Yesterday was a day we got to spend with Grandmomma and Grandaddy. We got up about 7:45 and cleaned up the house in case anyone came to look at the house while we were gone. We headed up to their apartment around 8:30. Grandaddy made us pancakes, eggs, and sausage. YUMMY! After sitting around for about and hour after breakfast we packed up in their car and headed to the Kenecott Copper Mines. I have been wanting to go here for a while and see what it is all about. I read some interesting facts to the kids before we left.
-it is the largest open mining place in the world.
-in 1999 it took 36 tons of copper to make all the coins that were made that year. Kenecott takes about 41 days to get that much copper from their mine.
-The wheels on the dump trucks that haul the ore cost 19,000-23,000 a piece and last around a year. They put about 50,000 miles on them during that year.
-the length of the mine at the top is 2 ½ miles long. At over ¾ a mile deep.
We were able to look down in the mile and see to the bottom. They also had a visitors center we were able to read all about the mine. The history to how the mine became a mine is really interesting.
We weren’t quiet sure where it was so we got to go on a driving adventure until we found it.

This is the new Oquerrh Mountain Temple. We were able to go to the dedication on Sunday at our Stake Center. We now have 11 Temples in Utah (if I counted correctly).

Jello Fight

For Family Home Evening last night we went to Thanksgiving Point for an evening of fun. They had Popcicle eating contest, kool-aid balloon throw, jello fight, quicksand (cornstarch and water), and other things that you could do. It was so fun. We went mainly for the jello fight and the adults had just as much fun as the kids. It was awesome. Let me just say that these pictures really do not do the adults justice. For example I had jello all over my back and all in my hair. Plus I have on Pink scrubs so you can't even see what is on me in the front.
It was a ton of fun. Thanks to the McCall's for calling me and reminding me of this fun activity.

I just want you to know that I did not fix John's hair like this. It is sticky from jello and it was as stiff as a board.

WHAT"S NEXT

"WHAT"S NEXT" is the name of this post because I know it will not be the last disaster we have with John in our house. Tonight it was the entire gallon of kool-aid being poured on the floor. We were getting ready for dinner and have everything set. I put the koo-laid next to Jacob's place. Next thing we know we hear a loud yell and crash. Jacob yelling because he knows he is too late and the kool-aid pitcher dropping. The girls and I could do nothing but start laughing at the look on Jacob's and John's faces. Jacob's face was complete horror while John's was a cross between panic and innocence.
We did the only thing we could do. Clean it up with lots of towels and Jacob made more kool-aid.
Stay tuned for the next catastrophe that John creates in our home. We love him dearly.

NO I DO NOT BEAT MY CHILD

I was working last Saturday and came home to find John with a swollen nose and the owie he has on his nose. I guess he fell on Adalyn's bunk bed and hit his nose on the wooden footboard. To make matters worse a few days later he fell on the driveway and hit his face right below his left eye. so he had two black eyes and his left eye was black under the eye also.

These pictures are actually 4-5 days old. My camera was full and I had to wait and get a cd so I could empty those pictures and get some of John. If you can imagine that he actually looked worse he did. The swelling has actually gone down in these pictures. I felt so sorry for him. Of course it never seemed to phase him. He is still wide open in everything he does.

Boys. They are in a league all their own.

Bama Trip

Finally I am getting around to posting about our trip to Bama. I would love to have put all my pictures on here, but I know everyone has their own lives to live and time is limited.
We left for Bama on Wednesday,April 8th around 3:30. I had kept John awake in hopes he would just take his nap on the plane. HE DIDN"T. It was probably the worst plane ride I have ever been on. He cried and fussed for the first hour or so. He finally fell asleep (in mid cry). He slept for about 30 min and then screamed until we landed in Dallas. Luckily we were on the back row and the plane was not full. The flight from Dallas to Birmingham was uneventful thank goodness.
Grandmomma Dianne met us at the airport and was greeted by three very excited grandchildren ready for hugs.
We spent Thursday and Friday in Wetumpka visiting with Grandmomma, Grandaddy, Lou Lou, and the Pinkstons. It was beautiful weather and I loved being back at home in the South.
We were able to check out Grandmomma and Grandaddy's new condo on the river. Can you believe I didn't even get a picture of it. I have a few pictures of us riding the gondola down to the river and John walking back along the trail.







Emily read a story to the girls one night before bedtime. The girls especially had a good time playing with their cousins.

John getting some extra love from Grandmomma Dianne.

