June: Utah Vacation Part 1 (Christina & Ben Wedding)

This is my sister Christina. She is a decade younger than me yet we have lived parallel lives. She played basketball in high school, went to college and became an nurse, then married a med student. Good luck lady. You are in for a long journey! Christina and Ben though are a perfect match, full of energy and enthusiasm. They will do great things in this world. They met through my mother and sisters. Ben was a friend to my sister's apartment and had worked at my mom's hospital in the OR with her. Tina always had an eye for him but Ben was reserved because of their age difference. Finally, they began dating and it was magic. They couldn't stay apart. Ben even rented two apartments, one in Salt Lake close to the university, and the other close to Tina. He became a permanent fixture in my parents home. Ben proposed at a candlelight dinner and Tina couldn't resist. So here we are, at another Martin wedding.

We went to Utah for their wedding. It was our 5th trip to Utah for a wedding since moving to Oregon. All of Brian's vacation time has been for weddings up until we did our San Diego trip this past May.


I love having to attend my siblings weddings for the following reasons:
1) I get to see all my extended family in one setting, thus, preventing multiple trips to see the grandparents and uncles and aunts.

2) Bonding time with my sisters whom I love and adore and don't get to spend enough time with.
3) Hearing Brian complain about how nobody has worn my wedding dress which I was forced to purchase and he disliked. My mom also had the seamstress put a 2 inch inseam in the dress to allow for the variations in the sizes of my sisters. So much for saving on dresses.

4) I love to see my kids all dressed up in wedding outfits and we somehow manage to get one decent pic of my family that becomes the Christmas card picture.

6) Seeing all of my family and siblings in the temple together is probably the highlight of the event.
7) I love all the fresh flowers. I also love my mother's backyard. Two receptions have been back there and they both were spectacular in their display of flowers.

Here is this year's Hall Family Picture 2009.

June: Fathers Day Dinner

On Mother's day I was showered with such wonderful "gifts" and hugs and kisses (although they couldn't name a single thing they liked about me other than she scrapbooks alot (hint...hint...she is on the computer too much)! For Brian on Father's day, we went to my friend Vicky's house for a feast!!!

Lots of kids and company!

Even an adult room for peace and quiet and good conversation...

Our hosts and our dear friends...

I am fortunate enough to have not only a wonderful Father but a wonderful Father-in-Law. Both of them came from the humblest of roots. They worked for everything they became, and they never let anyone tell them they couldn't accomplish great things. They both teach me great lessons.

Is there anything cuter than a kid with his Grandpa's?


Then there is my husband, who he, himself, said, "I think I am a great parent...it's the spouse part I have to work at." Brian, you ARE the greatest dad! Almost 13 years of marriage and 4 kids, and I still love you. Happy Father's Day Love.

June: Ice Cream Tuesdays

My friend Sharon and I thought it might be fun to plan on getting together once a week and going to a venue/park and then follow that up with an ice cream pit stop. We invited a few 100 close friends and started calling it ice-cream Tuesday. It became a huge hit! We would e-mail everyone each week were we were going (and it included a disclaimer waiving their right to claiming we fattened them up over the summer). We visited many parks, many ice cream locations, went to a fish hatchery, a historic town, and had a blast. We couldn't believe that we never repeated a single location or ice cream spot. One spot we went to was a newer park in West Medford that included a spray park (always a kid favorite).
Do you like my "I haven't showered yet today and am still in my exercise clothes with my hair in the pony-look?"

Andrew...
Ethan, Sophie, and Saydee...


Paige, Sophie and Saydee...So much fun!!!

June: Ethan & Brian Building the Shed

Brian started a shed in the back yard Mother's day 2008. Well, maybe by 2010 it will be finished. I haved started to call it the Expletive Shed. He finally finished 3 out of 4 walls of siding in June (which always requires my help while supervising children and getting the rolled eyes of Brian because I can't figure out what square is or how to hold a line).

Ethan is just a chip off the old block and was all over helping dad...

