Fun Weekend Project!!!

This weekend, my husband and I are tackling a weekend project! We are adding wainscoting to our laundry room. I'll have to post pictures!

Mark A. Russell

Last Friday nite, Mark A. Russell past away in his sleep. He was only 40 years old, a husband, and a father of a four-year-old boy.

He had a great impact on my life, even though I haven't seen him for years. When I was sixteen years old he hired me to work every Saturday at Cherished Moments Christian bookstore at the Eagle Ridge Mall. I had no idea that I would be working for him for the next seven years after that. He really believed I was something special and if I ever got an itch to go work somewhere else, he hiked up my pay and enticed me to stay. When I came home from college, he made sure I had a job waiting for me at one of his GNC stores even though I didn't have a clue what protein powder was or how estrogen cream worked! I learned quickly though.

I'm sad you are gone! You were the epitome of good health! My only regret is not taking every opportunity to talk to you about eternal things...the only thing that really matters.

Lila Kate - 9 months

Have I mentioned lately that I love this child? She is our pride and joy!

Crazy Summer

Well, I'm home today with what I think might be the Swine Flu. I hope that is the hypochondriac in me though and hopefully this is just a little cold I have to push through.

I wish I was better at keeping up with this blog! Maybe if I had more readers that would inspire me more. If you are reading, you should leave me a comment!

This summer has been quite eventful, for both good and bad reasons. First things first, since I talked about Clint's Grandma in my last blog entry, I'll go ahead and share that Mrs. Hazel Starling passed away in June. It was quite a shock, even though she was really old (wow, that sounds insensitive). It's just that she felt so young to us. To her dying day, she made us laugh and cared about the little things going on in our lives. I miss her very much. I do know that she was a child of God and a firm believer in Jesus Christ. She is with her husband now, the late Marvin Starling.

Next, I will say that she would turn over in her grave if she knew some things that her children were doing. Even middle-aged grown ups, the people we look up to the most when we are children and consider to be perfect, make huge mistakes that affect so many people. I will leave it at that to protect the innocent. I'm deeply disappointed. But I do know that Jesus forgives. However, that doesn't mean I will ever be able to forget.

The best news of all this summer is -- Clint and I are expecting our second baby. It was a big shock to me. I had been feeling nauseous during our last beach trip (4th of July Weekend). I was also sleeping a lot while everyone else was enjoying the sunshine. Well, whenI got home, I took a test and sure enough - we got a big fat positive! I screamed from the bathroom saying, "CLINT, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!" repeatedly. He didn't know what the heck was going on! It is entirely his fault (even though I do know how these things work). We are are elated and looking forward to welcoming baby #2 in February. I have a feeling this one is a boy.

God is constantly reminding me how blessed I am, with the love I have in my life. I'm so thankful!

The next post will be all about what is going on right OUTSIDE the yellow house! We got new sod and the yard is looking good! I'm so proud of my yard man (Clint)! He is quite talented.

Lila's First Trip to Englewood

When I was little, I often went to Englewood for our summer beach vacation. I remember several families going at once some years. And my parents allowed me to bring my best friend Andrea one year too! When I met Clint several years ago, I found out that he has been going to the same beach house at Englewood since he was 13 years old. I've been going the past five years and it is always a welcomed get-away! See pictures below for the round house they call home two weeks out of the year.

I've heard stories of Clint's grandparents coming with them on summer vacations. This year while we were there, we had a big scare with Clint's grandma. She was put in the hospital and not doing well at all. His mom dropped everything and headed home. Well, she is doing somewhat better now and we are so thankful. She is 86 and the mother of 6 children!

Speaking of Englewood and grandparents, my grandma is a HUGE fan of Englewood. She still comes and stays at the Westin Condos when she has the opportunity.

One more Englewood story. My husband Clint chased after me for about six months before I looked his direction. He quickly became something I couldn't live without, as he earned the title of my best friend during those months. We could talk about anything and everything. Well, a few months into this one-sided courtship, I was supposed to meet a DATE in the Englewood area for a wedding. Clint drove me and dropped me off. Keep in mind, he was already smitten by this point. So to drive me two hours away to drop me off so I could spend time with someone else made me take notice of his heart! He was the sweetest guy in the world. I will never forget that, and the many other things that made me eventually fall in love.

Wonderful family memories all around at Englewood!

The Yellow House...

recently got some new shades!! I ordered them from a girl on Etsy who makes them! I love them! This is the door that goes to the nursery from our bedroom. We put the shade on our side of the door so we could have that much needed privacy from our future toddler!

I'm back!!!!