One day Georgia took the kids to the park that is by the river in Wetumpka while Grandmomma Dianne and I did a little Easter shopping. The kids thought playing in the water was lots of fun. I was not to crazy about this. My over active imagination kept seeing them getting too far out and me not being able to save them. I am such a wimp.
Friday afternoon Nanna and Pop came to Wetumpka and picked us up and we were off to Magnolia.
The Easter bunny comes to our house the Saturday before Easter Sunday. There are several reasons for this. I like to keep the spirit of Easter on Sunday without the kids being distracted by thoughts of the Easter bunny and candy. I also like the kids to be able to pig out on their candy Saturday and be able to run around outside instead of being on a sugar high during church. We had to be a little creative this year since I couldn't bring their Easter baskets to Bama. My mom gave me the great idea of using hats. This was good because the Easter bunny didn't have to bring them very much because their hats weren't very big.
You know what I realized. They were still just as happy recieving the small things they got than they have been in the past getting more stuff.

The main reason we planned this trip to Bama was to see my newest neice, Mallory Newton. Originally she was scheduled to be here in March, but since she decided to come 6 weeks early she was 3 months by the time I got to see her. She was still a tiny thing only weighing around 8 pounds when we got there. John was really cute with her. He did have a little trouble when I decided to hold her and didn't really like having to share his mom.

Saturday afternoon we went to Grandma Great's house (this is my mom's mom). Aunt Cathy and Uncle Jack from Georgia and Uncle Don from Mississippi came down for the day also. My Aunt Cathy is great. I have always loved how creative she is. She planned this really cute easter party for the kids. She had all these little booths set up for the kids to play games and win prizes. They had a ring toss, an egg throw, bunny bowling, duck pond, and fishing. The kids loved it. Thanks Aunt Cathy. Just want you to know how much I appreciate all you do for us. I love you a ton.

My mom has pictures of us when we were little at Easter time by an azaela bush in our yard. I know this is not the same bush, but I am excited that my kids will also have a Easter picture kind of like the one I had growing up. Wish I had that picture to post.

My brother Billy and his boys, Brant, Frankie, and Andrew

My sister Christie, her husband Rocky, Riley, Natalee, and Malory(I don't know if I spelled her name right Christie)

My Dad and Mom (Frank and Dianne Martin)

We were sitting in the living room one day when we heard this thump against the window. It turned out that a red bird had flew into the window and it had knocked it silly. I was able to walk right up to it and pick it up. The girls thought this was pretty cool. John kept getting right down next to it. I just knew the bird was going to peck him on the nose.

How could I go to Bama and not go to the beach. I would feel deprived if I didn't get to go. My kids love the beach. I think we could vacation on the beach every year and be content. I was able to eat shrimp and have crab legs twice. It was a little windy especially the day we left, but it was still beautiful. I got totally burnt and my girls fussed at me for not putting on sunblock. I should know better.

After swimming all day Adalyn's eyes were all red and hurting. They kept watering. That is the reason she is crying in this picture. I didn't have much luck with a group picture of them at the beach. This is about as good as I could get.

My parents have all this playground equipement at their house for the kids to play on. John really liked this horse swing. A funny story about this swing. It had a wasp nest in the nose. When we were hunting eggs. Mom, Christie, and I hunted after the kids hid the eggs. We were really silly and would chase after each other when we would say we found an egg. The kids thought we were so funny. Anyway. I looked in the nose of this horse to see if there was an egg in it. As my eyes focused I was nose to nose with a wasp sitting on it's nest. I of course jumped back screaming. It is a wonder that wasp didn't fly out and sting me right in the nose. Boy did I get lucky. We sprayed it good before letting John on it.

We also had a Martin reunion at Cindy Wood's house while I was home. I was able to see lots of family. Cindy had this swing that the kids love. That is Alyssa way up in the air in this swing.

My parents have this big dog named Bozo. He is very mellow. After getting over his initial fear, he thought Bozo was great. He would go up and hold onto Bozo's face, point at his eyes, his nose, and his tongue. He would hug him and then he would get down on all fours and pretend he was a dog also. it was really cute. Bozo would just stand there and let him do it.

My trip to Bama was great. My flight home was much better. I missed Jacob and was glad to be back home with him. It was good to get back to some semblence of a routine. I was glad that I missed the snow they had in Utah while I was visiting in Bama. That was an added bonus for my trip.

I look forward to my next visit home and to any visits that family want to make to come see me.