, this is the boys' bathroom! We put some tape over the broken glass and installed it anyway!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Finally, the big reveal... we had to make it more of a fun bathroom for the boys... they weren't that excited about getting a new bathroom, so we had to add a little flare... are you ready for it?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjREgYMLlDuUZeIF1lbOZcPB8wtaeQy-1PVoA9tDwUnMsWMXdWzPoWXmydRzIT_q5h0dRydaDGvj2FmTSunCGaFPELsvhyq4dihtDFTWsjbdTvNdICMNam69c2Y4hb1_WC1j7QGTg/s1600/Upstairs11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjREgYMLlDuUZeIF1lbOZcPB8wtaeQy-1PVoA9tDwUnMsWMXdWzPoWXmydRzIT_q5h0dRydaDGvj2FmTSunCGaFPELsvhyq4dihtDFTWsjbdTvNdICMNam69c2Y4hb1_WC1j7QGTg/s1600/Upstairs11.png" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC9PuBQ81VSlOBIfPr7CPh_Fq8_Im9QT2oUvJJo-neX8bghU6NXNWxjuXV0vU9yKdajYneKlV93kubsUN1tksiwRxDZ-filnUXR1v9WxaUW6YLl0ujgkgaYQaeNC0_z3PCoq834w/s1600/Upstairs14.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC9PuBQ81VSlOBIfPr7CPh_Fq8_Im9QT2oUvJJo-neX8bghU6NXNWxjuXV0vU9yKdajYneKlV93kubsUN1tksiwRxDZ-filnUXR1v9WxaUW6YLl0ujgkgaYQaeNC0_z3PCoq834w/s1600/Upstairs14.png" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Taa Daa! It was a lot of work and a long time coming, but so far so good. The boys really like their Star Wars bathroom and as far as we can tell, the mice have now evacuated the building... oh yeah, speaking of, we brought home a few things to help with that problem... kittens! We now have four cats... hopefully they will take care of the mice!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Stay tuned for the downstairs bathroom renovation update!</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjea80Jttwcscgj60mi-qvRrTtYthCudUkXd0xw-pgWStyL2fki1-ReOwBXj1aa64-RZRz51LjgLQrPdCQ7GQnIu2GS2scywEZNbggKZh9bpsf5BYhvyLhEg30p1hGpeeZPzq0faQ/s1600/IMG_1204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjea80Jttwcscgj60mi-qvRrTtYthCudUkXd0xw-pgWStyL2fki1-ReOwBXj1aa64-RZRz51LjgLQrPdCQ7GQnIu2GS2scywEZNbggKZh9bpsf5BYhvyLhEg30p1hGpeeZPzq0faQ/s1600/IMG_1204.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damian loved going into the gutted out bathroom to hide!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-62611561488849208482014-06-22T08:25:00.001-05:002014-12-13T07:58:40.390-06:00Our new sidewalk!Remember how we created a front door to our house? (If not <a href="http://martinminutes.blogspot.com/2013/12/top-5-home-renovations-of-2013.html">go here</a> to catch up.) Well, it's not much use if you don't have a sidewalk leading up to the door! The foyer project wasn't completed in time to start the sidewalk, so we walked through the grass for about six months until the snow and frost went away (OK, well maybe it was more than six months).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We decided not to go with just pouring concrete because we figured it would cost a lot more if we went that route. Instead, we looked into paver stones. The obvious first step is to clear the path (and when you don't have a wheelbarrow, you improvise with the kids' wagon and a tarp).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTE81xCRR8hw2KoFGXlqygE9rguiDEBcCG-JvzUGA_HeEDD6c40fw__-x1K-hHgNa9dxFtkBAiXiH7ObQvDuJRogDNJGO5GN_S61gGbZcvEFplm1yrFy2G1C9Lf0T5MHHwKcsT0w/s1600/IMG_0133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTE81xCRR8hw2KoFGXlqygE9rguiDEBcCG-JvzUGA_HeEDD6c40fw__-x1K-hHgNa9dxFtkBAiXiH7ObQvDuJRogDNJGO5GN_S61gGbZcvEFplm1yrFy2G1C9Lf0T5MHHwKcsT0w/s1600/IMG_0133.JPG" height="640" width="478" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Below you can see where all the dirt went... I always wanted to fill in the gap near that retaining wall... it seemed to me that the water just drained right down the inside of it... now hopefully it will drain away.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_GTbiDWSnHSbRAunC4YT6NBdiDNIc71JuKtBZKjfNnc7Ok-6bQdcXwtKhCJwyw0PQy4jOif5JJi6i-VuoDA2MuMbGqzROhKW6bF1jf1QrjcqfnDz-iJpf3OojrR9cXcQz1izAA/s1600/IMG_0135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_GTbiDWSnHSbRAunC4YT6NBdiDNIc71JuKtBZKjfNnc7Ok-6bQdcXwtKhCJwyw0PQy4jOif5JJi6i-VuoDA2MuMbGqzROhKW6bF1jf1QrjcqfnDz-iJpf3OojrR9cXcQz1izAA/s1600/IMG_0135.JPG" height="640" width="478" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Removal of the dirt was actually probably the easiest part...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZk32QcS378hjLPE49fZZcxfxfRhMenCNonA8_xX_pk2BhS9CleBWQbi0SPpNAtNjvnGx6cqzMJ8J7rsHj9YuUkPeg4XNJg2Wc6zxC_v5_JAhaDGxj2EYpDabd6o4igpFjQTROAg/s1600/IMG_0134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZk32QcS378hjLPE49fZZcxfxfRhMenCNonA8_xX_pk2BhS9CleBWQbi0SPpNAtNjvnGx6cqzMJ8J7rsHj9YuUkPeg4XNJg2Wc6zxC_v5_JAhaDGxj2EYpDabd6o4igpFjQTROAg/s1600/IMG_0134.JPG" height="640" width="478" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Below you can see how I solved the drain spout (which would have gone right over the sidewalk). It now drains out into the yard... time will tell how well this works. With the rented compactor, we were ready to get the base of the sidewalk ready.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-6LPTx7W557fzGoxxzR0t0AvJA74PUHyrwop4VEPcP0w07tdBPdrqhr-1_YV0g77zotYkvZM2xZOOuStKi9sPN8pWBkukhmBiEQiFXgTJ0EqyjxIBVlyTqEgjGMYnwOuZ3Nm2zg/s1600/IMG_0146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-6LPTx7W557fzGoxxzR0t0AvJA74PUHyrwop4VEPcP0w07tdBPdrqhr-1_YV0g77zotYkvZM2xZOOuStKi9sPN8pWBkukhmBiEQiFXgTJ0EqyjxIBVlyTqEgjGMYnwOuZ3Nm2zg/s1600/IMG_0146.JPG" height="640" width="478" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The trick with the base is to include the suggested slope on the sidewalk (so water drains away from the house). Here's how it looked after adding the first layer of gravel and compacting it. After the second layer, we were now ready to start laying the pavers.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-WLWMGwBDlJDGpwvVjfk-tU2aXPWG3LBv6_Ku61UjsllLVFMWWJz3kDHhr_MsooBprsjB0aE7dECWvZFCEBkKEni1kfRVeFfMGkPLY8a9CAc-krGiATR2Q_Fknzru0OTwa2bbQg/s1600/IMG_0148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-WLWMGwBDlJDGpwvVjfk-tU2aXPWG3LBv6_Ku61UjsllLVFMWWJz3kDHhr_MsooBprsjB0aE7dECWvZFCEBkKEni1kfRVeFfMGkPLY8a9CAc-krGiATR2Q_Fknzru0OTwa2bbQg/s1600/IMG_0148.JPG" height="640" width="478" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
As we started to lay the stones down, I was a bit nervous because they shifted on top of the leveling sand... in the end, it all worked out nicely, but being the first time, I wondered if we weren't doing something wrong.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3JYMBJrnGO73bTt9IfU8OenW19MmEERXkofjYSOz3GJ3hUwHFvsg3O3QJ6vN2-Gi8-KcVS4rcOMrhhqFqNgKN5XKqx6jfyhv1SLSLvbyMqt7wMJUdU1NLbDYAwsLTOHrAswtg3Q/s1600/IMG_0151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3JYMBJrnGO73bTt9IfU8OenW19MmEERXkofjYSOz3GJ3hUwHFvsg3O3QJ6vN2-Gi8-KcVS4rcOMrhhqFqNgKN5XKqx6jfyhv1SLSLvbyMqt7wMJUdU1NLbDYAwsLTOHrAswtg3Q/s1600/IMG_0151.JPG" height="640" width="478" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Thankfully, adding the plastic edge along the sides helped to pull those loose stones in tightly. The next step was to add a paver-locking sand and actually run that compactor over the stones (which was a bit nerve-wracking). No stones were harmed and we were able to clean up and make it look pretty.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBO4lyO0QS8n0INwO__e69jZkG_i0cD95ACk_vLQgD-nHO4Sfv-cjIecc4kmJf-rcImKVVa_9Ni3_6dB9Mp54QVr4wuabjjMw8FMfffTYB3929k2UmHFw0W_I73RTy_ELSjU4WrQ/s1600/IMG_0152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBO4lyO0QS8n0INwO__e69jZkG_i0cD95ACk_vLQgD-nHO4Sfv-cjIecc4kmJf-rcImKVVa_9Ni3_6dB9Mp54QVr4wuabjjMw8FMfffTYB3929k2UmHFw0W_I73RTy_ELSjU4WrQ/s1600/IMG_0152.JPG" height="640" width="478" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Here are several pictures of the final product.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_tga5DrRGgfeeK59TmHGVfrDkE-SpiVNMzDH3pzDTKfULWg-3ggNiLZvPUZ3icSLIJi4v1-6u9Jrxs0BynogfEjU_BLmuP-kL3WQahG-tqAouCPleqCqWTUrSWoXR-7ot0ZKfQ/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_tga5DrRGgfeeK59TmHGVfrDkE-SpiVNMzDH3pzDTKfULWg-3ggNiLZvPUZ3icSLIJi4v1-6u9Jrxs0BynogfEjU_BLmuP-kL3WQahG-tqAouCPleqCqWTUrSWoXR-7ot0ZKfQ/s1600/1.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
If you look real closely, you can see the cross. We only added this unique design to the first set of stones. The rest follow the pattern that Theresa came up with so that we could complete the project without having to cut any stones (it actually took a lot of work and I was very grateful).</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbj2UTv_ltMFum4Q6ff7Dq_T9n_Gpbq4rRzur6qnI1c6ttXDkes3DEGze3NS7Y79DCIXM0e5eDuSWHBdnrWysNkrpxg-6uMzX960wt4UxHiJE6EN5B9EyLsYFl9Gpyw6KNvaYMqg/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbj2UTv_ltMFum4Q6ff7Dq_T9n_Gpbq4rRzur6qnI1c6ttXDkes3DEGze3NS7Y79DCIXM0e5eDuSWHBdnrWysNkrpxg-6uMzX960wt4UxHiJE6EN5B9EyLsYFl9Gpyw6KNvaYMqg/s1600/2.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX71kewHIKydxcYzzcFMiKiTg6pKWa8OEBxjPUrUHZOUW1sC-UJ_UgJzUh5qxfvo5utpykZsalY1qyfejMqOfKzOirtFrIOjzW4wX156s-YAGrLYODLLZNLu83aaDIc-ITY7g0wA/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX71kewHIKydxcYzzcFMiKiTg6pKWa8OEBxjPUrUHZOUW1sC-UJ_UgJzUh5qxfvo5utpykZsalY1qyfejMqOfKzOirtFrIOjzW4wX156s-YAGrLYODLLZNLu83aaDIc-ITY7g0wA/s1600/3.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
In case you haven't noticed yet, the sidewalk ends abruptly before the stairs to the front door... this is because one day we expect to build a front porch... leaving the sidewalk "unfinished" will hopefully serve as motivation to get to the porch project. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1ESdcAxhPS2nYM1yz0nfmjyzgLeOuEaD8rTbonAECKZy2_v73Nk9-9F4U4L8oJfiNuOPY8eiBdDaim0msDUnzx-NhdgJIjBfQP_hoKQvFT5rrQ28euSgAxwRnsVtKt_9Iclm_g/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1ESdcAxhPS2nYM1yz0nfmjyzgLeOuEaD8rTbonAECKZy2_v73Nk9-9F4U4L8oJfiNuOPY8eiBdDaim0msDUnzx-NhdgJIjBfQP_hoKQvFT5rrQ28euSgAxwRnsVtKt_9Iclm_g/s1600/4.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Well there you have it! Was it cheaper than pouring concrete? Probably, but we get more enjoyment out of doing it ourselves!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;">a punch to your shoulder</span></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<b style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>the Martins</i></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;" /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZch5Qt4YFYijtzJdmRmHc8zS021iN4lrCO0ZGqzPnamTCvAtku8nsoJdvtmkw3bhyphenhyphenTh1Atk0QMhwDbZI4gWyDFzDL3zm725yNPFaVlHTkFbOumegKbiD_9yUmLrZqf6azVenA6A/s1600/thats-all-folks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #002a77; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZch5Qt4YFYijtzJdmRmHc8zS021iN4lrCO0ZGqzPnamTCvAtku8nsoJdvtmkw3bhyphenhyphenTh1Atk0QMhwDbZI4gWyDFzDL3zm725yNPFaVlHTkFbOumegKbiD_9yUmLrZqf6azVenA6A/s400/thats-all-folks.jpg" height="166" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-49326786141227482752014-03-05T22:07:00.001-06:002014-03-05T22:12:15.128-06:009 months old and not too happy ;-)Well, you can keep Damian in your prayers, poor kid has been miserable the last couple days!<br />
<br />
But he turned 9 months old today!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNNnTV0EMupwqv81D6CqEb8hpxHARDz2sM_WfVotHGZ87T4AoGbZemZanMvCQx29U0RDECWaZ_jZEqctURX6v8FqZQrIu2GHfL1u9gvIrUPyO-GiQG_iuQIdwf2mwWPY0KhricOg/s1600/Damian+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNNnTV0EMupwqv81D6CqEb8hpxHARDz2sM_WfVotHGZ87T4AoGbZemZanMvCQx29U0RDECWaZ_jZEqctURX6v8FqZQrIu2GHfL1u9gvIrUPyO-GiQG_iuQIdwf2mwWPY0KhricOg/s1600/Damian+pic.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cruising like crazy :-)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Here's a cute video to commemorate his day - grumpy, but still cute!<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/qkMdsBUKs_w" width="640"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
oh and fyi - we have switched things around a bit and while viewing the blog is still open to anyone, we would like this blog to be kept just for family and friends. So, we would ask you not to share posts with the general public. <i>(I, Theresa, am using my www.NewFeminismRising.com blog in a more personal but public way. So my musings on mothering and family life will be there, but the posts of our children - for their privacy too - will be here.)</i><br />
Thanks!The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-15079597751440867632013-12-22T21:05:00.001-06:002013-12-22T21:08:09.097-06:00Top 5 Home Renovations of 2013<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">by: Pete</span></i><br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We've been here in our beautiful country house for over a year now. It's time to post some of the updates we've done to the place.</span></b> </h2>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>1) The Foyer</b></div>
It was over a year ago when I first spoke of <a href="http://martinminutes.blogspot.com/2012/12/our-first-remodel-project.html">the foyer</a>... it's *almost* finished now... I just have to finish up the trim and touch up some paint here and there... Here are some before and after pictures:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMkKaeTOdMU-HJwVd-IlTsloq33qk9EV0l876szT5uFS7oDSZZ7-duAsTDisGuwSlCmG2OzrunF689ycKQlbOlpj_qPlmKEvNK-dc7rUPomV3Cu9wdFkUqe9slAYIO-8NVIxX9w/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMkKaeTOdMU-HJwVd-IlTsloq33qk9EV0l876szT5uFS7oDSZZ7-duAsTDisGuwSlCmG2OzrunF689ycKQlbOlpj_qPlmKEvNK-dc7rUPomV3Cu9wdFkUqe9slAYIO-8NVIxX9w/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLw0IRzEM2z2Os2URmzQ5zZmSPiCZsAd4BkXt5Zfp_nccpzU03t99A_-yuFnEbeGoGzUSs1zGrVjCNzHQu84tcUYARHAiGareQ9IYBTeQNAzvJNgby5ZzkxLrxPe5E-HYM81b9IA/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLw0IRzEM2z2Os2URmzQ5zZmSPiCZsAd4BkXt5Zfp_nccpzU03t99A_-yuFnEbeGoGzUSs1zGrVjCNzHQu84tcUYARHAiGareQ9IYBTeQNAzvJNgby5ZzkxLrxPe5E-HYM81b9IA/s320/image.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
As I said <a href="http://martinminutes.blogspot.com/2012/12/our-first-remodel-project.html">before</a>, it was not an ideal situation. The only entrance to the house led through the garage and there was no closet for us to hang jackets and place shoes. The object was to have a front door including an entryway and a closet... if you looked at <a href="http://martinminutes.blogspot.com/2012/12/our-first-remodel-project.html">last year's post</a>, you saw how we came to a solution by taking a corner out of the garage to be the new foyer.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ruCvuzFShsuJ7xiCXwVibHtsU_PNy3JLKenJhDw-OMmL96Du4-3bpuUlt0nCCz2c5ApJS28HaXkck0S8FBFBatjvfsPe7XuALDdL9L_kirsrTxL11Gi3D9rXzXYMUOUAr4zjjw/s1600/100_0219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ruCvuzFShsuJ7xiCXwVibHtsU_PNy3JLKenJhDw-OMmL96Du4-3bpuUlt0nCCz2c5ApJS28HaXkck0S8FBFBatjvfsPe7XuALDdL9L_kirsrTxL11Gi3D9rXzXYMUOUAr4zjjw/s320/100_0219.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddUnxZI2yiw1Via66uIwo00LdKksDygmMt62_qrIZ9lg-XzIy3MBM5tBnvt9UAZIqRHxmptWmKDtHFXwaErJMRgFgLFOESR0oNFfsPSCvE-hga3b8-4dsWhbyZ_9MWkNR8dJnVA/s1600/Renovation+010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddUnxZI2yiw1Via66uIwo00LdKksDygmMt62_qrIZ9lg-XzIy3MBM5tBnvt9UAZIqRHxmptWmKDtHFXwaErJMRgFgLFOESR0oNFfsPSCvE-hga3b8-4dsWhbyZ_9MWkNR8dJnVA/s320/Renovation+010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3PomWKDF5J4k_UTWk3OJCkDBRVjJPosdjUPwYllK_xpZ491wqw-Ej8vYiIdI2uG3KXKzGWZGkLlzf6NLrXe-1rgLGB8tsgUOnjiEmgSYz39Lc1m2FwXSadzTPwQgzG38zLHyasg/s1600/Renovation+019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3PomWKDF5J4k_UTWk3OJCkDBRVjJPosdjUPwYllK_xpZ491wqw-Ej8vYiIdI2uG3KXKzGWZGkLlzf6NLrXe-1rgLGB8tsgUOnjiEmgSYz39Lc1m2FwXSadzTPwQgzG38zLHyasg/s320/Renovation+019.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This will work when it's not freezing outside.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After completing the drywall for the foyer, I added a couple of places to hang jackets in the garage... Remember, I was basically doing this project on the weekends, so it took awhile to actually finish the closet on the inside and we still had the problem of coats being thrown on the floor.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUVY85LMR_p9NTKs-oVom5oR5YD31JTihwCxXIAZKD3UKyjaUbhxMXYtEk5ZHSWETsWHQYv3iCrHsvyN6pKJYqFpBC5u1KOZFlSZsF68SJIb2y50WVHnxa3uaZTArj3leUR1HoQ/s1600/Renovation+017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUVY85LMR_p9NTKs-oVom5oR5YD31JTihwCxXIAZKD3UKyjaUbhxMXYtEk5ZHSWETsWHQYv3iCrHsvyN6pKJYqFpBC5u1KOZFlSZsF68SJIb2y50WVHnxa3uaZTArj3leUR1HoQ/s320/Renovation+017.