This included all of his "power toys"...

And even a lesson with a real hammer and nail...

Ethan was in heaven. Notice the size 4T shorts he has on (that are his favorite). I guess he already likes the gangster-look down low and the preppy button down shirt look on top!

June: Kids Imagination

I can't help it. I am Carol Martin's daughter. When I saw they were doing a free event at Kids Imagination, I was all over that! Never mind that all of Medford had the same idea!

The girls planted real seeds that would become beautiful flowers...had they not drowned, then dehydrated the seeds...
Andrew and Lizzy built an arch...

Ethan (the sidekick), Lizzy, Saydee (the girls best friend and neighbor), and Sophie...



Andrew and Ethan created a castle out of mega-legos...

They had a blast! The only glitch was when they wanted to give Ethan a toothbrush and he was hysterical (maybe that explains our Hall family cavity problem).

June: 8 yr old soccer tournament

Andrew started the summer by playing in a soccer tournament. They were undefeated and took first place. They got to play on these special astro-turf soccer fields that the city just put in (they can't fund schools but they can put in a multi-million dollar sports complex--sorry for the soapbox).
Andrew's buddy Seth's dad coached the team. Kevin is one of Brian's best buddies who he goes to at least one BYU football game a year with.

The rest of his teammates are buddies from Hoover elementary. They have been playing together for 4 years. They are pretty good.

Receiving the trophy....(why have a trophy when there is just one? The fight for the trophy was intense by the boys!)
1st place winners! Congrats Andrew!

June: Kindergarten Graduation 2009

Ah, yes, another kindergarten graduation. Why they do this tradition baffles me. But, to its defense, the crowds were enormous and every kid there thought they were hot stuff. Including my two hot stuff chicks!

Lizzy with the best teacher in the world, Mrs Robino.

Sophie and the best teacher in the world...
Chelsea, who just made her debut as the "nanny" for the summer along with Ethan were in the crowd cheering on the youngsters...

Riley, Sophie, Lauren and Lizzy...

Proud mom or "Mama" as Lizzy calls me.

Lizzy, Nyah, Sophie, and Ethan (the perpetual sidekick)....
Sophie and Mom... (Sophie was the youngest in her class and made the deadline by 9 days. We realized our mistake by 3 months into kindergarten that she wasn't ready. She tried her darndest and actually met benchmark for advancement, but both Brian and I decided that the best thing for Sophie was another year back with Mrs. Robino. When we broke the news to Sophie this summer, she was relieved, excited, and happy! We had her tutored by her Aunt Anne who did a fabulous job and she will now be light years ahead of her kindergarten classmates and have a fresh start. The best thing about this move is that she will have 5 little girls from her church in her class!)
Ethan, Lizzy, Sophie, Bennett, and Scotty (the boyfriends:)


HAPPY KINDERGARTEN GRADUATION GIRLS!!!

Only 16 to 18 more years expected from both of you!

June: 2nd Grade End of Year Party

Andrew had loads of fun at his end of the year 2nd grade party. They went to Holmes park and had different activities for the kids to participate in. They also had the parents contribute to an amazing BBQ with all sorts of snacks, hotdogs, and drinks. The kids were thrilled.




I was so happy with Andrew's teacher. He pushed Andrew and his abilities, putting him in a special math and reading group. He excelled under his tutelage and thirsted for more knowledge. Andrew truly has a great desire to learn and the possibilities for him are endless.

June: Kindergarten End of Year Party

This year the Kindergartners went to Holmes park for their end of the year celebration. They had many events for the kids to participate in. It was well organized and the kids were thrilled!

Fill the bucket sponge game...

Spider crawl...
Super Sophie and her spider crawl...

Lizzy balancing on buckets...

Balloon toss (Lizzy and I won!). Ethan watches on so impressed!

Lizzy's group (she is the tallest of the bunch!)...

Relay game!


Here is the Kindergarten class of 2009!
(Sophie first row and Lizzy on the ladder midway up)