Christmas

We've had a great Christmas. We are happy to be together and have family come and visit...and to see them go.

We look forward to the new year. Heaven only knows what the new year will bring for us but we know there are going to be many dramatic changes in our lives. We look forward to meeting and embracing them. All we can hope for is that we have made the best choices that we could in our current situation, learned from the ones we haven't and do our best when the next ones come along.

This last year has taught us a lot about ourselves. We love our families no matter what. We love to be around them and can't wait for our newest addition. Our goals are in line with one another and that makes all we do bring us closer together and closer to God. For these reasons we can look forward and be happy no matter what the future holds for us.

Remedial Education

Guess I didn't get a passing grade :(

Education

Our "guests" departed again last Sunday. I titled this one education because I'm glad I got the clif's notes version and not the 16-20 yr class. All the words I can use to describe my learning experience properly involve a 4 letter combination. My mom said I shouldn't use those words when I was little. I got a very brief glimpse into the growing up of Cam, Cory, Alyssa, Alayna, and CJ. Thank you for Clif's notes.

Just venting

Alyssa says I need to relieve stress... so I am using this as an outlet today instead of the normal bike ride or shotgun trip. For those "in the know" already you understand. It would be easier to say on the phone then it is to explain typing. Let's just say Thanksgiving was interesting. We had a full house here. My parents came to visit for the first weekend in Dec... and our Guests have returned. Enough said for now.

Latest Baby News

We had our 20 week ultrasound on Friday. We were really excited to find out if we were having a boy or a girl. Randy said we were having a boy, Survey said boy, ultrasound tech said boy....so chances are that we are having "suprise", a boy!!!

Randy said that the baby reached up and opened and closed his fist... he was waving at him. That made Randy happy.

Baby Update

Today makes 15 weeks - 25 to go. Randy and I got to hear the heartbeat today! The experience was brief but cool. That inital sigh...ahh, things are going well. We have an ultrasound scheduled for Nov 7, that will be the fun one!

Double Trouble

Today is Brock's 7th birhtday!! Happy Birthday dude!

To make the day more of a party we got a new nephew named Jared Aaron Veracruz.  He was born this morning at about 3:15.  He weighed in at 7 pounds and 12 ounces and was 20 inches long.  When you give details like that babies sound more like fish than babies!!! 
It seems that Jared couldn't wait to get here because an hour and fifteen minutes from time his mom and dad arrived at the hospital he was born.  We got to meet him when he was about 10 hours old. 
Randy wanted to play with Jared's fingers

while Jessica wanted to play with his nose!

Belly shots!!!

I have had a few requests for pictures of my baby belly...as cool as that would be for some - I think it would completely gross me out having those kinds of pictures for "ALL" to see. Besides, I am only 3 months along...there is not much to see and
those requesting such shots will see me in October and in November...so chill! I am not opposed to sharing the ultrasound picture. Before we get to SL in November we should have a better one and hopefully know if the baby is a boy or girl.

Our Anniversary

I love Randy!

Today is our third anniversary! I say that it's true...Time flies when you are having fun. To celebrate we decided to go to Phantom of the Opera on Saturday and we headed off to Sea World today. We have had so much fun together today and always. (I think that is what it is all about.) Randy loves the Clyde and Seamore show. I love the whales and dolphins.

We have so much to look forward to: our baby is due in the spring, Randy is trying to get into officer training and helicopter flight school, and we are supposed to get transferred out of SoCal by summer. It's exciting, scary and fun all at the same time!

"22" Coming Spring 2009

This post will make more sense if you have seen Mom's site recently.

22

Jessica

I was watching Jessica, my 1 1/2 year old neice, last night and I thought I would suprise her parents with some photos of her. Some of them turned out pretty good. She has a very interesting personality...she may not have the same last name but, she is very much a MARTIN.
I posed her with flowers, had her sit on a pillow...fixed her hair... and she did fuss at all...she didn't even move. Like she was thinking...hum...I don't care what you are doing...I'm watching Shrek. I think Jessica is beautiful. I am constantly brushing her bangs away from her eyes so that her pretty face can be seen. The shadow-profile picture was my favorite.

4th of July Weekend

Our 4th of July was spent at the fair. That night we wathed the "bombs bursting in air" from our roof top as the local radio station blared patriotic anthems.

The highlight of our weekend was our ride through the mountains to the ocean. This was our first long-distance Harley ride. Randy has a 2007 Night Train in puter denim. We rode with some couples from our ward. We had a lot of fun.

We started about 9:30 am and didn't get home until about 6:00 pm. We headed out to the oven...we call the desert. From there we climbed up to Julian and had some spectacular mountain vistas. The thermal-clines in the transition from desert to mountain were wicked! We ate lunch in Julian...with all of the other bikers...he he he...me a biker chick! LOL!!!

The drop back into the valley was great. Only a few bugs in my teethy grill! I jammed with my I-pod and held my arms out like I was flying. Randy loved the open stretches where he could hold the throtle.

Our companions were dressed in black Harley duds...bandanas over the hair... big ole sun glasses and flamming boots as we walked to the beach in Encanitas. It was quite humorous. As a group we must have looked so out of place.