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the original front door became the door into the garage</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I removed an extra stud to widen the entry way (hence the hanging switch box). </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYci0dYZE5XVE8QG1j8SYrsoPfeZLSfKleyeiwzDdiDWhn2aBfG_QaZ7WS5haEpcT_x2hi6Dk8eozRLmObcIDziaEeDE23mR3jhwMFAXL-cDD1msmzeoNLtbCLMoWXPDzmWbPEbw/s1600/Renovation+012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYci0dYZE5XVE8QG1j8SYrsoPfeZLSfKleyeiwzDdiDWhn2aBfG_QaZ7WS5haEpcT_x2hi6Dk8eozRLmObcIDziaEeDE23mR3jhwMFAXL-cDD1msmzeoNLtbCLMoWXPDzmWbPEbw/s320/Renovation+012.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDPSdDj_C1jhmbTbxa39mWWhPXjJkiHHJWmPiBnYCo875gczxQ01cXbKn_nRPAyhAv-sUWdMf-GYOyzjzYFOhaL3U4m_XWpNUE53h4FT14NzqiDHzn4UzXOcQk-lEHgUm9yHlZ4g/s1600/Renovation+016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDPSdDj_C1jhmbTbxa39mWWhPXjJkiHHJWmPiBnYCo875gczxQ01cXbKn_nRPAyhAv-sUWdMf-GYOyzjzYFOhaL3U4m_XWpNUE53h4FT14NzqiDHzn4UzXOcQk-lEHgUm9yHlZ4g/s320/Renovation+016.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDPSdDj_C1jhmbTbxa39mWWhPXjJkiHHJWmPiBnYCo875gczxQ01cXbKn_nRPAyhAv-sUWdMf-GYOyzjzYFOhaL3U4m_XWpNUE53h4FT14NzqiDHzn4UzXOcQk-lEHgUm9yHlZ4g/s1600/Renovation+016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8heJtfsq78nfsLS_MQzBtxR5Uh1QysYNJ0KoQyKnBfjKKzaCd3O_abHpOhxlPezruiQ-OvXDN3kTk19LuSISm9mlKpJibhDFsR4dOK6ZtAS0qbwfh6WsIS_ufSTtDygPwuVPyw/s1600/Renovation+014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8heJtfsq78nfsLS_MQzBtxR5Uh1QysYNJ0KoQyKnBfjKKzaCd3O_abHpOhxlPezruiQ-OvXDN3kTk19LuSISm9mlKpJibhDFsR4dOK6ZtAS0qbwfh6WsIS_ufSTtDygPwuVPyw/s320/Renovation+014.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This was a pretty exciting moment to actually see the entryway come into existence! After framing out the closet and adding the doors, I added the light both in the entryway and outside at the new front door (which you'll see later). As a novice electrician I learned a lot... the first wiring job dimmed the lights in the living room... it was pretty funny actually (even though it meant I had to go back to the drawing board and figure out where to draw electricity from).</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjAWfPsrf1CTIME6_aaZjHJc87yofhyphenhyphenA2r9FZiJ0YXzMO_BO6SV4RpoXU6cqUbXwbs_Mb4fDRqs_yE59weHMLN9NnfAfGvyKdA3McMmtC-dP3SVYcrlnxJtZCWacWqslVnhAhklQ/s1600/Renovation+023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjAWfPsrf1CTIME6_aaZjHJc87yofhyphenhyphenA2r9FZiJ0YXzMO_BO6SV4RpoXU6cqUbXwbs_Mb4fDRqs_yE59weHMLN9NnfAfGvyKdA3McMmtC-dP3SVYcrlnxJtZCWacWqslVnhAhklQ/s320/Renovation+023.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPqm0xx8n7ZPEYMX_cUfJsHtqmEU2CnM1SS_Jfi6cudO5GSDKVWB6gtgtfBaqbbDcSlj6DT_TWTSAN8_Zpt7s7v8paE9QFPJFah7ly3JJUxol-7P6D1eO4HpctM7oA937pdQtHkw/s1600/Renovation+015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPqm0xx8n7ZPEYMX_cUfJsHtqmEU2CnM1SS_Jfi6cudO5GSDKVWB6gtgtfBaqbbDcSlj6DT_TWTSAN8_Zpt7s7v8paE9QFPJFah7ly3JJUxol-7P6D1eO4HpctM7oA937pdQtHkw/s320/Renovation+015.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
This archway was pretty cool. I bought it from <a href="http://www.fastarch.net/index.asp">FastArch</a> and it was super easy to install. I had to build a header above the archway and just attached it to that with roofing nails!<br />
<div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHT3PcDvQIb_mS5pD0NO1qR5yJigqnVE1244WY3OzcST3MmZIsToQYr7pUkFMUVNIqGQ8SbMtW1OTwyQMx54fQHR5DTdVGzMEmH1xdPx12ZHxZHvF8Fu4kxPplfAHK3p4kXJbeeA/s1600/Renovation+027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHT3PcDvQIb_mS5pD0NO1qR5yJigqnVE1244WY3OzcST3MmZIsToQYr7pUkFMUVNIqGQ8SbMtW1OTwyQMx54fQHR5DTdVGzMEmH1xdPx12ZHxZHvF8Fu4kxPplfAHK3p4kXJbeeA/s320/Renovation+027.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_BZQbldJsJaZMMWa7jePiQUzR0Z_uzAye2Y8bUK0-26i5ff6rHCbQctFQ24K-aKIWBOuJGJ1hK_O3rfaXPqLuPPvdZ8_Kkg5D31-5WLhDnwTgVGjn1H66JwbH3Y69V7R3PT74g/s1600/Renovation+026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_BZQbldJsJaZMMWa7jePiQUzR0Z_uzAye2Y8bUK0-26i5ff6rHCbQctFQ24K-aKIWBOuJGJ1hK_O3rfaXPqLuPPvdZ8_Kkg5D31-5WLhDnwTgVGjn1H66JwbH3Y69V7R3PT74g/s320/Renovation+026.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcU1cGtmvwk2rZxhBHfQ1YmVVV2bWbQdMag2CZVqWfG8-29-twKI1Fiplw7MITqnzb3cMizxfSkDW6p8Z235wcrEly7COGZjAIHY1E-Jg1P4AExOS-oiWW-R-u7NvOdkn0BBnmyw/s1600/Renovation+025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcU1cGtmvwk2rZxhBHfQ1YmVVV2bWbQdMag2CZVqWfG8-29-twKI1Fiplw7MITqnzb3cMizxfSkDW6p8Z235wcrEly7COGZjAIHY1E-Jg1P4AExOS-oiWW-R-u7NvOdkn0BBnmyw/s320/Renovation+025.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
Then came the job I enjoyed the least: drywall. I gained a whole new appreciation for those who do drywall for a living... It's a lot more difficult than it looks!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQusmsK8bTpp6WHOERTKkxkr2E-bHuQhM6JobDTaU1G5-RKZRUvaI3QdTT-w4YTFAcOuHfZKlwZQArkc-qa6zKZ4CgWdSnWmfspVzm48i6cZBoxaGKEAb02aWjDdDD8qXwXmg-5Q/s1600/100_0672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQusmsK8bTpp6WHOERTKkxkr2E-bHuQhM6JobDTaU1G5-RKZRUvaI3QdTT-w4YTFAcOuHfZKlwZQArkc-qa6zKZ4CgWdSnWmfspVzm48i6cZBoxaGKEAb02aWjDdDD8qXwXmg-5Q/s400/100_0672.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Putting in the new front door was fun at the beginning, but again, I have a whole new level of respect for someone who perfectly installs doors. I finally was able to get it to sit in there nicely, but it took awhile! Take note of the outdoor light. We never did get around to getting the sidewalk poured, but I did build a set of stairs, so the door is functional!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNB655NJgky2LggzDz7Rk0NanYjR1C7mhB9iWSzlukqtcWELyzBEko2geaVfwFFwCIZNBeABsUGpDPv5MVE9h7IFk5K8ShmuoXOh6VqUSJN10e7MjOl45n4UuChmzZ1S3j8213hA/s1600/100_0261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNB655NJgky2LggzDz7Rk0NanYjR1C7mhB9iWSzlukqtcWELyzBEko2geaVfwFFwCIZNBeABsUGpDPv5MVE9h7IFk5K8ShmuoXOh6VqUSJN10e7MjOl45n4UuChmzZ1S3j8213hA/s320/100_0261.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEise-An4GF_SThqJXVVTf2zoOBAIVf5CP6T_3XzqzoFGYxE9PEDzRlKo9A5Sro8o6fn7ntuIo2wPZvx_GUKDwR1Kw0nkQeU5x_lbcbZXsW-qV-ktnuCHqjLZAP-w2hwVNGwhCfujg/s1600/IMG_6036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEise-An4GF_SThqJXVVTf2zoOBAIVf5CP6T_3XzqzoFGYxE9PEDzRlKo9A5Sro8o6fn7ntuIo2wPZvx_GUKDwR1Kw0nkQeU5x_lbcbZXsW-qV-ktnuCHqjLZAP-w2hwVNGwhCfujg/s200/IMG_6036.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />
Like I said, the drywalling was not easy... I put a nice plastic edge on both sides of the archway, so hopefully that will last. Now it's ready for paint and trim! Speaking of paint, Now's a good time to point out another considerable upgrade to our house: Paint!! My cousin came to the house while we were in New Orleans for a wedding and painted the majority of the interior of our house. There's nothing better than coming back from a vacation to a new, beautiful home!!! She did such a wonderful job!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvohzd_IcXTVvvHc8iRoM9QBCpy5bufiaw3cI5st1JqQc2vhM_l2mJFDaQEyAdfkApijuWa4Vuf9yytdQXpu7XaiOBx1Bz-nuYUW7osP9nJaHIE-Ti_SHVieCvmwaj5lBJf6vdw/s1600/100_1546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvohzd_IcXTVvvHc8iRoM9QBCpy5bufiaw3cI5st1JqQc2vhM_l2mJFDaQEyAdfkApijuWa4Vuf9yytdQXpu7XaiOBx1Bz-nuYUW7osP9nJaHIE-Ti_SHVieCvmwaj5lBJf6vdw/s400/100_1546.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVCV3SxM84rZ1LpYND61Cl8d9Cp7UmAjGZvZ-1lYydVm6p4hnzltG-S8RD_BgzNHIAewgXb5W3FHfoqowTb8bCNhM_kgippUGwR9aNYHev-mGAwnwR_WZW89NwQMCaUpkAMthwQ/s1600/100_1547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVCV3SxM84rZ1LpYND61Cl8d9Cp7UmAjGZvZ-1lYydVm6p4hnzltG-S8RD_BgzNHIAewgXb5W3FHfoqowTb8bCNhM_kgippUGwR9aNYHev-mGAwnwR_WZW89NwQMCaUpkAMthwQ/s400/100_1547.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQKEN8z4XHC-RwJQboTGoMz4VytjEIdH_26sZh3cicmEsqJoWpJq9OqO8_oOgciwKM6gOQBakJ8C1elUE0gAWgntvrHFYBO5z4pt-Nvf3xZ1UKShhx0Jsrbh2q2y6MxdLMeC_7w/s1600/100_1548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQKEN8z4XHC-RwJQboTGoMz4VytjEIdH_26sZh3cicmEsqJoWpJq9OqO8_oOgciwKM6gOQBakJ8C1elUE0gAWgntvrHFYBO5z4pt-Nvf3xZ1UKShhx0Jsrbh2q2y6MxdLMeC_7w/s400/100_1548.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Are you ready? Drumroll please...</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKfzMOR9DVIghfsWvUDnR_WD6VV4K9mwdEW5zvvucg8tx7SZ4zHglbtgxi5lxIsGQxHOB5DAwFNr9Spub51jHYgCH5s-_yN4J5tYHBdZx1ABHL_G7JWPISSb-vDYe2FzzVRw6tQ/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKfzMOR9DVIghfsWvUDnR_WD6VV4K9mwdEW5zvvucg8tx7SZ4zHglbtgxi5lxIsGQxHOB5DAwFNr9Spub51jHYgCH5s-_yN4J5tYHBdZx1ABHL_G7JWPISSb-vDYe2FzzVRw6tQ/s640/photo.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from Theresa: Thank you, Pete! its beautiful! and I even got my oval window front door with fancy handle! <3 br="">Oh and that beautiful signature piece of photography was done by <a href="http://www.hwportraits.com/">http://www.hwportraits.com/</a><!--3--></3></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>2) The Living Room Floor</b></div>
One of the other beautiful renovations to the house is our living room floors. The carpet was stained in several places and we believed that it still held some of the cigarette smell from the previous owners, so we opted to do hardwood floor. I had a friend of mine help me with most of it... it was actually quite easy once we got going... and what a difference!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie5sYoJRiKhsl_q4yXnaUrcKYZDCIrPQ6PsekeUF89QsgUzU8zMpn4TXSW-7eUwVqK7qjN2kGMAqaUQTQlbmCtbX1csV5om3j8PPxKw5BePaDgRC0lik-vD_Py5iXwsEVRt5tFFA/s1600/Renovation+028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie5sYoJRiKhsl_q4yXnaUrcKYZDCIrPQ6PsekeUF89QsgUzU8zMpn4TXSW-7eUwVqK7qjN2kGMAqaUQTQlbmCtbX1csV5om3j8PPxKw5BePaDgRC0lik-vD_Py5iXwsEVRt5tFFA/s320/Renovation+028.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbBb0Y6_dyFY5o_f_9OP0AgnMa6_bJiAucisolilkWwmpttj1XRjjQqGD4zxZl-MGQIBghEWLuemXTTZHYmIGC5om9ovqAIdZtVB2RMpM2gw_gmDOIq84nNWDqD9GBwlWg22Gsg/s1600/Renovation+024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbBb0Y6_dyFY5o_f_9OP0AgnMa6_bJiAucisolilkWwmpttj1XRjjQqGD4zxZl-MGQIBghEWLuemXTTZHYmIGC5om9ovqAIdZtVB2RMpM2gw_gmDOIq84nNWDqD9GBwlWg22Gsg/s320/Renovation+024.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ1A9FwNKrh5Xf1GMsTco7oTPmDpy_zODKaZcZUe1y5eEpfEwaaxWfazZskcLUN2T0Y7poc5MNs1RnBvzDXwCcG63-QFNffvVbHppswVS91y7ZY70-G_bUSGwf7t1xk_fmhjPyWw/s1600/Renovation+029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ1A9FwNKrh5Xf1GMsTco7oTPmDpy_zODKaZcZUe1y5eEpfEwaaxWfazZskcLUN2T0Y7poc5MNs1RnBvzDXwCcG63-QFNffvVbHppswVS91y7ZY70-G_bUSGwf7t1xk_fmhjPyWw/s320/Renovation+029.jpg" width="180" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5V31qmcJ0IBAATV4V-1q_hPB0OaY5_aagraJTcK90-keNnNBU4PoCNtdFfCtZG5o-8TOTLxnZMnQecs4KspN9S5UfCQSLbL-0HYKfGYX-2NP-EOaCgijkQD0KbO5SI86a1923g/s1600/Renovation+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5V31qmcJ0IBAATV4V-1q_hPB0OaY5_aagraJTcK90-keNnNBU4PoCNtdFfCtZG5o-8TOTLxnZMnQecs4KspN9S5UfCQSLbL-0HYKfGYX-2NP-EOaCgijkQD0KbO5SI86a1923g/s320/Renovation+005.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And here are the results!! Someone commented: "it looks as if it was meant to be hardwood all along!"</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3eQpku6hczUZTtvdUy8wQhXLkVVSjukDAeYayIe5AH4-az-qsqfxU9xfUCr8_622qXCj-egB_LeRO2NlHh06DikX-zSyZSuCoL5tF80inMBHyshTb75tKhkIugcIgIf6tDw9oHw/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3eQpku6hczUZTtvdUy8wQhXLkVVSjukDAeYayIe5AH4-az-qsqfxU9xfUCr8_622qXCj-egB_LeRO2NlHh06DikX-zSyZSuCoL5tF80inMBHyshTb75tKhkIugcIgIf6tDw9oHw/s640/image.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Theresa put together a wonderful image of what it looked like before and after:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiku7F9V45cSZCUBh-sShaITyE-jBFnvvKwkYTrDbERnCd1JnfZ95fdc5C3gzPrb5CJWk1UeEQeIoRCdBjRzFV8HTLhYdLqn4eIL0ppi45Xd00qmgE_6dUhhNv2o-l9GWz1kfPgPA/s1600/IMG_4942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiku7F9V45cSZCUBh-sShaITyE-jBFnvvKwkYTrDbERnCd1JnfZ95fdc5C3gzPrb5CJWk1UeEQeIoRCdBjRzFV8HTLhYdLqn4eIL0ppi45Xd00qmgE_6dUhhNv2o-l9GWz1kfPgPA/s640/IMG_4942.JPG" width="432" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>3) The Hobbit House</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The next project was for the boys...The closet under the stairs was not really being used, so...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIOgvnQzJavaHyHaAkVgbWUgOC3djYCyahs7LFeP8GJsLz0NbikBayiZPqrhSFWA9Lb9ICrnIud5jvhdnSrhi-q4isV-ZbNGZLu5A1yrv3zVTBZ5_eSVz5-hAY1ups8hP1Mmz3MA/s1600/100_0220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIOgvnQzJavaHyHaAkVgbWUgOC3djYCyahs7LFeP8GJsLz0NbikBayiZPqrhSFWA9Lb9ICrnIud5jvhdnSrhi-q4isV-ZbNGZLu5A1yrv3zVTBZ5_eSVz5-hAY1ups8hP1Mmz3MA/s320/100_0220.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbBM_n5dewbDCaBveIUy2IVpEvYSNXmJdHGvPrGn7Up-gHWvN73GZw50BTDy2Mv3GObfninm04rEClW0dHYGx-flWDsxT0YLZy7g_9oarbvaJKjmC4CPb_G2IKEByatIzuU8oyg/s1600/100_0221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbBM_n5dewbDCaBveIUy2IVpEvYSNXmJdHGvPrGn7Up-gHWvN73GZw50BTDy2Mv3GObfninm04rEClW0dHYGx-flWDsxT0YLZy7g_9oarbvaJKjmC4CPb_G2IKEByatIzuU8oyg/s320/100_0221.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
...we cut a hole in the wall....</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfOdsFnB8W0DPJgphh-Oq63zGQJ6h5YHWT60aOvVoZF5fnLTxMMEPuKMOuJgTN6d1oZ6iZpNMzEgSkz0KTu8ZqaoBRktzYRhg4AIMTJ7lNx76a6q5IxrRtJJUM-CVzSCNqhSm73Q/s1600/100_0224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfOdsFnB8W0DPJgphh-Oq63zGQJ6h5YHWT60aOvVoZF5fnLTxMMEPuKMOuJgTN6d1oZ6iZpNMzEgSkz0KTu8ZqaoBRktzYRhg4AIMTJ7lNx76a6q5IxrRtJJUM-CVzSCNqhSm73Q/s320/100_0224.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
...and added these cute little doors.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXA8__X17-CTbKzOYnjatJJAfjsNND5IXqZNt4oYoCYnfz08KV7Lo3vtObjTmb32_Dj5v6Khm7d0iq_c3jZsKltqFvAo1k3YIufh5sh2BJ9xJN9zUNxdeS3tvNwmIvOf0zJH1EA/s1600/100_0228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXA8__X17-CTbKzOYnjatJJAfjsNND5IXqZNt4oYoCYnfz08KV7Lo3vtObjTmb32_Dj5v6Khm7d0iq_c3jZsKltqFvAo1k3YIufh5sh2BJ9xJN9zUNxdeS3tvNwmIvOf0zJH1EA/s320/100_0228.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Voila! The Hobbit House! I took the door off the closet on the other end so that they can get some light in there... one of these days I might even add a light, but as you can imagine, they love it!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Theresa is painting a mural on that wall... it looks just like <a href="http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Shire">the Shire</a>. We'll post pictures when it's completed.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>4) Under the Deck Roof</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This project was unexpected, but I needed a place to park the lawn tractor and even though under the deck was the perfect spot, it was not dry because it dripped down from the deck. There are lots of expensive solutions out there that look very nice and then there are 10 foot metal roofing panels and some strips of 1x4s to help make the panels slope so they don't hold water...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFN9GYSFINb3BY-ZdikU1qErlcWElhuHP5kqaN-P489EMw7TU-YKDsWL4lFBvHMNfWBFz9niPntvHx2CkY_exYXPUatwJ0yBsML58S1WygwNKqHmyHmkDOeb3oVm2s0hl9Wye1w/s1600/100_1249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFN9GYSFINb3BY-ZdikU1qErlcWElhuHP5kqaN-P489EMw7TU-YKDsWL4lFBvHMNfWBFz9niPntvHx2CkY_exYXPUatwJ0yBsML58S1WygwNKqHmyHmkDOeb3oVm2s0hl9Wye1w/s320/100_1249.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1G92tGarnforgBd5UB89FUujLyvkj-5WyPVZWh0AAoHUJuFVt6zGkZV-xCEUIKoCaWlILzvSTRD3xPHjsxEDQSohKJqcSvTccPGUNItCRE28fBBT45UWtJ9PxuNLpK3O0nHKu-g/s1600/100_1250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1G92tGarnforgBd5UB89FUujLyvkj-5WyPVZWh0AAoHUJuFVt6zGkZV-xCEUIKoCaWlILzvSTRD3xPHjsxEDQSohKJqcSvTccPGUNItCRE28fBBT45UWtJ9PxuNLpK3O0nHKu-g/s320/100_1250.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Believe it or not, this was a one-man job. I built a frame that held one end of the metal up while I screwed in the other end. I also framed around the perimeter and put up clear plastic roofing panels up so that it blocks the wind and not the light. It makes for a nice storage place and the cat keeps the mice out!\</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>5) The Storage Shed </b>(OK, so obviously I didn't feel like I had enough storage...)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Speaking of cats.. here's our cat "Socks"... I'm also pointing out the last project. I wanted to build a shed on top of the concrete slab that the previous owners left behind (it was for their dog kennel), but in the end, it looked like it was going to cost me more for the supplies (not to mention the time). I found a Rubbermaid storage shed which matched my siding pretty well (and fit the slab almost perfectly). Sure it's just plastic, but hey, I don't need it to withstand a hurricane or anything. It only took one day to build and so far it's a pretty nice shed!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiowDwwOsln5LOnXo35-lGhuBjCqE1khyphenhyphent2p9cR1zqiT8vTMT91ov_lNPlrTBJK_ppW61Glge1NWaeH4EZCXQjh2XF-MX5s-fJT7mlrO9S9qCo1g-vPBZzPP6gNN_QODlv-VEHfOw/s1600/image001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiowDwwOsln5LOnXo35-lGhuBjCqE1khyphenhyphent2p9cR1zqiT8vTMT91ov_lNPlrTBJK_ppW61Glge1NWaeH4EZCXQjh2XF-MX5s-fJT7mlrO9S9qCo1g-vPBZzPP6gNN_QODlv-VEHfOw/s640/image001.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Well, I hope you enjoyed our first year's worth of projects! I'm sure there are many more little things that we've done, but I think that covers all the big projects!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;">a punch to your shoulder</span></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<b style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>the Martins</i></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;" /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: start;" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZch5Qt4YFYijtzJdmRmHc8zS021iN4lrCO0ZGqzPnamTCvAtku8nsoJdvtmkw3bhyphenhyphenTh1Atk0QMhwDbZI4gWyDFzDL3zm725yNPFaVlHTkFbOumegKbiD_9yUmLrZqf6azVenA6A/s1600/thats-all-folks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #002a77; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZch5Qt4YFYijtzJdmRmHc8zS021iN4lrCO0ZGqzPnamTCvAtku8nsoJdvtmkw3bhyphenhyphenTh1Atk0QMhwDbZI4gWyDFzDL3zm725yNPFaVlHTkFbOumegKbiD_9yUmLrZqf6azVenA6A/s400/thats-all-folks.jpg" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-47822791372704535092013-11-17T22:39:00.003-06:002013-11-18T11:49:23.188-06:00Sunday TOP TEN - Calm before the storm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKnXq24i8uL7C9Ik-a-2qGhiZIhhsxbi1iNMarE86sPwvOPDY3gRwAPQmhcshSY-WN7WpM0aEN1wr_9zy1_n9R9TpsWo6174EH9vcUx5i874D0J59sDZ0i24bGb3kb2vMDZhehQ/s1600/Sunday+Top+Ten!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKnXq24i8uL7C9Ik-a-2qGhiZIhhsxbi1iNMarE86sPwvOPDY3gRwAPQmhcshSY-WN7WpM0aEN1wr_9zy1_n9R9TpsWo6174EH9vcUx5i874D0J59sDZ0i24bGb3kb2vMDZhehQ/s400/Sunday+Top+Ten!.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Sunday TOP TEN - Calm before the storm</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(updated 11/18! check out #4)</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">10. Lighter side first</span>...Somebody turned 5 on November 7th!!!</span></b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Happy Birthday, Leonardo!</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ssOjl2vjPNE6qz7WJGnVeeX3QE5mpPb94FIG-S4jss1BUGWadcnhRHAu8qjVSTptojHLio7s9VoDvCRJvboC1GsVOqQJLDYfgQlfnsVCVx9HZwyVdeC1i0YmRCx3tG68NdPyPQ/s1600/IMG_7744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ssOjl2vjPNE6qz7WJGnVeeX3QE5mpPb94FIG-S4jss1BUGWadcnhRHAu8qjVSTptojHLio7s9VoDvCRJvboC1GsVOqQJLDYfgQlfnsVCVx9HZwyVdeC1i0YmRCx3tG68NdPyPQ/s320/IMG_7744.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Celebrating with "minion" cupcakes! </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(yes, totally not healthy, but you only turn 5 once!) ;-)</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA1zxrDtOYATxPaHqiP0t9AbbGRVi_2RLEeiBt_k2VzaOv7lt4TUngrKMgJsUt9zyZ7xkMpJ39vfuRo_ntrLigwNexTAx8ti5LwK5yb1BaTvbTrLPEg9pCuBM1EZSx23qxZ50ahg/s1600/IMG_7763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA1zxrDtOYATxPaHqiP0t9AbbGRVi_2RLEeiBt_k2VzaOv7lt4TUngrKMgJsUt9zyZ7xkMpJ39vfuRo_ntrLigwNexTAx8ti5LwK5yb1BaTvbTrLPEg9pCuBM1EZSx23qxZ50ahg/s320/IMG_7763.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wish we could add subtitles in for the minions babbling with their heads on fire ;-)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">9. Speaking of birthdays</span> - we forgot to share with you the fun birthday run they get to do (only if they want to!) at karate!</span></b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Here is Louis doing the run - he was a little nervous, but he REALLY wanted to do it!</span></span></b></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/YHlT073CbVs" width="640"></iframe>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And here is Leonardo's run!</span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/l9rVERHpj88" width="640"></iframe>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We ALL love this dojo and all the great people there - adults and kids alike!</span></b></span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">8. "Socks" </span>is our outdoor cat, aka I-desperately-want-to-be-in-your-house-cat. The outer glass of this window was missing for a day (got broken, that's another story) and Socks is right there, trying to find his way in! Silly farm cat who thinks he's a house cat! </span></b><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">:-P</span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEqdpfUw0rOogLLITTvXxAg5FzJumPf0H-ezQ-FGRHwT7L8fT9xrze8ZV37lGQrVosXFAsJa1qDuWDH6pVE5sbOAWKja2rHwyDFBqOudjT9-3iQ4_liX-hikD7MYcyJQhj36xWQ/s1600/IMG_7853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEqdpfUw0rOogLLITTvXxAg5FzJumPf0H-ezQ-FGRHwT7L8fT9xrze8ZV37lGQrVosXFAsJa1qDuWDH6pVE5sbOAWKja2rHwyDFBqOudjT9-3iQ4_liX-hikD7MYcyJQhj36xWQ/s320/IMG_7853.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">7. We let the boys </span>watch this preview ...</span></b></div>
</div>
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/wCkerYMffMo" width="640"></iframe>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Which led to this ...</span></b><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/dBpFdewc8vc" width="640"></iframe>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And this ...</span></b><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/2uEcS3MRyuI" width="640"></iframe>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And this ...</span></b></span><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/-EatTAorfXI" width="640"></iframe><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And those are just the times I caught it on video! The "fun" never ends :-)</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">6. Whenever I feel down</span>, his face gives me joy - could he be an cuter?! </span></b></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUZFO1TtrjDMuKKlkl_e4JWVG6HMca-KfU5I3BoNyWWls6k6K8DLPhcarQig3leNaTLVh0BtnGEfGOMWEhpICDtYaZQZt7w_doiWm5Q_14t3Jm5MdSP_UpPfh1DGN7wXI3zly5g/s1600/IMG_7732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUZFO1TtrjDMuKKlkl_e4JWVG6HMca-KfU5I3BoNyWWls6k6K8DLPhcarQig3leNaTLVh0BtnGEfGOMWEhpICDtYaZQZt7w_doiWm5Q_14t3Jm5MdSP_UpPfh1DGN7wXI3zly5g/s320/IMG_7732.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 months and rockin' it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">5. We are in the 2nd Qtr of school - </span>so many things they are learning ... here is one fun project Gregory did. It took him forever to make the volcano and it seemed so anti-climactic to me when it just barely bubbles over - but they seemed to have fun!</span></b><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9GIaJ3urumQBhpzhli4vwcsBO4V3xkYEgPpg7Jj_GmsPWrtL_CuOBnEsoW4HHsiI6XOKqQfoPjfCrMzcKK_OajKCTqzLdgUsHTYiZeH82fw997BASO3sYtgMX7POZRlq3tRsaQ/s1600/2013+10+oct+4+029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/54tAsEnIChU" width="640"></iframe>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">4. Two Year Old King returns!</span> (</span></b><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">UPDATE! With a THROWBACK video of Leonardo at age 2!! See below!) </span></b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOF2Eku2FxnX9lrALal_w3jtglpguZ-Xv0szI93HPr7NtoWlqHU3voiQDmHizpPcBqLTcAOrODUXb5aEdqrTwJ-bKtlhm7Gdswc6G2Jb1lIVuV6gtCUm6L-L2Cr2jTtTvHdJ2mHQ/s1600/IMG_7730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOF2Eku2FxnX9lrALal_w3jtglpguZ-Xv0szI93HPr7NtoWlqHU3voiQDmHizpPcBqLTcAOrODUXb5aEdqrTwJ-bKtlhm7Gdswc6G2Jb1lIVuV6gtCUm6L-L2Cr2jTtTvHdJ2mHQ/s320/IMG_7730.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, you want a piece of this? WHODAT, baby.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/NQsBSI8_EiU" width="640"></iframe>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love, love, love our Emmanuel! LOL!</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">UPDATE! Peter found this video of LEONARDO at the same age, with the same attitude, and the same HAT! :-) They are so alike! How sweet is this:</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/5QdjqqUcw34" width="480"></iframe>
<b><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">3. Big Day approaches</span> ... So, we know Damian has the same extremely rare disease Louis does - on Tuesday (this Tuesday, the 19th!) I take those two both in for their doctor appointments. As the day draws closer, the thoughts that I have kept at bay all this time begin to surface and make my heart start beating more rapidly. Then I take a breath and remember that we can only take one day at a time and most days include moments like this ... these are two very special little boys!</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/UelvyjtGk-8" width="640"></iframe>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"></span></b></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">2. I just need to remember to breathe </span>... it seems like such a simple thing, but when you feel overwhelmed and bombarded by so much out of your control, so much that means suffering for your babies, it's easy to forget. So I have to remind myself! And I must remember that you have to keep smiling because...</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> it's just no fun to go potty if you can't be Darth Vader!</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0HD3fSm-AlShLzPnFc83EkdlLYl0vFRgxeYHZjYoWn_dqdw5PiH6FA1TFZ7XVY77wYhc4LDDl4v8BtkUpbYDPpQxB91nfhWCJuryYW5NZduDx-nqv4sZ3_7R6J104T4uz9ZGSQ/s1600/IMG_7454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0HD3fSm-AlShLzPnFc83EkdlLYl0vFRgxeYHZjYoWn_dqdw5PiH6FA1TFZ7XVY77wYhc4LDDl4v8BtkUpbYDPpQxB91nfhWCJuryYW5NZduDx-nqv4sZ3_7R6J104T4uz9ZGSQ/s320/IMG_7454.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and it's just no fun to roll around if you can't tear into wrapping paper!</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30y72S3rrr4I_Eom_bEGPPH3NBhhAhnxAH8j3OF3qlHMZiJ2vhyphenhyphenloB7x6Iwuytpgc_Id3jylSJf91I0rmbMAfgwKTHSfgQrbvWJcdVgNDHXaV0le8nLwr3gUZjcHDJtVaOrr2eg/s1600/IMG_7632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30y72S3rrr4I_Eom_bEGPPH3NBhhAhnxAH8j3OF3qlHMZiJ2vhyphenhyphenloB7x6Iwuytpgc_Id3jylSJf91I0rmbMAfgwKTHSfgQrbvWJcdVgNDHXaV0le8nLwr3gUZjcHDJtVaOrr2eg/s320/IMG_7632.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgFJRcmHIRCYWiFes8PlNhyphenhyphenlf9ddZfaW9MZHoGcgT5pCtUa4zFAVi8PeWcq1e3Jl2qsKJDXvnrn56YNcFlYkyRjV-hNkaXkoN7XoK7RVrFT1hXXsTk4dJN5Qvs9P5pkaes6Okow/s1600/IMG_7633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgFJRcmHIRCYWiFes8PlNhyphenhyphenlf9ddZfaW9MZHoGcgT5pCtUa4zFAVi8PeWcq1e3Jl2qsKJDXvnrn56YNcFlYkyRjV-hNkaXkoN7XoK7RVrFT1hXXsTk4dJN5Qvs9P5pkaes6Okow/s320/IMG_7633.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhug-cG8CoTgzmXZaLNJE1hRZSMRzlLrHDo-QXvReYxmrikNM-z00igVMFQUJntD4Ia1Udt3JBRjeQuDngokLH77eTYWfhGRPHKc9w01PEOuKDeRon0t3P9HfizG-IUTLljPkM5uQ/s1600/IMG_7635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhug-cG8CoTgzmXZaLNJE1hRZSMRzlLrHDo-QXvReYxmrikNM-z00igVMFQUJntD4Ia1Udt3JBRjeQuDngokLH77eTYWfhGRPHKc9w01PEOuKDeRon0t3P9HfizG-IUTLljPkM5uQ/s320/IMG_7635.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and it's okay to have a glass of wine when you need it! :-)</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxH54dRBqoigxbV1Y-E6GaYPO8jGd3v8I0zSJI9uCj5NFbdgywfNFbQAmMAetwQB0373bVvzn0ZwIny9rhGCBSPlzspNZcZyYtRjuUBoJ7s8ElfEUoOyDhyphenhyphenB5U47-_XVqaQr2w1A/s1600/IMG_7849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxH54dRBqoigxbV1Y-E6GaYPO8jGd3v8I0zSJI9uCj5NFbdgywfNFbQAmMAetwQB0373bVvzn0ZwIny9rhGCBSPlzspNZcZyYtRjuUBoJ7s8ElfEUoOyDhyphenhyphenB5U47-_XVqaQr2w1A/s320/IMG_7849.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">1. Did I mention we love our karate?</span> To say good-bye, here is a fun video of Louis (on left) fighting Leonardo (right)! :-)</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/p6rycB0G0cY" width="640"></iframe>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Please pray for us on Tuesday! And check our <a href="http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/louisfm">caringbridge site</a> for updates! (</span></b><a href="http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/louisfm">http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/louisfm</a><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">) Thank you so much!</span></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">a punch to your shoulder,</span></b><br />
<div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>the Martins</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZch5Qt4YFYijtzJdmRmHc8zS021iN4lrCO0ZGqzPnamTCvAtku8nsoJdvtmkw3bhyphenhyphenTh1Atk0QMhwDbZI4gWyDFzDL3zm725yNPFaVlHTkFbOumegKbiD_9yUmLrZqf6azVenA6A/s1600/thats-all-folks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZch5Qt4YFYijtzJdmRmHc8zS021iN4lrCO0ZGqzPnamTCvAtku8nsoJdvtmkw3bhyphenhyphenTh1Atk0QMhwDbZI4gWyDFzDL3zm725yNPFaVlHTkFbOumegKbiD_9yUmLrZqf6azVenA6A/s400/thats-all-folks.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<br />
<div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
</div>
The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-14054784097589931412013-11-05T16:53:00.002-06:002013-11-05T16:53:22.208-06:007 Scattered Things of Celebration, Love, Heartache & Craziness<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="background-color: white; color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">7 Scattered Things of Celebration, Love, Heartache & Craziness</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. Happy 7th Birthday, Louis!</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTw9A4tqoCTTMQRjJI6ABXXGFDRY6Pgml8h47jZIhF5s0SmD99m0YxSZcPHhezBjIGuqofFHNcgXh_8ZFnj0vxSSAREzSCNFDm6sowNQNgJv0nqDWRNBx-mD6Gr1Od0AoibPs6Ew/s1600/IMG_7499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTw9A4tqoCTTMQRjJI6ABXXGFDRY6Pgml8h47jZIhF5s0SmD99m0YxSZcPHhezBjIGuqofFHNcgXh_8ZFnj0vxSSAREzSCNFDm6sowNQNgJv0nqDWRNBx-mD6Gr1Od0AoibPs6Ew/s320/IMG_7499.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">2. Carving Pumpkins </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For Louis' Birthday Party - we carved pumpkins! So fun!!</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Louis carved a ghost, Gregory a top hat &mustache guy, Pete carved IronMan & Theresa carved Mary & Jesus </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUID-ItlizGj4B-awgDx6xAZEUpz2Xz9WqKdAx5ILLlTYTytsHdKS1RA4hIaO4_8AWy0twSPL9fSiEq_31V2_qTgpBduaILLFnDSNAH48Rode52C3YSpd6jWZ3oC_kf8gPE-v4kA/s1600/pumpkins+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUID-ItlizGj4B-awgDx6xAZEUpz2Xz9WqKdAx5ILLlTYTytsHdKS1RA4hIaO4_8AWy0twSPL9fSiEq_31V2_qTgpBduaILLFnDSNAH48Rode52C3YSpd6jWZ3oC_kf8gPE-v4kA/s320/pumpkins+2.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. Trick - or - Treating</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgsNOSFnNDhIeWCUm04iY9N6vY9paBl3-TK4MUmkQ5d2rElje_wsVSAETHXXG4YYL3ha-ZXGRVzBGaClwrWqohzXQ6Mu_i9wwPWJQE-wWtDVZ7Fxg9hCZ7b-zagNC6O70EaqAHDQ/s1600/IMG_7628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgsNOSFnNDhIeWCUm04iY9N6vY9paBl3-TK4MUmkQ5d2rElje_wsVSAETHXXG4YYL3ha-ZXGRVzBGaClwrWqohzXQ6Mu_i9wwPWJQE-wWtDVZ7Fxg9hCZ7b-zagNC6O70EaqAHDQ/s320/IMG_7628.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Two-face" (Batman's enemy)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3E3xqGIkHzWMofRmJ0YK8LRWSDGkzdMsPo4EelJXqB3T4L01e1vUPD_gb4eaTO1SlDNVTc4EKRzxZCy9iqOyu5VMK9ERTKrp-eCBs2y5Slml_kXoVCJpNqLRH3R4xqdiuCMkNxg/s1600/IMG_7594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3E3xqGIkHzWMofRmJ0YK8LRWSDGkzdMsPo4EelJXqB3T4L01e1vUPD_gb4eaTO1SlDNVTc4EKRzxZCy9iqOyu5VMK9ERTKrp-eCBs2y5Slml_kXoVCJpNqLRH3R4xqdiuCMkNxg/s320/IMG_7594.JPG" width="160" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Batman!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkXv__b3GU_AY7nGEXwUndOpjWoZb7WWgtCPHq7sc2bqRTGFAdrXnMNPdUriWhyphenhyphendgxK5tRwk7U2W5A431F-eCAd-p337YCEIm7sEnLohQdKxMkrNmnE-8nZ2MwgemVcOgdX8Mxw/s1600/IMG_7606.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkXv__b3GU_AY7nGEXwUndOpjWoZb7WWgtCPHq7sc2bqRTGFAdrXnMNPdUriWhyphenhyphendgxK5tRwk7U2W5A431F-eCAd-p337YCEIm7sEnLohQdKxMkrNmnE-8nZ2MwgemVcOgdX8Mxw/s320/IMG_7606.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Buzz Lightyear"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4FSjZnRI2FJotcXB5AK5EyrE6kVybtk_is7dYjkmXmDDshDjSMyLbG4o-H0dpg-PE7vakq44i3WA1ZFIvHUvXhjCtEd-bL4mgtxQMeLl9mYJG1MjrWkq1NZtkDl0pdHJG3Zx9-A/s1600/IMG_7620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4FSjZnRI2FJotcXB5AK5EyrE6kVybtk_is7dYjkmXmDDshDjSMyLbG4o-H0dpg-PE7vakq44i3WA1ZFIvHUvXhjCtEd-bL4mgtxQMeLl9mYJG1MjrWkq1NZtkDl0pdHJG3Zx9-A/s320/IMG_7620.