I loved the ride down the coast. The air was cool and salty...my hair was flying behind me...the marine layer loomed over the ocean...the sun was getting lower in the sky...I wasn't driving...my music was playing... we had no where we had to go...no where we had to be...and all the time in the world to get there. I felt free! What better feeling than freedom on 4th of July weekend?

Trip to SLC

We had an action-packed, star-studded party in SLC. Our list of red-carpet events started in CA with Ranae going through the San Diego temple. Bravo!!! The Martin's relaxed at the park with a picnic and then made their exodus to SLC. Fantastic!

Sunday the newest super-star, Ike, was blessed. Oh how someone so young could hold the spot-light. His fan-club couldn't wait to get their hands on him!

Monday the lights fell on CJ and his rockn' birthday-bash.

Tuesday Kodi and Abbey took the lead at the Jordan Parkway. Later than night there was a "swarm" of us at the Bee's game where yet again the spot-light found a new target - Brant proposed to Shauntel! Ahh!!

Wednesday the crowd OOH-ed and awed for Ranae and Nick as they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple. Lots of laughs came as Randy and Brant shrink-wrapped the love-sick couple's car closed and squirted the plastic with ketchup.

Thursday the lights were turned up a notch...or two...or should I say three, and burned us to a crisp as we kicked it at Yuba.

Friday the stars just wouldn't be still even though it would have been better to be still due to the sun burns.

Saturday the carpet kept rollin' at the rodeo. Ye-ha, ye-all!!

The events came to a close Sunday morning after breakfast when we packed up to head back to S.D. What a whirlwind of activity. Catch us next time...the spot-light may be coming to an area near you!

Randy and I painted our front room this weekend. I am so excited!!! I am finally away from the insane asylum white! I think that it turned out pretty good.

The color, depending on the light, ranges anywhere from pale yellow to a dark cream. Randy wasn't too sure of the idea until it was on the walls. Once we got going he wouldn't let me do the work alone, the roller was his. He even threatened to lock it up so that I couldn't paint without him. I thought that was very cool of him.

Guess we need some house guests to check it out, hint, hint!!!

The older...more mature Kodi...(cough, cough)!

I thought that maybe some big dog pics were in order...To bad she couldn't stay as cute as the puppy pics...Hope Randy doesn't read this, just a little defensive of his dog, if you know what I mean!!

Kodi

It is amazing how fast puppies become dogs. I was just thinking how big Kodi has gotten. I remember way...way back in time (a whole 7 months ago) when she was a ball of eating, sleeping, and pooping fluff. Now she is a bouncing, running, digging, item stealing, eating, sleeping, pooping, pile of muscle.

She is a quick learner. We bought her a doggie door last weekend. She didn't quite understand the concept until we put treats through the door...before we knew it she was racing in and out of it.

Randy likes to call her "Tig-digger". Tig refers to her bounciness, just like Tigger. Digger obviously represents her digging abilities.

We can't wait until next month when Kodi and Abbey (Abbey is Jason and Alayna's bulldog)will meet again. Abbey didn't seem to like the Kodi (she was 7 weeks old then and about 7 pounds) and let her have it...wonder what Abbey will do now that Kodi will tower over her. Will Moki (Cory and Jeri's yellow lab) want to play?

I recently got my advanced open water certification for scuba diving. It was awesome. I don't know anything more peaceful than diving. Focusing on breathing brings me back to myself. The colors are spectacular. The sea life is fascinating. To get my certification I had to cover five subjects from a list. I did under water navigation, under water naturalist, night diving, deep diving and wreck diving. Knowing how to use a compass will most likely come in handy. Knowing the critters and plants you will see makes you sound smarter. But my favorites were the last three. I don't know what it is about night diving that is so exciting...for me I would say it is the great-black-unknown. I am sure that would creep most people out...not knowing what is outside your vision...lurking in the darkness...praying your dive light doesn't crap out...I LOVE IT!!! Funny thing about it is that I get terrified from scary movies and horror stories. Guess you could call that a double standard.I did the deep and wreck dives together. The first one was of a Canadian destroyer called the Yukon. It was laying on its port side in 100 feet of water. The destroyer was neat in the fact that it was complete. It has only been in it's final resting space for 7 years. No much sea life growing on it yet but you could see it wouldn't take many years for it to be a habitat for starfish, crabs, anemones, urchins, sea cucumbers, and such. The second dive of that day was of the Ruby E...a Coast Guard Cutter. It was resting pretty much upright in about 75 feet of water. The difference between the two boats were staggering. The rusted metal. The sea life. The temperature of the water. Even the color of the water was different. At 100 feet the water appeared green. At 75 feet the water looked more blue. I enjoyed the Ruby E more most due to it's dilapidated state.I took footage of both dives. I kinda felt like I was the cinematographer that filmed the beginning of Titanic were they close in on the bow of the ship...and all of the plankton is floating this way and that...I could almost picture the ship, squeaky clean cruising the open sea...just imagine.

Brown Nosing

See I really am the teacher's pet. That's directed to you Jeri and Jennilyn. Guess that would be teachers' not teacher's. So ha...bet that Alayna!!!