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Darth Vader (Peter) & Darth Mal (Louis)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WRhlSs-To_gXaz2KPEr7qAQN7Eo4EqHfakJ5JWYCc360gvhEObRQtECOXuPUlWawVZAVOIvU04gaLmFdlkVNrlWVI5mquaUqFpLpTPA1gxl8eZeVQScHqzSEAoGQX3vQB-u6MA/s1600/IMG_7589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WRhlSs-To_gXaz2KPEr7qAQN7Eo4EqHfakJ5JWYCc360gvhEObRQtECOXuPUlWawVZAVOIvU04gaLmFdlkVNrlWVI5mquaUqFpLpTPA1gxl8eZeVQScHqzSEAoGQX3vQB-u6MA/s320/IMG_7589.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3DLmOaKnsZ_iBiRxOgXxaEnW2sTR0nFL7W3fZcUIs5sDvZt7pS-m9nZ0Jh-lKp4tsDnHXRg5Gmy0V7S5Qn8mn0mivtlWmnB4j6VoZKyY7LSP-OchDwdwJ_dG3xeyRoBB3Yu01Uw/s1600/IMG_7611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3DLmOaKnsZ_iBiRxOgXxaEnW2sTR0nFL7W3fZcUIs5sDvZt7pS-m9nZ0Jh-lKp4tsDnHXRg5Gmy0V7S5Qn8mn0mivtlWmnB4j6VoZKyY7LSP-OchDwdwJ_dG3xeyRoBB3Yu01Uw/s320/IMG_7611.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">with friends!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgekUuxiikRrSr1_DboL9NIPAMi-uuylhCQNDKVz170qGvc2s67iX1sIK7k76sMlDP8MNmsdSMNUyVixX0lutnvnW84VFyNLy6PTBwSgWjO-X7Rj7ODso6VLtCPMzgFz_mA6kmsBQ/s1600/IMG_7622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgekUuxiikRrSr1_DboL9NIPAMi-uuylhCQNDKVz170qGvc2s67iX1sIK7k76sMlDP8MNmsdSMNUyVixX0lutnvnW84VFyNLy6PTBwSgWjO-X7Rj7ODso6VLtCPMzgFz_mA6kmsBQ/s320/IMG_7622.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Ninja Mamas"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">4. Loving Karate!</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoPfqr6uhACewTvYhocT34d2HQcd4Ra8G803dJe3oQ95u1QN5Rb0ZNmqwoJcWpwxpUJrnJEQGiqrZV30hBx79Wv2WEdajARtlp5_WOjAtbwNNqeO9kTxcGvI1QFyfUUNKxcBfV8A/s1600/IMG_7651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoPfqr6uhACewTvYhocT34d2HQcd4Ra8G803dJe3oQ95u1QN5Rb0ZNmqwoJcWpwxpUJrnJEQGiqrZV30hBx79Wv2WEdajARtlp5_WOjAtbwNNqeO9kTxcGvI1QFyfUUNKxcBfV8A/s320/IMG_7651.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gregory & Louis participated in their first karate test!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkNtJZRASlIR_qe6l5A6Cc-4zN4I5GZ2KIUPtyJ4WQ_wBCrnDVQh6Qsng8tJ43wBJQ-4DC4ieSkz0pl6foKo9YWYkXDSJ95eEVgZbyFQEo_ZUWdxcF53swXJjBy3jW1hR-zH-AkA/s1600/IMG_7658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkNtJZRASlIR_qe6l5A6Cc-4zN4I5GZ2KIUPtyJ4WQ_wBCrnDVQh6Qsng8tJ43wBJQ-4DC4ieSkz0pl6foKo9YWYkXDSJ95eEVgZbyFQEo_ZUWdxcF53swXJjBy3jW1hR-zH-AkA/s320/IMG_7658.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And they both progressed a stripe!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Congratulations, boys!</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">5. Blessings of boys </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">...</span> </span></b><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">it may look like just rolled up garbage, </span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRW6iMJUY1GRfx-NlzhgWunA6Zj_iG0-JLXtnDdBt0qiBAlT87OoFoN_dLrPYOm_8sFFS-ql3J5aUiH8ra6K2PzbljDyhY3BrDoGsjY0TcbPJK_m0Cmdg5XgmaFXSNpC1ITssQ0g/s1600/IMG_7667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRW6iMJUY1GRfx-NlzhgWunA6Zj_iG0-JLXtnDdBt0qiBAlT87OoFoN_dLrPYOm_8sFFS-ql3J5aUiH8ra6K2PzbljDyhY3BrDoGsjY0TcbPJK_m0Cmdg5XgmaFXSNpC1ITssQ0g/s320/IMG_7667.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but it's really a map of Mysterious Island! </span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvRC6l4rAmiQBotRpd9nyMUmg-mpGCWZgGRYKcMV9Kt8octRtMngo_zstnKv5fmn_pqpI1xbYP9IYwe1SzTGIQ8eovl4h3E5u4d_dgu5vUbQJohLsqXfnAFEk4jMImD85isS6Stw/s1600/IMG_7669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvRC6l4rAmiQBotRpd9nyMUmg-mpGCWZgGRYKcMV9Kt8octRtMngo_zstnKv5fmn_pqpI1xbYP9IYwe1SzTGIQ8eovl4h3E5u4d_dgu5vUbQJohLsqXfnAFEk4jMImD85isS6Stw/s400/IMG_7669.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">6. Update on Damian </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, we did get the test results back and Damian does have the same genetic mutation as Louis, & the same disease NOMID. But he'ssocute - even with spots :-)</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhejQstk4X5yNA4f9t1VO3pemzHIMZV641YlHHlTLeSLbOH5C830sOJJORhs0YcHFgWQO4mVW0K_WBjvHGLvVsPbF00qOn9ui4otInmDovpi4vSX-XQJsrB2ihyWEzFMW0tYkeXLQ/s1600/Damian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhejQstk4X5yNA4f9t1VO3pemzHIMZV641YlHHlTLeSLbOH5C830sOJJORhs0YcHFgWQO4mVW0K_WBjvHGLvVsPbF00qOn9ui4otInmDovpi4vSX-XQJsrB2ihyWEzFMW0tYkeXLQ/s320/Damian.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom, another picture? sheesh!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can follow the medical updates on our CaringBridge site: </span></b><a href="http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/louisfm"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/louisfm</b></span></a><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you - everyone - for your support and prayers. We are not sure what the future holds - and that just forces us to rely even more on our dear heavenly Father ... your prayers are so precious - thank you for every one of them! They are helping us so much!</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">7. Birthday Boy Treasures - Oh Louis!</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Louis was reading the chapter of his religion book to me - the chapter when Adam and Eve disobeyed God </span>(and remember that made them lose the ability to go to heaven - and no, I'm not going to get into the difference between condemned to hell and not into heaven yet, but Louis didn't see a difference ;-) love this kid...)</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">"And they were not able to go to heaven"</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Louis: "oh no! That's terrible! That's so sad!"</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Me: "keep reading"</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Louis goes on and on about how awful not going to heaven is and all the fire in hell, with me saying "keep reading" every 20 seconds or so... Aprx 7 minutes(! - no joke.) later he reads again</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Louis reading: "then God promised a savior-I know who that is! Oh I get it! Jesus had to come save us because Adam & Eve lost Gods grace and Jesus wins it back for us!"</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Me: "yes!" Close enough ;-) so sweet to see him make the connection of the entire spread of salvation history on his own!</span></span></b><div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div id="yui_3_13_0_1_1383691103656_3025" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The 2nd best part about Louis' lesson today was when he began reading about Eve and the snake</span><b> </b></span></div>
<div id="yui_3_13_0_1_1383691103656_3025" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div id="yui_3_13_0_1_1383691103656_3025" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>"oh she better not listen to it!" He says between words & after the snake speaks </b></span></div>
<div id="yui_3_13_0_1_1383691103656_3025" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>and Eve ate the fruit he said "Nooooo! Oh mom, she should have said what you did! She should have said, 'no way Satan, not me! I am a daughter of the living God!' And all that other stuff you said"</b></span></div>
<div id="yui_3_13_0_1_1383691103656_3023" style="background-color: white;">
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Me: "yeah, that would have been better huh?"</span></b></div>
<div id="yui_3_13_0_1_1383691103656_3022" style="background-color: white;">
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Louis: "definitely. If snakes ever talk to me that's what I'll say, but I'll say 'son' not 'daughter.'"</span></b></div>
<div id="yui_3_13_0_1_1383691103656_3021" style="background-color: white;">
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To which I tried to explain how Satan can tempt us in many ways & your snake could be a whisper in your heart to be naughty when you should be good.</span></b></div>
<div id="yui_3_13_0_1_1383691103656_3020" style="background-color: white;">
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Louis' response? "Mom, you can't have a snake in your body. We had one in the house that one time but it didn't talk to me."</span></b></div>
<div id="yui_3_13_0_1_1383691103656_3016" style="background-color: white;">
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">:-/</span></b></div>
<div id="yui_3_13_0_1_1383691103656_3024" style="background-color: white;">
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lol!</span></b></div>
<div id="yui_3_13_0_1_1383691103656_3024" style="background-color: white;">
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>& that's all I got!</i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7xjHl1DHomE38j3qNVLCj5cArkdlM1ZGmbGnyTQwkZombl3FaOFnL3R222uWFUk4yag3RbsGlfAh6BxV9A52Yt5Ww8B6F9KqT_MHFsWmX8TSpiltbMINws5Ak-8_vBbP3xJUzQ/s1600/IMG_7469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7xjHl1DHomE38j3qNVLCj5cArkdlM1ZGmbGnyTQwkZombl3FaOFnL3R222uWFUk4yag3RbsGlfAh6BxV9A52Yt5Ww8B6F9KqT_MHFsWmX8TSpiltbMINws5Ak-8_vBbP3xJUzQ/s320/IMG_7469.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<b><span style="font-size: medium;">a punch to your shoulder,</span></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"><b><i>the Martins</i></b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">
<span style="color: blue; font-size: medium;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PS - look for an update on the NEW foyer that Pete built soon! It's done and SOOOOOOO Beautiful!!! He gave me a front door! Love my man!</span></i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" /><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZch5Qt4YFYijtzJdmRmHc8zS021iN4lrCO0ZGqzPnamTCvAtku8nsoJdvtmkw3bhyphenhyphenTh1Atk0QMhwDbZI4gWyDFzDL3zm725yNPFaVlHTkFbOumegKbiD_9yUmLrZqf6azVenA6A/s1600/thats-all-folks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #002a77; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZch5Qt4YFYijtzJdmRmHc8zS021iN4lrCO0ZGqzPnamTCvAtku8nsoJdvtmkw3bhyphenhyphenTh1Atk0QMhwDbZI4gWyDFzDL3zm725yNPFaVlHTkFbOumegKbiD_9yUmLrZqf6azVenA6A/s320/thats-all-folks.jpg" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-78618600882266274532013-10-09T23:27:00.001-05:002013-10-09T23:27:37.391-05:00Miracles - God Can Read Your Facebook Page<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Miracles</b></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What does it mean to pray for a miracle? We pray harder for them when there is a crisis or illness, but do we believe they'll happen? Do we?</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A miracle did happen in my life today.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Remember when I wrote about Job? Wondering how he could accept the good AND the bad from God?? (<a href="http://martinminutes.blogspot.com/2013/09/oh-job-how-did-you-do-it.html">Here's where I wrote it</a>.) I reflected then on all that seemed bad and God used for so much good in our life.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well, last night was very hard. I didn't sleep much - maybe a total of 4 hours (because my dear husband let me sleep in until 7:30 but Damian hadn't really fallen asleep until 3:45ish). He has had cycles of fevers that we've been treating. All of this is yet another level of the this-seems-so-familiar with respect to Louis' illness.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As I was playfully complaining about being tired this morning on Facebook, someone made a comment about baby Damian making up for not letting me sleep and I said...</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZKvlqscVk668iUqBQwXQAxGsyM3CPcHGlzE3Sr8ffjP2mYDOTTYAXg5tBpX6KP-0y9gehi5tFAGIh675_cmmLkLtUinaX6HoxR_lmqEUuIn_XuVpLIG5Rk1lJ_Qtd1u2j5V4ZQ/s1600/blogmiracles.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZKvlqscVk668iUqBQwXQAxGsyM3CPcHGlzE3Sr8ffjP2mYDOTTYAXg5tBpX6KP-0y9gehi5tFAGIh675_cmmLkLtUinaX6HoxR_lmqEUuIn_XuVpLIG5Rk1lJ_Qtd1u2j5V4ZQ/s1600/blogmiracles.png" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Later in the day, I tried to do something on my phone and my Divine Office app started playing. So, I shut it off. A few minutes later, it randomly went on again and started playing the morning prayer again. So, once again, I shut it off. This happened several more times and I'm starting to get a little creeped out. The darn thing would not stay off! As I'm trying to get the boys together and into the car, every time I tried to use my phone the app started playing. Finally, after at least ten attempts, I just gave up and let it play. The boys complained but I told them hopefully if we let it play through we can then turn it off and it will stay off.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And as we are driving through the country side and boys are talking over it, I hear the reading announced. Can you guess what it was? Yep, it was the SAME EXACT reading from Job that struck me before:</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">READING Job 1:21; 2:10b</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb,</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">and naked I shall go back again.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">blessed be the name of the Lord!</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">We accept good things from God;</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">and should we not accept evil?</span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And after the reading was over, the signal glitched and I tried to stop it and play Pandora (which previously had just made the app start again), this time it worked. Our day moved on, but there was that verse again...</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Maybe it was just a malfunction, but God can even use malfunctions. Here I was complaining & joking that I would have to have words with God ... and He has words for me! </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzyVKegR7xbiXU1nV4NxEtukQS30i0O1fivkbquekkizLuICwYK4CdrtUgUSOjGaai9jNHkjAyjzJEeUNo8WL1h9Fzovt4YoDlV89Yb3bYrnELIzTNBuJvZXgEV5hBChbIJMB2g/s1600/iphone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzyVKegR7xbiXU1nV4NxEtukQS30i0O1fivkbquekkizLuICwYK4CdrtUgUSOjGaai9jNHkjAyjzJEeUNo8WL1h9Fzovt4YoDlV89Yb3bYrnELIzTNBuJvZXgEV5hBChbIJMB2g/s320/iphone.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have prayed that He would take this illness away, that my boys, our family would not have to suffer like this. I have prayed for miracles of healing for Louis and now for Damian. I knew what miracles I wanted to have happen.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You know, God did give me a miracle today, but not the one I wanted nor expected. He gave me the miracle of reaching into my life and making Himself known. It was a miracle of a moment of confirmation that He is here with us now and He has us in His hands. What a gift to realize God is with us! And He can even use an iPhone! I'm all sassy like "I'm going to talk to God about this" and He's all like "yes, let's talk, I'm here- why don't you think about this again?" He scooped into my little mundane life to speak to me. And of course He does this constantly, but this was in such a vivid way that it floored me.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Moral of the story: God loves me <i>personally</i>. God loves <b>you</b> <i>personally</i>, too. And ... watch out, because He is reading your Facebook! ;-)</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">a punch to your shoulder,</span></b><br />
<div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>the Martins</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZch5Qt4YFYijtzJdmRmHc8zS021iN4lrCO0ZGqzPnamTCvAtku8nsoJdvtmkw3bhyphenhyphenTh1Atk0QMhwDbZI4gWyDFzDL3zm725yNPFaVlHTkFbOumegKbiD_9yUmLrZqf6azVenA6A/s1600/thats-all-folks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZch5Qt4YFYijtzJdmRmHc8zS021iN4lrCO0ZGqzPnamTCvAtku8nsoJdvtmkw3bhyphenhyphenTh1Atk0QMhwDbZI4gWyDFzDL3zm725yNPFaVlHTkFbOumegKbiD_9yUmLrZqf6azVenA6A/s400/thats-all-folks.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<br />
<div>
</div>
</div>
The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-39123259826080431042013-10-07T21:44:00.001-05:002013-10-07T21:44:26.165-05:00What the Heck was That?<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">What the Heck was That?</span></b></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That, ladies and gents, was a Monday. :-( I could tell you how Damian was miserable and couldn't be put down all day, how the others could sense my vulnerability and dove in for the kill with obstinate "make me" attitudes, but I better just do this:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Say <b>THANK YOU!</b> to you all for praying for us. (Taking each moment at a time, and trying not to wonder, worry and be anxious ... trying! Jesus, help me!) And focusing on the good points of the day like:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>The boys laughing hysterically when they found these little toys and remembered how I found Leonardo sleeping last week ...</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN8k5X2z39LcWxa8B4CkK_w7jZEsnRbn9HavPUwyBVr3VCpnfERET1_Oba6tBWI6QknjxhgGunOkFziwLD0JyBveTe1xg4gwqIis1G4MKdZYFrGfmRgSX7W2a2AsKDlqDi6X2vlA/s1600/IMG_7264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN8k5X2z39LcWxa8B4CkK_w7jZEsnRbn9HavPUwyBVr3VCpnfERET1_Oba6tBWI6QknjxhgGunOkFziwLD0JyBveTe1xg4gwqIis1G4MKdZYFrGfmRgSX7W2a2AsKDlqDi6X2vlA/s400/IMG_7264.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Maybe the super heroes are protecting his brain?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>And the-oh-so-funny continual joke that "daddy" began and the boys just can't let go...</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLMx2NKZuYzTyi9L0NfGDuenryIR_2cKwEeKC2WfJGJ1GSSTK-mjsNicE9H3koEnwvWrJHOFz92ODELNbWxheI3enw8HN0XRpIurorJmCKKv48pWxVUWutuo6ir4Pun-v9RMHJw/s1600/IMG_7322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLMx2NKZuYzTyi9L0NfGDuenryIR_2cKwEeKC2WfJGJ1GSSTK-mjsNicE9H3koEnwvWrJHOFz92ODELNbWxheI3enw8HN0XRpIurorJmCKKv48pWxVUWutuo6ir4Pun-v9RMHJw/s400/IMG_7322.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you don't get it, just think about what someone could say if they saw that on the ground ... and pretend you are a 6 year old boy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oh sure! Laugh away! It's not so funny the 50th time you step on it and almost twist your ankle! ;-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And that's all I got - it's been a h-ll of a day and baby Damian is still not well, but sleeping on daddy right now so I can have a little time alone. I'm not sleeping well - so if you could pray for one specific thing, please pray that he sleeps in longer stretches through the night. The lack of continuous sleep is making me a little delirious and it makes it more challenging to deal and cope with things...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Damian actually goes in for his 4 month check up tomorrow morning - not that they can do anything about the flairs and fever (the pediatrician already informed me that that was not her field and only a specialist could help with that). That appointment is set in mid-November. Hopefully we will have the genetic test results back by then!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Good night!</span><br />
<br />
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">a punch to your shoulder,</span></b><br />
<div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>the Martins</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZch5Qt4YFYijtzJdmRmHc8zS021iN4lrCO0ZGqzPnamTCvAtku8nsoJdvtmkw3bhyphenhyphenTh1Atk0QMhwDbZI4gWyDFzDL3zm725yNPFaVlHTkFbOumegKbiD_9yUmLrZqf6azVenA6A/s1600/thats-all-folks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZch5Qt4YFYijtzJdmRmHc8zS021iN4lrCO0ZGqzPnamTCvAtku8nsoJdvtmkw3bhyphenhyphenTh1Atk0QMhwDbZI4gWyDFzDL3zm725yNPFaVlHTkFbOumegKbiD_9yUmLrZqf6azVenA6A/s400/thats-all-folks.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<br />
<div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
</div>
<br />The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-72743733606798843122013-10-06T21:42:00.000-05:002013-10-06T21:42:35.839-05:00Sunday TOP TEN of Boys Being Boys <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKnXq24i8uL7C9Ik-a-2qGhiZIhhsxbi1iNMarE86sPwvOPDY3gRwAPQmhcshSY-WN7WpM0aEN1wr_9zy1_n9R9TpsWo6174EH9vcUx5i874D0J59sDZ0i24bGb3kb2vMDZhehQ/s1600/Sunday+Top+Ten!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKnXq24i8uL7C9Ik-a-2qGhiZIhhsxbi1iNMarE86sPwvOPDY3gRwAPQmhcshSY-WN7WpM0aEN1wr_9zy1_n9R9TpsWo6174EH9vcUx5i874D0J59sDZ0i24bGb3kb2vMDZhehQ/s400/Sunday+Top+Ten!.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Sunday TOP TEN of Boys Being Boys</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">10. Last spring year Leonardo looked like this:</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMyd3teB999MgE_uE0xd1UqYJXR8_f-cyeSiJD-FGYRwCK-Myed4GKhszKP4C1eri8uZfuk_8tBrzNoBQP_Jq-b7nCAgrw5fmYfV5dFisAaOAs_oWrcCM-wApOEcnk3psgreYe4g/s1600/LB+face.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMyd3teB999MgE_uE0xd1UqYJXR8_f-cyeSiJD-FGYRwCK-Myed4GKhszKP4C1eri8uZfuk_8tBrzNoBQP_Jq-b7nCAgrw5fmYfV5dFisAaOAs_oWrcCM-wApOEcnk3psgreYe4g/s320/LB+face.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">because he had gotten into my make-up and wanted to look like "an army guy." Yeah, go ahead and smile, but my coal eye color was completely kaput! He tried to totally play it off which is the funniest part. He came downstairs and casually said,"can I get up from quiet time now?" (As if we wouldn't notice!!) I look up and saw his face and asked what he did and he burst into tears... well...</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />Last week I found him like this:</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiakiOxFpEZ5_cLKvPCIrUhwhXaaPVxI4dhyphenhyphen5VadSJZd8xMP3YQvVJP8k3LnjzWeyz4ZCZL5K-wpTI1Ls35RrkBu-kUTI6TG5yPXMBDG2qgsAUjwCinkVUFoVxB79dH4yGgC2i3xw/s1600/2013+10+oct+4+060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiakiOxFpEZ5_cLKvPCIrUhwhXaaPVxI4dhyphenhyphen5VadSJZd8xMP3YQvVJP8k3LnjzWeyz4ZCZL5K-wpTI1Ls35RrkBu-kUTI6TG5yPXMBDG2qgsAUjwCinkVUFoVxB79dH4yGgC2i3xw/s320/2013+10+oct+4+060.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Obviously skeptical, I questioned him. And like the sweet mama I am, I video-ed it. ;-) #ammunitionforteenageyears ;-)</span></b></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/hgS6yIVtH3Q" width="480"></iframe>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">9. For a school outing the boys got to go meet the police! </span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5SSGeXsuZ5EEXQB9-pTr40RYLuNmemZnaPyRgl_qtenBoETssuWBRCCanW2ePGv_mf_Na81S5vpwmF5l6p33tib-2JFhiqWHPGhm4cljcCeFkba3wX4lrzRUq3_gw-wt3-v8iA/s1600/2013+10+oct+4+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5SSGeXsuZ5EEXQB9-pTr40RYLuNmemZnaPyRgl_qtenBoETssuWBRCCanW2ePGv_mf_Na81S5vpwmF5l6p33tib-2JFhiqWHPGhm4cljcCeFkba3wX4lrzRUq3_gw-wt3-v8iA/s400/2013+10+oct+4+023.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(Louis recalled when he road in a police car ... yeah, the morning my heart stopped. We woke up to find him missing. Looked all over and then Pete got in the car to search for him and saw the police car. He had Louis. Louis had said "I was just going to the store for ice-cream." No, he had no idea the store was miles and highways away!) </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">8. We have a new friend! "Socks" our new farm cat, aka outdoor cat. </span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6WUMn7NIBaGFVrcNAm7DkLIPaST2EJlPEUmkUpYh1pIppkgmI4dvXyz1g_gy8KRkpbA1vzDswKDaCi4yj2iUAN8L4_QhB5hH4IAaLWsBRb4PhXv6LWLC4hRqx9yZWece956JtFw/s1600/2013+10+oct+4+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6WUMn7NIBaGFVrcNAm7DkLIPaST2EJlPEUmkUpYh1pIppkgmI4dvXyz1g_gy8KRkpbA1vzDswKDaCi4yj2iUAN8L4_QhB5hH4IAaLWsBRb4PhXv6LWLC4hRqx9yZWece956JtFw/s400/2013+10+oct+4+004.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We also got a second cat "Missy," but we haven't seen her lately :-/ O_o</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">7. We went for brick oven pizza at Suncrest Farm! What a fantastic atmosphere!</span></b></span></b></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/3vouvv5R-QI" width="480"></iframe>
</div>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">6. Just another day ... fighting the "crazy tree!"</span></b></span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/U3vEpqTUW0c" width="480"></iframe>
</div>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5. Finally getting back to feeling like myself (somewhat) and cooking more creatively. There is nothing like the smell of fresh baked home-made herb bread!</span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9GIaJ3urumQBhpzhli4vwcsBO4V3xkYEgPpg7Jj_GmsPWrtL_CuOBnEsoW4HHsiI6XOKqQfoPjfCrMzcKK_OajKCTqzLdgUsHTYiZeH82fw997BASO3sYtgMX7POZRlq3tRsaQ/s1600/2013+10+oct+4+029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9GIaJ3urumQBhpzhli4vwcsBO4V3xkYEgPpg7Jj_GmsPWrtL_CuOBnEsoW4HHsiI6XOKqQfoPjfCrMzcKK_OajKCTqzLdgUsHTYiZeH82fw997BASO3sYtgMX7POZRlq3tRsaQ/s400/2013+10+oct+4+029.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. Sweet images...<br />Oh yes, the Two Year Old King returns!</span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiani3ETIV0yr8iTR-xoGCxOHiypotSALmv8vZHq83NJ9QRTPRypOuMijjsULz6AXHlUXdlbZ_eh1zLjZvhwDHfPmdpA59PK2QAtPKAuMGYN6xHd5IW3ZSDaAhKVZEEQWhtxquXGg/s1600/2013+10+oct+4+107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiani3ETIV0yr8iTR-xoGCxOHiypotSALmv8vZHq83NJ9QRTPRypOuMijjsULz6AXHlUXdlbZ_eh1zLjZvhwDHfPmdpA59PK2QAtPKAuMGYN6xHd5IW3ZSDaAhKVZEEQWhtxquXGg/s400/2013+10+oct+4+107.JPG" width="300" /></a></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth!</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxUMpQ0Hgkx1HUjPIWHVmrEBMWzSyvvFxOSFqO_gIBqQSsqjFl2ucX4k3gHyTgNfZdJ0RjVqfGWfDCn7MOWoMo6BYYWcDJJycp5ZV0-BFdsCRsQmfLDxTgDDlR-kNqUyyLOO9AQ/s1600/IMG_7303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxUMpQ0Hgkx1HUjPIWHVmrEBMWzSyvvFxOSFqO_gIBqQSsqjFl2ucX4k3gHyTgNfZdJ0RjVqfGWfDCn7MOWoMo6BYYWcDJJycp5ZV0-BFdsCRsQmfLDxTgDDlR-kNqUyyLOO9AQ/s400/IMG_7303.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. Pirates and warriors ...</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMBUI6f4chgrGNfQvkjH-qL7HKi2FjI8putct5u-zae8rVTGZB2vFm9QbFctFzQ_Z8GWlgd11cfbdmHRoj962nZqN_uJx16469r9PhX8yZbdDChnB7DRJiKUWfK3pW29cIszBlQ/s1600/2013+10+oct+4+075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMBUI6f4chgrGNfQvkjH-qL7HKi2FjI8putct5u-zae8rVTGZB2vFm9QbFctFzQ_Z8GWlgd11cfbdmHRoj962nZqN_uJx16469r9PhX8yZbdDChnB7DRJiKUWfK3pW29cIszBlQ/s400/2013+10+oct+4+075.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNXgKL6Z9LaEYvcIH0NR0U8bMnnFxyGONxWZHpJ4P8Vnm5xXMQKZEOfAYd99SiHcQVTbQx7a_ac25fIhnSkC7W05RMzO3cFDQCvrwLwBrl2r9OonW70pgDv0HNpv1ZEChe2mZo-A/s1600/2013+10+oct+4+081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNXgKL6Z9LaEYvcIH0NR0U8bMnnFxyGONxWZHpJ4P8Vnm5xXMQKZEOfAYd99SiHcQVTbQx7a_ac25fIhnSkC7W05RMzO3cFDQCvrwLwBrl2r9OonW70pgDv0HNpv1ZEChe2mZo-A/s400/2013+10+oct+4+081.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG6H-n_T_3WUE8cbv1nm8n2sob30pTmpWJGw84IDKyzGy6kYUjlnE0U1Rwo1dWZIWiECC5LdVc1rjADCbE9h1Gid3JPn4PKN3ImoW-HJaNoncp9Ni0w6YL003ebJqaGaeSLXc1uw/s1600/2013+10+oct+4+087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG6H-n_T_3WUE8cbv1nm8n2sob30pTmpWJGw84IDKyzGy6kYUjlnE0U1Rwo1dWZIWiECC5LdVc1rjADCbE9h1Gid3JPn4PKN3ImoW-HJaNoncp9Ni0w6YL003ebJqaGaeSLXc1uw/s400/2013+10+oct+4+087.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"></span></b></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. Damian's first bite of "real" food!!! (Gregory was the videographer for this one ;-)</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Ws_gD69V7wg" width="480"></iframe>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. Enjoy this assortment of insanity ...um, I mean... our wonderful life! :-)</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/BQRk-VQacHc" width="480"></iframe>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">a punch to your shoulder,</span></b><br />
<div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>the Martins</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZch5Qt4YFYijtzJdmRmHc8zS021iN4lrCO0ZGqzPnamTCvAtku8nsoJdvtmkw3bhyphenhyphenTh1Atk0QMhwDbZI4gWyDFzDL3zm725yNPFaVlHTkFbOumegKbiD_9yUmLrZqf6azVenA6A/s1600/thats-all-folks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZch5Qt4YFYijtzJdmRmHc8zS021iN4lrCO0ZGqzPnamTCvAtku8nsoJdvtmkw3bhyphenhyphenTh1Atk0QMhwDbZI4gWyDFzDL3zm725yNPFaVlHTkFbOumegKbiD_9yUmLrZqf6azVenA6A/s400/thats-all-folks.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-87643162005129896842013-09-21T16:31:00.000-05:002013-09-21T16:31:13.882-05:007 QuickTakes -Ghost Bananas, Boys Playing Mass and loving things ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUbqKPea8lSa3azviodlS5XFMclX7cn5zzTtZT6XUfQgURDs-D86kRdk5surmykEfIMAW7CBQZYOU33kVbejFgnaTJgGBgjq0YQpbGjg3OMC0uY42XoAm2dV385aZ6i5iK7HXhA/s1600/7QuickTakes-feat2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUbqKPea8lSa3azviodlS5XFMclX7cn5zzTtZT6XUfQgURDs-D86kRdk5surmykEfIMAW7CBQZYOU33kVbejFgnaTJgGBgjq0YQpbGjg3OMC0uY42XoAm2dV385aZ6i5iK7HXhA/s320/7QuickTakes-feat2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Happy Friday!</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">Well, we made it to another Friday – shhhhh! I
know it’s Saturday, </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">but you see we have this tiny dictator controlling our
lives…<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8-zI6Xc8-W9XFbUzhzlX34MiZG5M4HqHmTBedT8if3ycx_ebB2m2fud2EORp5mKjeoRt-6j68ph6_3mv2yLTjj4BmtT16m0HWRKTjy_IlhjQqGiOw4bzhrxLTR8Botxud7aA7A/s1600/IMG_6933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8-zI6Xc8-W9XFbUzhzlX34MiZG5M4HqHmTBedT8if3ycx_ebB2m2fud2EORp5mKjeoRt-6j68ph6_3mv2yLTjj4BmtT16m0HWRKTjy_IlhjQqGiOw4bzhrxLTR8Botxud7aA7A/s320/IMG_6933.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So, we’ll just PRETEND
it’s Friday ;-)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">2. Ghost bananas and Orange Pumpkins!</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Because we deserve some healthy Halloween treats!</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCKrtJABhIN3-7KUQ6dQlUvnNid4xyjEUxl7oQDi_GUxqCQXjD23IYEis1iNuHknhQllggLzbCZims1m_gnyPlPj1cWKXNFWTtjZFHGgQ91tY_L6o3iXHBsqzWvc8U5IybYIh_AA/s1600/IMG_6932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCKrtJABhIN3-7KUQ6dQlUvnNid4xyjEUxl7oQDi_GUxqCQXjD23IYEis1iNuHknhQllggLzbCZims1m_gnyPlPj1cWKXNFWTtjZFHGgQ91tY_L6o3iXHBsqzWvc8U5IybYIh_AA/s400/IMG_6932.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. Just another ordinary dinner at the Martins. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvqHBqee2U8Q_A3roKuwjqlPyTgPkqrDoMibp7wlmJIYRbbWovfBJSSOsRM0aqGUNV7_sGewDILEixOSrFSzb9aANygjNxWzibbZrV-5ny9q8P5_UAShH-8fYJ-v4ioi7FUB2geg/s1600/IMG_6965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvqHBqee2U8Q_A3roKuwjqlPyTgPkqrDoMibp7wlmJIYRbbWovfBJSSOsRM0aqGUNV7_sGewDILEixOSrFSzb9aANygjNxWzibbZrV-5ny9q8P5_UAShH-8fYJ-v4ioi7FUB2geg/s400/IMG_6965.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">'Cause cool is just how we roll... </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">4. One Day at a Time. </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Be easy on yourself. Tomorrow is another day. Some days will be such smooth sailing that you have a wee bit of relaxing time...take advantage of it! Rejoice in the now!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvTC78xdgW-Nbz22sMPDSx8KFXVTz0_xuLCuhk8a0MYZMd8K1gWfsgNQasnExBB0dMzODboH-fa-xAOTW1IHzQ068-Fuhv3eJi_thRM8GqCEqF74Yzmzvlt_aYk-9jbCvSy3IiA/s1600/IMG_6948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvTC78xdgW-Nbz22sMPDSx8KFXVTz0_xuLCuhk8a0MYZMd8K1gWfsgNQasnExBB0dMzODboH-fa-xAOTW1IHzQ068-Fuhv3eJi_thRM8GqCEqF74Yzmzvlt_aYk-9jbCvSy3IiA/s640/IMG_6948.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Because then there will be others when you are controlled by the tiny Dictator.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEify1WQvzjMoU4Bud4E2I2506LUd0cKwA_GZrLL5gjWq-sfqz4ZLUx3aR90yCZ4yRriy8643CjukZxGgz9h3erIPcnjVEj6CKb32xL0Bu2fyI_ajmlwqbU1br1wnpCgd2wImVyUlw/s1600/IMG_6954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEify1WQvzjMoU4Bud4E2I2506LUd0cKwA_GZrLL5gjWq-sfqz4ZLUx3aR90yCZ4yRriy8643CjukZxGgz9h3erIPcnjVEj6CKb32xL0Bu2fyI_ajmlwqbU1br1wnpCgd2wImVyUlw/s320/IMG_6954.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">5. The waiting continues...</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Damian was such a great sport at giving blood. The samples have been sent off, but it will take 4 -6 weeks for results to come back...</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdFZJRE0TaSwOqWsUdMD1MFOodUiq9t6EfXKgMhPYGJT-kEkhSVDxEAr2f0ynKmLFODsU1Lg6fUITOLrBTvqh0KnvrwmaX-Yi7fWElSk3nh_Y9b_B2JuzyTfaDDoIDcuRnonwzQ/s1600/IMG_7014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdFZJRE0TaSwOqWsUdMD1MFOodUiq9t6EfXKgMhPYGJT-kEkhSVDxEAr2f0ynKmLFODsU1Lg6fUITOLrBTvqh0KnvrwmaX-Yi7fWElSk3nh_Y9b_B2JuzyTfaDDoIDcuRnonwzQ/s400/IMG_7014.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He fussed a little while giving blood, but here he is all smiles going back to the car! Can't keep a good kid down!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">God is in control, God is in control, God is in control, </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">God is in control</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">...</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And when you feel overwhelmed,
just think about being a Star Wars taxidermist…</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTupo7C9Q6g524_Gfk3XIaXspxmwNP-Agr6TbHxpiVzp2WZKlTHpasFYszKDFS-tKSMdASyCPLOZVU_Pq3JMRmVIgrUCMGW3EhPACwg8iakqXUspKjgbT3G2dizvHyKewQCRU-Q/s1600/IMG_7004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTupo7C9Q6g524_Gfk3XIaXspxmwNP-Agr6TbHxpiVzp2WZKlTHpasFYszKDFS-tKSMdASyCPLOZVU_Pq3JMRmVIgrUCMGW3EhPACwg8iakqXUspKjgbT3G2dizvHyKewQCRU-Q/s320/IMG_7004.JPG" width="247" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">:-)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">6.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">On Friday we went on a
nature hike with friends.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Poor Emmanuel got so tired by the end, but I was
already caring Damian in the front carrier… Gregory said, “I’ll get him,
mom” I thought, “You will??” And then…</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWlJUmCXppQQTCV8ZJGC7EQtgZ1CkMPW6ERp48ir_cKQhLd26IOQM-eOT4Nrn0jcMiycI4_8AN1aa6kjDvVl3N0O67PgP7emtm_07NFebMiASOfCxgy2p8KDTE8JhdYF1y5ksCuw/s1600/IMG_7057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWlJUmCXppQQTCV8ZJGC7EQtgZ1CkMPW6ERp48ir_cKQhLd26IOQM-eOT4Nrn0jcMiycI4_8AN1aa6kjDvVl3N0O67PgP7emtm_07NFebMiASOfCxgy2p8KDTE8JhdYF1y5ksCuw/s640/IMG_7057.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 18pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="font-size: 18pt;">“He’s not heavy, he’s my brother...”</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>#heartmelting</b></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">7. did you not get to Mass today? Oh that's ok! We'll bring "Mass"to you! ;-)</span> please do not be alarmed. They are boys. They try to be reverent, but it doesn't always work out that way.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">The beginning I edited to give you the “nice Mass video” and then there
are the end scenes and bloopers – oh my, yes. You will enjoy it. It is a wee bit longer than our normal videos, but it is worth it to watch til the end! :-D</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/BWrXlpWA_0s" width="480"></iframe>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I'm just happy they can see themselves not only as superheroes in their games, but priests every once in a while too!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Have a great week, y'all!</span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div>
<br />
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">a punch to your shoulder,</span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>the Martins</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZch5Qt4YFYijtzJdmRmHc8zS021iN4lrCO0ZGqzPnamTCvAtku8nsoJdvtmkw3bhyphenhyphenTh1Atk0QMhwDbZI4gWyDFzDL3zm725yNPFaVlHTkFbOumegKbiD_9yUmLrZqf6azVenA6A/s1600/thats-all-folks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZch5Qt4YFYijtzJdmRmHc8zS021iN4lrCO0ZGqzPnamTCvAtku8nsoJdvtmkw3bhyphenhyphenTh1Atk0QMhwDbZI4gWyDFzDL3zm725yNPFaVlHTkFbOumegKbiD_9yUmLrZqf6azVenA6A/s320/thats-all-folks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-25425272988152574262013-09-13T09:38:00.001-05:002013-09-13T09:44:04.031-05:007 Quick Takes - God in the Zoo, and other such things...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUbqKPea8lSa3azviodlS5XFMclX7cn5zzTtZT6XUfQgURDs-D86kRdk5surmykEfIMAW7CBQZYOU33kVbejFgnaTJgGBgjq0YQpbGjg3OMC0uY42XoAm2dV385aZ6i5iK7HXhA/s1600/7QuickTakes-feat2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUbqKPea8lSa3azviodlS5XFMclX7cn5zzTtZT6XUfQgURDs-D86kRdk5surmykEfIMAW7CBQZYOU33kVbejFgnaTJgGBgjq0YQpbGjg3OMC0uY42XoAm2dV385aZ6i5iK7HXhA/s320/7QuickTakes-feat2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hello, hello! Here we are again.</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. We made it another week and that deserves ... something ... maybe a smile ... how about this?</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKd3mhGTXfEEAqcyLGrSHkvxmY7XO_j5Znmrq6qtq8r7bmpQaKRABsQYHQbYculRUO9CFlMar1UbzlO24ptLk3a7eQdaOxyC-lNFGVImcoSRRarw_Tsf8sbFdETWP9fRbd2g3zA/s1600/facts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKd3mhGTXfEEAqcyLGrSHkvxmY7XO_j5Znmrq6qtq8r7bmpQaKRABsQYHQbYculRUO9CFlMar1UbzlO24ptLk3a7eQdaOxyC-lNFGVImcoSRRarw_Tsf8sbFdETWP9fRbd2g3zA/s320/facts.jpg" width="304" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cute, right? I knew you'd like it. :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">2. In Religion, we were learning about God </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and how He is everywhere. Louis was asked to list 3 places God was...</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUqVd4wwFRbqanQfCWke0CpiUTZzrOdcF-5vtmTJFFv-Fdt4bPLslfUTpYRfPPmG6WxrVhDtG46LXpV8gQrK1PLM4uvr9vTNQDJUHMstKNAiUP6t_H0tLmjk7EzyvoB26YJZMpAw/s1600/zoo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUqVd4wwFRbqanQfCWke0CpiUTZzrOdcF-5vtmTJFFv-Fdt4bPLslfUTpYRfPPmG6WxrVhDtG46LXpV8gQrK1PLM4uvr9vTNQDJUHMstKNAiUP6t_H0tLmjk7EzyvoB26YJZMpAw/s320/zoo.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The drawing is "God at the zoo" and no, I can't explain it. ;-)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Notice also that his name is well, <i>creative</i>. "You don't always have to write it exactly the same way, mom." Really? See, I learn something everyday!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. This will also make you smile. </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> It's a voice-mail someone was leaving for his boss when he witnessed a car accident ... in Texas. #biggrin</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/TN8YQVM1GQI" width="480"></iframe>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">4. In a house full of boys, sometimes love HURTS. </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So, to channel some of that high energy I-need-to-fight-something-or-someone-or-I-may-explode emotion, the biggest 3 boys started Karate!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It. is. a. Godsend. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikw61eI2AWry_h2A2T9vh_L6XVaDX8unBn933IGjLAEbaMwYNDqFmM3LJwyxR-mzopPU0S_1_nWfT4a78yFnL8cwuO6RyHHgM725WdpiPm_FIJQD9X4Kh-sf_XnCvTdr24WuuKsA/s1600/IMG_6917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikw61eI2AWry_h2A2T9vh_L6XVaDX8unBn933IGjLAEbaMwYNDqFmM3LJwyxR-mzopPU0S_1_nWfT4a78yFnL8cwuO6RyHHgM725WdpiPm_FIJQD9X4Kh-sf_XnCvTdr24WuuKsA/s320/IMG_6917.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And also QUITE entertaining. Love our little rascals!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">5. Leonardo is a good reader, but</span> I have to keep changing things up - otherwise he just memorizes it!</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/DTQJyySGGCw" width="480"></iframe>
</div>
<br />
:-)<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">6. & just because they are deliciously sweet...</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFjJysn_dfuK-ulD7iVtwKb0ybF0o5xs5ZZQUlV2ZfCZqsCPOB_OhXkBUXyTppKWnZdalcq0ip-jEiDIQrBEKT2zDZwzyOf1Q9E7fW4DWVKgsJfo99owSvisBt_YzWGLrTH-qkGg/s1600/IMG_6931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFjJysn_dfuK-ulD7iVtwKb0ybF0o5xs5ZZQUlV2ZfCZqsCPOB_OhXkBUXyTppKWnZdalcq0ip-jEiDIQrBEKT2zDZwzyOf1Q9E7fW4DWVKgsJfo99owSvisBt_YzWGLrTH-qkGg/s400/IMG_6931.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">7. people may wonder why we live out in the country...</span> we are only 20 minutes from work (others living in a city have a much longer commute) and I can detox from all worries on my way home ... let me share a minute of that with you...</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/4m5cVrQ87gI" width="480"></iframe>
<br />
Don't be alarmed - it's wobbly because I was watching the road. :-)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">a punch to your shoulder,</span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>the Martins</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZch5Qt4YFYijtzJdmRmHc8zS021iN4lrCO0ZGqzPnamTCvAtku8nsoJdvtmkw3bhyphenhyphenTh1Atk0QMhwDbZI4gWyDFzDL3zm725yNPFaVlHTkFbOumegKbiD_9yUmLrZqf6azVenA6A/s1600/thats-all-folks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZch5Qt4YFYijtzJdmRmHc8zS021iN4lrCO0ZGqzPnamTCvAtku8nsoJdvtmkw3bhyphenhyphenTh1Atk0QMhwDbZI4gWyDFzDL3zm725yNPFaVlHTkFbOumegKbiD_9yUmLrZqf6azVenA6A/s320/thats-all-folks.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div>
The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-12670962781423366102013-09-11T10:08:00.001-05:002013-09-11T10:09:48.380-05:00Oh, Job, how did you do it?<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Oh, Job, how did you do it?</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Did you ever have a moment where someone very wise said, "well, God must have a better plan" and you said, "Well, I think God's plan is stupid!!!" And some little voice from the back of the van says, "Mom, we don't say 'stupid.'" oh, right... "Well, I think His plan is just ... (stifled grumble of words you're unable to say) ... silly!"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ever experience something like that? Well, that was me on Sunday. And what was the 1st reading at Mass about, but trusting God even if we don't understand His plans. Nice. phoey! This still ain't no kind of fun!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And what was this morning prayer's reading (from the divine office - there is a FANTASTIC app btw for the divine office - it has audio! beautiful hymns and prayers read out loud to you - LOVE it. I got the iPhone at first just for that app! Thanks to my dad's recommendation of the app - hi, dad, if you're reading this!)... anyway, the reading? Here it is:</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>READING Job 1:21; 2:10b</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Naked I came forth from my mother's womb,</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>and naked I shall go back again.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>blessed be the name of the Lord!</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>We accept good things from God;</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>and should we not accept evil?"</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I want to be like "NO, WE SHOULD NOT!" But then I had a 2nd take. I thought of God's plan in our life. There are so many instances, but here are a few.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Peter took his junior year in college abroad in Belgium and when he came back to UST, they only accepted half the credits and so he wasn't able to graduate on time. He was aggravated and disappointed, but then saw the Rome program and decided if he had to spend another semester in college, he might as well spend it in Rome. I was also on that Rome program. We fell in love in the eternal city - that semester. It never would have happened without the disappointment of the university not accepting his credits.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bzaDYT7wkmE_idE1m-q8IIwlqEniUlOTuew6S8BTBihg9niIJQXK6D_hO-7EzQSKSQU_NHzalycVJUXqG39Wbr0Sb1impW5ATQTxUiK9cBQFMuz4IJOwivQldl89fdoFd_XjJA/s1600/Theresa+&+Pete.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bzaDYT7wkmE_idE1m-q8IIwlqEniUlOTuew6S8BTBihg9niIJQXK6D_hO-7EzQSKSQU_NHzalycVJUXqG39Wbr0Sb1impW5ATQTxUiK9cBQFMuz4IJOwivQldl89fdoFd_XjJA/s320/Theresa+&+Pete.JPG" width="284" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here are Peter and I in December 1999, during the semester in Rome when we first started dating. Don't we look cute? (<i>And young! sheesh! I'm getting old...</i>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- When Peter and I got engaged, I had chosen to leave a christian community I was involved in to work more directly within the Catholic Church,but I had no idea what that meant. My prayer time normally a source of consolation became a desert - dry, barren and lonely. For months, I just went through the motions, so full of doubt, so full of feelings of confusion. But then, the following March, we were at our holy hour together and at the same moment I realized we needed to go back to Rome to study I was flooded with consolation. It was so intense (especially compared to the 10 month desert I had been enduring) that there was no doubting it was God's will. Had I not gone through the desert, it would not have been that clear and something as crazy as moving across the ocean would probably have been doubted and rethought. But it was crystal clear and we followed through, God opening every door along the way.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7rTigwcSVDFn1HCNoBYleroXkjTg4VY5cubbXeZ5AZkIUrQwtECf4IIZ1OIYgP9jjYxxAf7I55g1DDaTQyJjUibWozrRblcWaBj78s8cof6Xjp9u5btZ0dl-TfyS8hTDMyjU4g/s1600/Theresa+and+Pete+in+Siena.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7rTigwcSVDFn1HCNoBYleroXkjTg4VY5cubbXeZ5AZkIUrQwtECf4IIZ1OIYgP9jjYxxAf7I55g1DDaTQyJjUibWozrRblcWaBj78s8cof6Xjp9u5btZ0dl-TfyS8hTDMyjU4g/s320/Theresa+and+Pete+in+Siena.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pete and I in Siena, Italy during during the month we house sat for my cousins in Florence. (Hi, Alsups, if you're reading this!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpUMEbiq66aePlhA2ziDU9yGGhhPg0epaNI-1Sujj4kRVE8qBQrMZs5voLtLNXB6AqgC3oxK1kj1SuCfaF8FIg9qRH3luoSd0YXma6aLreReKLRZQ9VYl2l5Sba86opr6-JsvCQ/s1600/HOLY+FATHER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpUMEbiq66aePlhA2ziDU9yGGhhPg0epaNI-1Sujj4kRVE8qBQrMZs5voLtLNXB6AqgC3oxK1kj1SuCfaF8FIg9qRH3luoSd0YXma6aLreReKLRZQ9VYl2l5Sba86opr6-JsvCQ/s400/HOLY+FATHER.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Because we DID follow that moment of inspiration/ consolation, we had the very great BLESSING of having our marriage blessed by Pope John Paul II! God is so good! (And how fun to get to where your wedding gown again!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Fast forward to when we moved back to Minnesota three years ago. After 7 years of living in other places, we had finally gotten back to my hometown of New Orleans. When we began debating the offer to move north, I was so frustrated. We finally <i><b>finally!</b></i> got back to my home and now we are going to leave it again? Why, God, why?! Yet, I knew it was God calling, so we moved. Little did we know that not only having a job in the exact field we wanted, but moving north was the key to healing our Louis. <a href="http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/louisfm">Louis suffers with an extremely rare condition</a>, which had been mis-diagnosed up til that point. He was still having nighttime vomiting 3-4 nights a week from 2 am - 9 am, constant hives, stunted growth, and the medications the doctors in New Orleans gave him did not seem to be helping much. When we moved north, we switched his care to Mayo Clinic and they finally diagnosed him correctly. He got the correct medication (a daily injection) and can actually begin to live a life of thriving instead of just surviving. If we hadn't followed God's prompting to move north due to my desire to stay close to my family, Louis would still be dealing with extreme daily suffering.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7J0dDzx4Ne5lyb459vbL0IYr5bXu_JCCzvNxAhTeKcazehUM_eWxNuv0xoELexJhGU5CIiYJLNc2O-sLO1c7sU0No8udJD9CYzDCXUzefwBV2TPEjrozPGrZJxAxdAFKEfRg2w/s1600/LOUIS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7J0dDzx4Ne5lyb459vbL0IYr5bXu_JCCzvNxAhTeKcazehUM_eWxNuv0xoELexJhGU5CIiYJLNc2O-sLO1c7sU0No8udJD9CYzDCXUzefwBV2TPEjrozPGrZJxAxdAFKEfRg2w/s320/LOUIS.jpg" width="217" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Louis holding his baby brother Damian.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- And finally, our home. We were ready to place offers on three other houses and each time someone beat us to it. It was frustrating and disheartening. Finally, we found this place and within two weeks, we had bought it! As we look back, all of the other properties paled in comparison to this one and this was the least expensive. Despite our lack of foresight, God did know what He was doing!</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1DuapWguCZ_rooJ8hu0Q-kJ9N2TqHMGuO8qo6OaVZTIGnwN3MIRz6wYeo8PGnjTI7PDZkdyydG7lY2O5NBDzPWWI1SGDi378kZHs5FV9fu3ya7JEo8n0Mihyphenhyphen0uNTCqxlxjdrHQ/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1DuapWguCZ_rooJ8hu0Q-kJ9N2TqHMGuO8qo6OaVZTIGnwN3MIRz6wYeo8PGnjTI7PDZkdyydG7lY2O5NBDzPWWI1SGDi378kZHs5FV9fu3ya7JEo8n0Mihyphenhyphen0uNTCqxlxjdrHQ/s320/01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our beautiful country home!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So, I come back to present day. Okay, okay, I get it. Your ways, Lord, are not our ways. And I don't understand the "why" and I'm not that great at accepting it, but give me the grace to accept it Lord, so that we may also cry out with great faith another verse from the Book of Job:</span><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“As for me, I know that</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="crossreference" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-13323A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">my</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Redeemer lives,</span></b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">And</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">at the last He will take His stand on the</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">earth.</span>" (Job 19:25)</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-30303938947947665742013-09-09T08:10:00.001-05:002013-09-09T08:10:20.893-05:00It's the Little Things ...<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>It's the Little Things...</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As we play the waiting game to find out more about baby Damian's health, we're just taking one day at a time, one minute at a time. We talk it through when we need to (mostly it's the mama that needs to!) and then just put our trust back in God. </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And just when you feel overwhelmed and think you cannot handle it, it's the little things that make all the difference... We (finally!) put up our holy water fonts. Then Leonardo informed me that he was going to bless himself all day long. (<i>I guess it can't hurt!</i>) And Louis tells me last night (after blessing himself), </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"mom, remember how we had quiet time last year and talked to Jesus and read the Bible and stuff?"</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Yes."</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"We should do that again. I'm going to do that tomorrow."</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Okay, honey, that's a great idea!"</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Yep, things change."</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"What do you mean?"</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Well, just putting the holy water up, it's a change."</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Yes, it's a good change, right?"</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"I guess it's a good change, but I was going to say it's a God-change."</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">#heartmelts</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRwjtnZuFrtcUM56lF1CiKNfEuUI0Bv3mdv26Ogw58cKoTzKjqiv0GQQ_jOTMK2LpCzExsHta2LUIK2jOuFiKw1naURhfl9HiiMJf0rLb5rbCwzuRgBIzOilHh8hJd7eYB6PRx3w/s1600/2013+Sept+9+BLOG.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRwjtnZuFrtcUM56lF1CiKNfEuUI0Bv3mdv26Ogw58cKoTzKjqiv0GQQ_jOTMK2LpCzExsHta2LUIK2jOuFiKw1naURhfl9HiiMJf0rLb5rbCwzuRgBIzOilHh8hJd7eYB6PRx3w/s320/2013+Sept+9+BLOG.JPG" width="281" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></b>
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Thank you, Jesus, for the little things!</span></i></b>The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-84489221250263256942013-09-06T08:43:00.002-05:002013-09-06T08:43:11.969-05:007 Quick Takes - Lego Movies, Brotherly Advice, Two-Yr Old Kingdom and more!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVg8WmUTEVJPC8TF5rXTaDw4Phc8B7oml_f44gwtt5OLaNVx7p3WXUDFr7fCG9jlwvtGt6GYfMLTuu9BjTd5FKd52cr8R-VMRMdOtWCSLbcfXv7nHlIVDwtS3-v4Qf0v9rtIhkg/s1600/7QuickTakes-feat2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVg8WmUTEVJPC8TF5rXTaDw4Phc8B7oml_f44gwtt5OLaNVx7p3WXUDFr7fCG9jlwvtGt6GYfMLTuu9BjTd5FKd52cr8R-VMRMdOtWCSLbcfXv7nHlIVDwtS3-v4Qf0v9rtIhkg/s320/7QuickTakes-feat2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. This is our first Martin 7 Quick Takes Friday!</b></span> We think that's pretty cool! We'll see if you agree - ;-)<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOh3uZyRlrUorxRv6leeVZwqwZK4tPrNV-3QXErp5rNfbYXIP8CpSeUkf2fl0USTNTwQRf7btokqy3Im-OqeyAOAcjfdPNRYTldkcWKCEhzzY7YEKunz3ZIOY0ZNC_OTTSNzNcnQ/s1600/IMG_6519+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOh3uZyRlrUorxRv6leeVZwqwZK4tPrNV-3QXErp5rNfbYXIP8CpSeUkf2fl0USTNTwQRf7btokqy3Im-OqeyAOAcjfdPNRYTldkcWKCEhzzY7YEKunz3ZIOY0ZNC_OTTSNzNcnQ/s400/IMG_6519+(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">just a moment with boys and a snake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">2. Two Year Old Kingdom.</span></b> We say it's the "Terrible Twos" because they don't listen, go potty everywhere, throw temper tantrums, throw toys, scream "NO!" at you unceasingly, and create more destruction than the average hurricane. But I realized recently it's not true, well, not entirely. It's true from our point of view, but from his? Life is his kingdom! He has no sense of correction nor restriction nor responsibilities. He laughs constantly and bosses everyone around. He is completely free to do whatever he pleases (in his mind) and rejoices in life. Life is fantastic when you're the 2 year old king...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/VniknsEFyvE" width="480"></iframe>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. Legos are a boy's best friend</b></span>...that and mommy's camera and sweet editing skills.<br />
In case you missed it, here is Gregory's Hobbit Lego movie again:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/s3konB2lzow" width="480"></iframe>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">4. And what goes better with Legos and boys than ... COMPETITION!</span></b> For the VERY FIRST TIME, here is Louis' Star Wars Lego movie. And remember, he had to set up every scene, every frame-one photo at a time. It took him a loooooong time, but he did a GREAT job too! Check it out: <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/T2SN4abRG70" width="480"></iframe>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Yes, I know. Almost every scene ends with someone in pieces.What can I say? He's all boy! :-)</div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. Sweet school surprises.</b></span> Leonardo entered Kindergarten this year - and much to my surprise, he gets it. All of it. He's whizzing through math, counting? baby stuff. coins? done. figuring out change after buying something? owns it. reading a clock? oh man, can you challenge me, mom? Okay, reading? done and done. Colors, numbers, left-right, religion, science? What else can I do, mom?! I'm exhausted trying to fill his desire to work, he burns through every task so quickly! And especially after pulling my hair out trying to get someone else to do their work ... this is a GREAT problem to have! Give some cheer for the K grader!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwFwbDU93YIHaZAKrniwK7k6uSqCgya6NZCR9VDtdspXf0bExkzKpo-wsQXciJ2qXT2ZZT9pasfytK7OxMZf5IoTOOTC1tMR07wpOgbBdSbniT3q0irfj7PxWuKPP6nesFZONzPw/s1600/IMG_6491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwFwbDU93YIHaZAKrniwK7k6uSqCgya6NZCR9VDtdspXf0bExkzKpo-wsQXciJ2qXT2ZZT9pasfytK7OxMZf5IoTOOTC1tMR07wpOgbBdSbniT3q0irfj7PxWuKPP6nesFZONzPw/s320/IMG_6491.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">6. Damian is 3 months old! </span></b> Can it be possible? My sweet, precious, cuddly, chub-a-licious angel is 3 months old?!! Apparently so. :-)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-9CgREDY8ioaivaJRG0dK3DiIvlqykzW51kIfc57EV98l016DOn47BRxlfm1ta16LRBOQX9WekbQqC48HTjP23SzsFd1VQPrJrKYd2x4AIwbMod-nHIXQkB1WF8M_OdMifLF4cw/s1600/IMG_6518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-9CgREDY8ioaivaJRG0dK3DiIvlqykzW51kIfc57EV98l016DOn47BRxlfm1ta16LRBOQX9WekbQqC48HTjP23SzsFd1VQPrJrKYd2x4AIwbMod-nHIXQkB1WF8M_OdMifLF4cw/s320/IMG_6518.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helping daddy with laundry. :-)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>7. Brotherly advice.</b></span> This was one of the highlights of my week. Advice from Louis (loo-ee) the 6 year old to the 3 month old. I heard it and had to catch it on camera, but tried to hide it, so I didn't quite get it all and you will need to turn it up a little because it's quiet, but here you go. Soak in the sweet, amazing, gentleness of brotherly love...</div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/3quE_bhnW7k" width="480"></iframe>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Have a good weekend!</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">a punch to your shoulder,</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>the Martins</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZch5Qt4YFYijtzJdmRmHc8zS021iN4lrCO0ZGqzPnamTCvAtku8nsoJdvtmkw3bhyphenhyphenTh1Atk0QMhwDbZI4gWyDFzDL3zm725yNPFaVlHTkFbOumegKbiD_9yUmLrZqf6azVenA6A/s1600/thats-all-folks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZch5Qt4YFYijtzJdmRmHc8zS021iN4lrCO0ZGqzPnamTCvAtku8nsoJdvtmkw3bhyphenhyphenTh1Atk0QMhwDbZI4gWyDFzDL3zm725yNPFaVlHTkFbOumegKbiD_9yUmLrZqf6azVenA6A/s320/thats-all-folks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-60070063531831436232013-09-04T08:18:00.000-05:002013-09-04T09:19:38.042-05:00Gregory's Lego Movie<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>This truly is a FAMILY blog! :-)</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Here's a post from Gregory, 8 years old!</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>His first movie...and just to give you an idea of all the effort put into this - every frame he set up and took a photo, then moved slightly and took another photo, then again, then again. This movie is made of hundreds(!) of individual photos!</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>ENJOY!</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/s3konB2lzow" width="480"></iframe>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #274e13; font-size: x-large;"><b>precious right? um ... I mean 'totally awesome'! Yeah, AWESOME. ;-)</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWMcntxwcBKYEq_Q7J4Y3rnxVkRCArebONbyNiHGW0ryoqRJ-MHlmBJinEmm_MdtD6kk6fifHVNNNftSzvUwwD_-7O4_7Haff2X7MeuEwEFh-TEKyHopTLG-j-o3ykgzrwCnkKg/s1600/GK+proud+movie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWMcntxwcBKYEq_Q7J4Y3rnxVkRCArebONbyNiHGW0ryoqRJ-MHlmBJinEmm_MdtD6kk6fifHVNNNftSzvUwwD_-7O4_7Haff2X7MeuEwEFh-TEKyHopTLG-j-o3ykgzrwCnkKg/s320/GK+proud+movie.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great job, Gregory!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-75205788519136693152013-09-02T22:20:00.000-05:002013-09-02T22:40:21.194-05:00Damian Joseph Martin!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Well, he almost 3 months old now - so it's about time we post some photos :-)</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/bCPQ6DrU8pM" width="420"></iframe>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>I hope to usethis blog a little more often ... for better or worse! Life with 5 boys is something else!</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUyF0FXZAsDfgeOk7tfgNEd0rvXSASNmvsKsUb9Jf53Ro3WMsTAk67kfc-bIjveGlfk2vDiP-7hiGc4GxknrBpFLKqxTXd1GE1XfFSY_8u_OiBavKaQ1urvtGd7WMDbHDy_hZLg/s1600/mama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUyF0FXZAsDfgeOk7tfgNEd0rvXSASNmvsKsUb9Jf53Ro3WMsTAk67kfc-bIjveGlfk2vDiP-7hiGc4GxknrBpFLKqxTXd1GE1XfFSY_8u_OiBavKaQ1urvtGd7WMDbHDy_hZLg/s320/mama.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /><br /></b></span></div>
The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-8648666828472908652013-01-14T16:03:00.001-06:002013-01-14T16:03:46.219-06:00Mmmmm Baby Love...<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Got any room for more cuteness??</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>(by Theresa) I didn't think I did; thought our life was all filled up - to the brim with adorable! But then I saw this little one, oh so precious!</b></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyZIkX_yI3_Q1hUSXoWg7w9178JEf15tPva5X8rtDxcBjkXSfXce0lxTYI9vGt1Z-TOG5MfzROR-Tg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>We are delighted - overjoyed - overwhelmed! To be trusted with FIVE BOYS, is not an honor given to very many ... we embrace it; we are grateful for it; and we rejoice in such beauty as new life can bring ... indeed our God IS an awesome God!</b></span><br />
<br />The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-43633961428418966402012-12-22T10:12:00.001-06:002012-12-24T16:36:20.728-06:00Our First Remodel ProjectIt's hard for me to believe it, but we've been in our new house for almost two months now. We've done all sorts of little things to make the house our home, but nothing really big... until now.<br />
<br />
One of the things that our house is lacking is a front door... the only entrance into the front of the house is through the garage, which isn't very welcoming.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_OgEeHoLAGzLn1nieX1h0XC1zwRekjClZeLmZ6CPQmHIqg7-aN-Hho3MwKgA1TdCKpuKsXIByz3S6QHE-0YFsPyc4Ylw0Aju2BIwpjCtOQ4UMgYDT3ZSBiYHLxyZtDYVJ73UQg/s1600/Front+of+house.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_OgEeHoLAGzLn1nieX1h0XC1zwRekjClZeLmZ6CPQmHIqg7-aN-Hho3MwKgA1TdCKpuKsXIByz3S6QHE-0YFsPyc4Ylw0Aju2BIwpjCtOQ4UMgYDT3ZSBiYHLxyZtDYVJ73UQg/s400/Front+of+house.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Theresa had a great idea: to build an entrance in through the side of the garage. It'll all make more sense when it's done, but the initial steps are completed:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLw0IRzEM2z2Os2URmzQ5zZmSPiCZsAd4BkXt5Zfp_nccpzU03t99A_-yuFnEbeGoGzUSs1zGrVjCNzHQu84tcUYARHAiGareQ9IYBTeQNAzvJNgby5ZzkxLrxPe5E-HYM81b9IA/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLw0IRzEM2z2Os2URmzQ5zZmSPiCZsAd4BkXt5Zfp_nccpzU03t99A_-yuFnEbeGoGzUSs1zGrVjCNzHQu84tcUYARHAiGareQ9IYBTeQNAzvJNgby5ZzkxLrxPe5E-HYM81b9IA/s400/image.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the current "front door" (as seen from the inside of the house looking out to the garage).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_eibl_BgCELa02jghqOuGB5juGlt46PE2VKwzsKnrPKxvIul_KRnkezw-FTiTz_MOU9VqJVb-R6y3TM3AqObB6c04E4iZikllqru4kL8AsIcwCIKGih0kDE-RjzlwUnQ0h0Edg/s1600/image_2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_eibl_BgCELa02jghqOuGB5juGlt46PE2VKwzsKnrPKxvIul_KRnkezw-FTiTz_MOU9VqJVb-R6y3TM3AqObB6c04E4iZikllqru4kL8AsIcwCIKGih0kDE-RjzlwUnQ0h0Edg/s640/image_2.jpeg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walls will be built around the floor I just built; the current front door will be removed; a new updated front door will be added to the exterior wall of the garage; and the old front door will be used as an entrance from the garage.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It will all make more sense when it's finished, but this new entrance will give us much needed closet space. Right now when the boys come in the house, the coats and shoes basically just go on the floor:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMkKaeTOdMU-HJwVd-IlTsloq33qk9EV0l876szT5uFS7oDSZZ7-duAsTDisGuwSlCmG2OzrunF689ycKQlbOlpj_qPlmKEvNK-dc7rUPomV3Cu9wdFkUqe9slAYIO-8NVIxX9w/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMkKaeTOdMU-HJwVd-IlTsloq33qk9EV0l876szT5uFS7oDSZZ7-duAsTDisGuwSlCmG2OzrunF689ycKQlbOlpj_qPlmKEvNK-dc7rUPomV3Cu9wdFkUqe9slAYIO-8NVIxX9w/s400/photo.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This works for the adult coats, but the kids coats basically end up on the floor...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I hope to build a proper closet for coats and then add something like this for the boys: <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjac7qq9hcgbj7Rlowpx65gJm4MlgWrXuE6n2fkeCGxIdDmFmcwXzEdyYB2cGXEgYpyxpZB_3UwtkthoSzNirSVWIapglq-hMr5G9UB_xdpSXcBWTlS8ME0lKkLNJr3bZLeHP5ttg/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjac7qq9hcgbj7Rlowpx65gJm4MlgWrXuE6n2fkeCGxIdDmFmcwXzEdyYB2cGXEgYpyxpZB_3UwtkthoSzNirSVWIapglq-hMr5G9UB_xdpSXcBWTlS8ME0lKkLNJr3bZLeHP5ttg/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This would certainly help with the clutter... we'll just have to train the boys to use it!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
As you can imagine, we have a lot of projects planned... we'll try our best to update the blog... it's more for us... the blog makes for a nice "picture album".The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-77383550569065392052012-09-29T16:17:00.001-05:002012-09-29T16:17:18.787-05:00Why I don't need TV (part 2)That last post of mine was missing two videos...Let's see if I can get them to upload this time... they'll be well worth the watch. Our boys are great sources of entertainment!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyPQwhETi78kg0RObptNAFvvTFXjiD9giVkcWGcQgi88THEaCAvLbtKggRkvTCwlGKJnCNBY7YW9AA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Gregory was gracious enough to play both Goldilocks and Daddy Bear. He maintains his masculinity at the end by beating up and chasing off Goldilocks with a stick (who is now imaginary). :)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Finally, there's Emmanuel. He's such a sweetie!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwEF947rE5jSq0b6amJdzV4oegbkfBmQwMeS0N8TFQaIsFvpwIcBajpi-tsajvv2LnaDMBfgz8DtpQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here he is playing his favorite game on his Mommy's phone. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We absolutely adore how he tries to mouth the words!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-84622083627394923722012-09-15T23:26:00.002-05:002012-09-29T20:46:41.260-05:00Why I don't need TV...As you can see from my previous post (yes, it's Pete again), I recently uploaded pics from our digital camera... well, I found a few darling videos as well. They all reminded me of how blessed I am to be father to such darling boys and the proud husband of such a wonderful mommy/wife! Here's one of the videos I found... (more later if Blogger cooperates). Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxgLEOYXFqyQJ8gRnItz5u1dxx6Bqod6s_hAyK7ne710bwHhP8u-mmoxFuqwNEUWbk1VTMlg_r9I4E' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Is he trying to light the candle? It appears so... he's so cute! (This was taken after the famous <a href="http://youtu.be/tgI38El1zd4">Childrens' Mass video</a>.)<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-2531930187409267792012-09-15T22:59:00.001-05:002012-09-29T21:03:40.576-05:00Closet transformation--This post was written by Pete.--<br />
<br />
Apparently lots of people have "that one closet" that they're always afraid of going into because of the amount of clutter that has built up... I had a closet like that, but I hated it more for it's uselessness... It was far too deep, you'd have to crawl up into it to get anything into the way back and plus the doors were so narrow that I always felt claustrophobic. In sum, it was a waste of space and it soon became "that one closet"... we'd just throw things into it that we couldn't find a space for.<br />
<br />
Here are some before pictures:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrFiPKtmSdvdHgpyShI2VgUYzluOZIxnRi_3hvWIJhJxTNbPfhF7RHlEEw1r9blC-oMQRrHGoClFjgqX5giLTZSJc0xd7NHaFmsJI3w1P6lU-gs1seEBIlHme22kiNdgiGf4GENA/s1600/100_0201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrFiPKtmSdvdHgpyShI2VgUYzluOZIxnRi_3hvWIJhJxTNbPfhF7RHlEEw1r9blC-oMQRrHGoClFjgqX5giLTZSJc0xd7NHaFmsJI3w1P6lU-gs1seEBIlHme22kiNdgiGf4GENA/s320/100_0201.JPG" width="180" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
You can't see the doors because they're hidden. (Yes, I'm being sarcastic).</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAf3VgOQyUimcqU137X_o_oyqyAewHOU5UvTsIlgDEQhXWlPUzJW4d2P4QCaq-Nuxt9Dnd9i5XOaZaeOZyc2nYLlZHuGJyvWGM7Gsl-T7wVXO-Z-d8MscD91B4d_lJHDuAJaF_dw/s1600/100_0203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAf3VgOQyUimcqU137X_o_oyqyAewHOU5UvTsIlgDEQhXWlPUzJW4d2P4QCaq-Nuxt9Dnd9i5XOaZaeOZyc2nYLlZHuGJyvWGM7Gsl-T7wVXO-Z-d8MscD91B4d_lJHDuAJaF_dw/s320/100_0203.JPG" width="180" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The doors weighed a ton and the magnetic release thing didn't work correctly, so opening the closet was already a pain. It was the type that you were supposed to push in and then the spring would push the doors out and they would be released... well, I'm not sure if it was the weight of the doors, the '70s carpet that was rubbing the bottom... or just the fact that the doors were no longer square to the frame.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-oKlk7hPzyzo7KTijkZicTMZ8T1J2Bgv9h4E15GRg9lgOblw40IMI9ietey4-HhGhmLeJmZf6qt9QrxkuToYxqNCVNyZrp76rBVUrserbKZnzTy2bf0sgYTFzJ2kNMa85OTYmTQ/s1600/100_0205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-oKlk7hPzyzo7KTijkZicTMZ8T1J2Bgv9h4E15GRg9lgOblw40IMI9ietey4-HhGhmLeJmZf6qt9QrxkuToYxqNCVNyZrp76rBVUrserbKZnzTy2bf0sgYTFzJ2kNMa85OTYmTQ/s640/100_0205.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Regardless of the fact that the doors didn't open well, I just didn't like the closet... I wanted to get rid of the whole thing, but Theresa didn't like my idea of eliminating the whole thing (that might be noticeable).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
What she suggested was just make the doors wider and so...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvCM_mGTSWr0W5p3H6J0KFbl6p0DD4aW5m-GnH7gJPc68CP0vHYCVLoKZbwCmOGH445EAGjObBHRGddBa_DgEIbJoyxKzjMXtMVw8KxvcKwNsVrVnlZfrLSPTV1m4qyd0uO54NA/s1600/100_0211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvCM_mGTSWr0W5p3H6J0KFbl6p0DD4aW5m-GnH7gJPc68CP0vHYCVLoKZbwCmOGH445EAGjObBHRGddBa_DgEIbJoyxKzjMXtMVw8KxvcKwNsVrVnlZfrLSPTV1m4qyd0uO54NA/s640/100_0211.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Several hours of labor later and way more dust than I anticipated, and voila! The space was transformed from a closet into...</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijhXpXGa6MpeQc_EBRddVfw_GUwjneF0yyytmNDW5Nzzz3Yr3loDg5Zfpsj-qSG3QUuNHU6E48iBtTNmFAtsBc57_RDTKQARWSwLxZwnt0WAodPjXzQGe1dY8xdOAfXaup08pgng/s1600/100_0213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijhXpXGa6MpeQc_EBRddVfw_GUwjneF0yyytmNDW5Nzzz3Yr3loDg5Zfpsj-qSG3QUuNHU6E48iBtTNmFAtsBc57_RDTKQARWSwLxZwnt0WAodPjXzQGe1dY8xdOAfXaup08pgng/s640/100_0213.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
An office! OK, so it's not ideal to have an office in a closet, but when you're an amazing mother of four little boys who works from home, this comes in handy! The desk fit just perfectly!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Anyway, I much prefer the use of space now. Would I do it again knowing what I know now? Probably... I'm a sucker for projects.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30521109.post-49773086903768811112012-09-14T12:59:00.000-05:002012-09-14T12:59:58.817-05:00Melt in Your Mouth Pancakes!Well, since I'm on a roll...<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Eating plant-based does not have to be LIMITING! That's why I've been inspired to share a couple recipes here.</b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #783f04;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">We don't use butter; we don't use eggs, we don't use milk.</span> </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">So are things like <b>pancakes </b>off limits?</span></i> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b> Not at all! </b></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">You just have to be willing to be </span><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: x-large;"><b>adventurous</b></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">!</span></div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Melt in Your Mouth Pancakes!</span></b><br />
(recipe created by me! based on a couple pancake recipes I've used in the past and adjusted to fit our new plant-based style.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZjbU5ipgjR1a8juF6e24g3YiOUqTFx8PUkgYENBhN_0nRQVTpDYrjCBUNepAqNpeCELu4znvVocRj2WRVAaCiAB1g0ehTB-MjPtXi_7PZuKFK55UKtOMTc2UOvQySzt3QjdAQKA/s1600/IMG_3509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZjbU5ipgjR1a8juF6e24g3YiOUqTFx8PUkgYENBhN_0nRQVTpDYrjCBUNepAqNpeCELu4znvVocRj2WRVAaCiAB1g0ehTB-MjPtXi_7PZuKFK55UKtOMTc2UOvQySzt3QjdAQKA/s320/IMG_3509.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Before you begin any breakfast recipe, you <span style="font-size: large;">must</span> have the right liquid refreshment...this morning's choice to sooth my throat is hot tea with a splash of almond milk. :-)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHDC8cG6vcKaEHNrKuRuu4mm_0siiPIBNaToXX-h8YtIRpGiAFnJuEKKM2DPe-k76Bc1PnHbAPGg6-1AOhGcFkAO0V-wquVvZkt6Lm6J9yCZkL-qgJtJVw6urpP-BPvq2qqdJhA/s1600/IMG_3511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHDC8cG6vcKaEHNrKuRuu4mm_0siiPIBNaToXX-h8YtIRpGiAFnJuEKKM2DPe-k76Bc1PnHbAPGg6-1AOhGcFkAO0V-wquVvZkt6Lm6J9yCZkL-qgJtJVw6urpP-BPvq2qqdJhA/s320/IMG_3511.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You'll need <span style="font-size: large;">2 mixing bowls</span>. Plus 3 bananas (or 4 if you don't have applesauce), 1 cup of applesauce, stone ground whole wheat flour, baking powder, dash of salt, almond milk, 100% pure maple syrup, dash of cinnamon and extras if you want: carob chips or dark chocolate chips or blueberries or raspberries or whatever!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnJEQgQ_wkNpxEd2-6-Qk2Kr0l_rGzEV_SN2i57livhPhwtFhQu5T5MRE1mC4hBOza594qxiPKuU4pc8CgyEyrgLSEdDqHZJAs6ON2XeJ5kuBH5o0XvUUzsuuzlC3gL9YqIiA9Q/s1600/IMG_3513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnJEQgQ_wkNpxEd2-6-Qk2Kr0l_rGzEV_SN2i57livhPhwtFhQu5T5MRE1mC4hBOza594qxiPKuU4pc8CgyEyrgLSEdDqHZJAs6ON2XeJ5kuBH5o0XvUUzsuuzlC3gL9YqIiA9Q/s320/IMG_3513.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Start by mashing your <span style="font-size: large;">bananas</span> in the small bowl. I didn't have applesauce so I mashed 4 bananas. Started mashing bananas at <span style="font-size: large;"><b>7:20</b></span>am.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Be aware, you might want to keep little pieces of a banana out to keep the natives from getting too restless!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6WkF3tz6WzbrVX6ngF3pqdEtGEKMV8VSBxEaM0p7-3NmiHNzrr_R2dgi54FTd-8jHkLglz3FnB_ziAMdTeO57ll3aPM7XvUEb1nSYvtjv2wZY06bzs4BcxLV0pdq-SQ39XxNYrw/s1600/IMG_3512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6WkF3tz6WzbrVX6ngF3pqdEtGEKMV8VSBxEaM0p7-3NmiHNzrr_R2dgi54FTd-8jHkLglz3FnB_ziAMdTeO57ll3aPM7XvUEb1nSYvtjv2wZY06bzs4BcxLV0pdq-SQ39XxNYrw/s320/IMG_3512.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Cute little native :-)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcRTYkMKXwPsCVHug3zt3af8tk9yB3skNt9-5kQgTl9qMyzl1hIYY-8MhZoiREz87144ZVcqQJFR6QfodlbTeNuH4mjxB0jH1YimaKAgaaUi9BIHTmZItA8fz-0VTVgVmnBro8A/s1600/IMG_3515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcRTYkMKXwPsCVHug3zt3af8tk9yB3skNt9-5kQgTl9qMyzl1hIYY-8MhZoiREz87144ZVcqQJFR6QfodlbTeNuH4mjxB0jH1YimaKAgaaUi9BIHTmZItA8fz-0VTVgVmnBro8A/s320/IMG_3515.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
In the large bowl, place 3 cups of stone ground whole wheat flour, Hodgson Mill is SO TASTY!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFPiuXTRW0Sy6gQgdKIkNdy_M4mD1AlEhIy5AYh0x01yDyL4H_DtfR6kRj1KTTEB9-pXLJYhCpptTI-NAlTivFdWVlt77AJ3Eo3D6QqyT4DGU3Bv25G7bBZ1emNDXLYF9cH-Iw_g/s1600/IMG_3516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFPiuXTRW0Sy6gQgdKIkNdy_M4mD1AlEhIy5AYh0x01yDyL4H_DtfR6kRj1KTTEB9-pXLJYhCpptTI-NAlTivFdWVlt77AJ3Eo3D6QqyT4DGU3Bv25G7bBZ1emNDXLYF9cH-Iw_g/s320/IMG_3516.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Add 2 Tbs <span style="font-size: large;">baking powder</span> and MIX.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpP4IqTsQlsbNNRzlEdaNL1o4lVJFqjTUZ4RYVz3-487qCfNm0vGzxaEnBVbY1uMOBuqthkl4TsIAIdQqpHUWquBoNhLeUK38Kb3mYxo-Iuo6CoHOlNhBvu4BLPVJJRPnPaGOj_A/s1600/IMG_3517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpP4IqTsQlsbNNRzlEdaNL1o4lVJFqjTUZ4RYVz3-487qCfNm0vGzxaEnBVbY1uMOBuqthkl4TsIAIdQqpHUWquBoNhLeUK38Kb3mYxo-Iuo6CoHOlNhBvu4BLPVJJRPnPaGOj_A/s320/IMG_3517.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Add mashed bananas & 2 cups of <span style="font-size: large;">vanilla almond milk</span>! Stir well.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOFnJOQuI2hlFlhLns__LzQvFcnWoBw1lnAgxPHz_ErZOz7MC4NtTsS4WfxqAa-yYSsGZoWU2h6ESM2DEaPj-qnibJ8569RsW_mbBjgZXHsNOYEWrC68BVBaT9xnkj2CggwxwRmw/s1600/IMG_3518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOFnJOQuI2hlFlhLns__LzQvFcnWoBw1lnAgxPHz_ErZOz7MC4NtTsS4WfxqAa-yYSsGZoWU2h6ESM2DEaPj-qnibJ8569RsW_mbBjgZXHsNOYEWrC68BVBaT9xnkj2CggwxwRmw/s320/IMG_3518.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Okay normally you want to blend 1 Tbs of <span style="font-size: large;">ground flaxseed </span>with 3Tbs of water and then add it to the mix. (Acts as egg replacement, but flaxseed has been found to be great for regulating hormones - so good to add to any meal! Even has been known to increase a woman's libido...no, really!)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I'm doing this step differently by just adding the flaxseed and water right in, oops! Not to worry, it'll still taste good!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCYMmVZfTofb9aGpkUiXHJMbkTjOmMe1KQQr3nShoM2i62uNIHfq9GGHsfVS2io6zydWQ_yFyiDSaeQqnB1t9E24dmFQhTVnV7zTdr5sryiRocALIlosRiVkuZ9sPwLNKKrMAmdw/s1600/IMG_3519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCYMmVZfTofb9aGpkUiXHJMbkTjOmMe1KQQr3nShoM2i62uNIHfq9GGHsfVS2io6zydWQ_yFyiDSaeQqnB1t9E24dmFQhTVnV7zTdr5sryiRocALIlosRiVkuZ9sPwLNKKrMAmdw/s320/IMG_3519.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Without applesauce, it might not be as sweet as you or your family likes. To sweeten healthfully, add 1-2Tbs of 100% pure <span style="font-size: large;">maple syrup</span>. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9-D_U9BFhzV8tYFhMXYSmsg6mTDpPGjBL0mOVAtEvU05godLwZVseyhIDnk6AA9qanyp5tqCafxi3uCA4i7bLyYk48cZXxnUMozffz1lsO6jHYc13EiMARt-OyOU_Hss2q_9Dw/s1600/IMG_3521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9-D_U9BFhzV8tYFhMXYSmsg6mTDpPGjBL0mOVAtEvU05godLwZVseyhIDnk6AA9qanyp5tqCafxi3uCA4i7bLyYk48cZXxnUMozffz1lsO6jHYc13EiMARt-OyOU_Hss2q_9Dw/s320/IMG_3521.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Just a dash of cinnamon, mix and we're ready to cook them!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It's now only <span style="font-size: large;"><b>7:32</b></span>am! Quick and EASY!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWchpn2dOHvDpeQpBi35QFzOty9lFoi-3BNV16VVHp6v8NIV2m7bw1m9xD0Ps4OF5aUSNoLc1ozJDWZP1ePOZ1-igs9rmkOduuPtV1pmgtCQlWJT54oFJ1tjRFAikliKhS9_Lo3w/s1600/IMG_3524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWchpn2dOHvDpeQpBi35QFzOty9lFoi-3BNV16VVHp6v8NIV2m7bw1m9xD0Ps4OF5aUSNoLc1ozJDWZP1ePOZ1-igs9rmkOduuPtV1pmgtCQlWJT54oFJ1tjRFAikliKhS9_Lo3w/s320/IMG_3524.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Adding blueberries or chocolate chips (or carob chips), makes the pancakes<span style="font-size: large;"> fun! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(But don't add them until the pancakes are poured onto the pan or else it will make the batter grey and the pancakes grey too, which isn't the biggest deal - just not as appealing.)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8qfVvJir-IfMAFcEiAuxQ3pErrV-ed1EDWhNQm8bXU-mBOPhCkYSTRLKOFwdAqa6c8rJwVnh87OCv6k-rkJ9bs-68blLBiXVBWE3ubhJGaMw1q4P-FIPRO2Ovwz5EOEnVFOWhQw/s1600/IMG_3527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8qfVvJir-IfMAFcEiAuxQ3pErrV-ed1EDWhNQm8bXU-mBOPhCkYSTRLKOFwdAqa6c8rJwVnh87OCv6k-rkJ9bs-68blLBiXVBWE3ubhJGaMw1q4P-FIPRO2Ovwz5EOEnVFOWhQw/s320/IMG_3527.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
After you pour batter in the pan,<span style="font-size: large;"> drop</span> the chips or blueberries onto each pancake...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi66rdItVmhQnpgg4UP5Hb9w546ifljei2HxWk5S0hqEXPOikp6Z-U1mqvko9DV9WE44_DfYvVQ9JPGLGDB-SnWGmDSVsI_9FuA-AGRnmnmzLwulVWqZRiKZInlZdg6wieqmLS7qQ/s1600/IMG_3532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi66rdItVmhQnpgg4UP5Hb9w546ifljei2HxWk5S0hqEXPOikp6Z-U1mqvko9DV9WE44_DfYvVQ9JPGLGDB-SnWGmDSVsI_9FuA-AGRnmnmzLwulVWqZRiKZInlZdg6wieqmLS7qQ/s320/IMG_3532.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> Flip!</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWbZhHsqWJryFBO53UgAQGFFM9AwAif4MjgMIsBhs1iIGY6SRks9S_cnRztplI_hYjpDMMK-95lTgFzOi1v4UHoXAESkuVJvjx2YvIzHW9IxWh7BGVoZilscpENtBXrNGNztarCA/s1600/IMG_3533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWbZhHsqWJryFBO53UgAQGFFM9AwAif4MjgMIsBhs1iIGY6SRks9S_cnRztplI_hYjpDMMK-95lTgFzOi1v4UHoXAESkuVJvjx2YvIzHW9IxWh7BGVoZilscpENtBXrNGNztarCA/s320/IMG_3533.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Breaking little bits off to feed the natives and keep them at bay while you finish the batch helps tamper down on the number of <span style="font-size: large;">uprisings</span>...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgR-tT1iCktJ3VVBrl-UafeVxcf7gtKMBRwrfIfKGSEkpUZl_xbTccB_uHDoCfTTJp0-bYc124embp8sMKal6DqAAPRWaU8CzAW-F7dA-QyomLVTpnRKQ9W988i_Bqt4Gb7xkvg/s1600/IMG_3548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgR-tT1iCktJ3VVBrl-UafeVxcf7gtKMBRwrfIfKGSEkpUZl_xbTccB_uHDoCfTTJp0-bYc124embp8sMKal6DqAAPRWaU8CzAW-F7dA-QyomLVTpnRKQ9W988i_Bqt4Gb7xkvg/s320/IMG_3548.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i> Serve and ENJOY!</i></b></span></div>
<br />The Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05636578605082515103noreply@blogger.com1