Okay, so sorry for the long time, no post! I actually forgot my password and finally figured it out tonight. I've got to catch you up and document a few of Lila's milestones!

She started CRAWLING right at 7 months. She no longer sits there and looks at us. She is every where, getting into everything! The childproofing has certainly begun!

Half Year!!

We celebrated Lila's half birthday with a yummy Strawberry cake! She is growing so fast and she does something new every day. She started sitting up on her own right at six months. She is so much easier to play with now!

I will have some very interesting things to post in the next month or so! For now, here are some pics!!

Happy Easter

We had a very busy Easter weekend! Our church had a Good Friday service on Friday (imagine that). It turned out really great. Sunday was so busy that I didn't even get around to taking any photos of our little family. But thankfully Eva took some of Lila and I and some of the babies. Thanks girl!

Tribute to Friends

As adults, you learn that good friends are hard to find! I'm thankful for all the good friends God has brought into our lives. Here's a little tribute to all Lila's little friends:

Lila and Hannah. Lila thinks baby Hannah is another one of her little dolls! Isn't she cute!



Jonathan is the most handsome of Lila's friends. His mommy says that his first ones were "I love lila" even though it sounded more like i-la-li-lu.


Lila is blessed to have the best cousins ever. Abby is a huge help for me and allows me to get work done around the house! And the boys love to kiss on her.


Can't forget her favorite furry friend, Wrigley. They cuddle together every morning and Lila loves to pet her soft ears. Wrigley is also very protective of Lila.

Bathroom is All Done!

Our bathroom is all done and we absolutely love it! This morning Clint and I were both getting ready, side by side. I had to reach over and give him a big kiss because I was so excited about our double sinks. We are so happy with the way it turned out.

Spring Has Arrived

Tiffany & Co.

Lila received her first gift from Tiffany & Co. Can we just say this girl is spoiled or what? Her Mimi and Grandpa went to Vegas and brought her back a special gift in a little blue box with white ribbon. It's an adorable heart charm. I can picture her wearing it on her wedding day. Are we getting ahead of ourselves a little bit??

Bathroom Makeover

Before: (and NO, I am not using the bathroom while taking this picture)


Thursday afternoon:


I can't wait to cross off another thing on "The List"



When we bought our house one of the first projects on my list was the bathroom makeover. Our favorite handy man has been hard at work and the finished product should be done by Tuesday. It kind of stinks that he can't work over the weekend because it means we can't use our bathroom! But luckily we do have another tiny bathroom so Clint doesn't have to use a tree and we don't have to bathe Lila in the nearby pond.

I had a great time buying everything for the bathroom at Lowe's last weekend. My mom was a huge help in helping me decide which fixtures to go with. I originally had my eye on a double vanity on Ebay, but the seller wouldn't answer any of my questions. So I said to heck with it and ended up with something way better anyways. And much cheaper!

Be sure to check out the pics of the finished product next week.

My Wordle

Check out Wordle at www.wordle.net. It takes all the words you've used recently in your blog, or other sources, and jumbles them together. The larger the word appears, the more you use it.

I will have to do it again in a few months to see how much it changes. I like "Lila" being nice and big. So, Lila, Lila, Lila, Lila, Lila, Lila, Lila. That should help!

Off the Charts and On Her Belly

Lila is 4 1/2 months now and she had a routine doctor's appointment last week. She is 18 lbs. 5 oz and 26 3/4 inches. They said she was "off the charts" for her percentiles..so we have a big girl on our hands.

The exciting news recently in the yellow house: Lila is rolling over like crazy. On February 27, she rolled over for the first time. It was a Friday and Clint took her to his parents house and I was going to meet them there later. They put Lila on a blanket on her back and then they all went outside to take care of something. When they came back about two minutes later, she was on her tummy just as happy as can be. When I arrived, I demanded to see this in person. Well, she didn't do it, so we decided to all leave the room and just peek around the corner. And sure enough, she rolled right over. Later on, I took her to my parents and we all did the same thing! She was only doing it when she thought no one was in the room, like she was looking around for us. Since then, she's rolled over about a thousand times. She loves being on her belly. I know the doctor says she needs to sleep on her back, but she just isn't having it. The picture above is how we find her after a nap.

I've decided to wait until at least six months to introduce any solids to her diet. She is still very content and I'm just not ready for the mess. Although it will be a lot of fun!!

We Dedicate Her to You

About a month ago, our church held a baby dedication and Clint and I made a promise to pray for Lila and bring her up to have a personal relationship with Him. Lord, I pray that she will know you one day and love you more than anything else. I also pray that she will find a Godly husband. JJ Pike would be ideal, k?

After the dedication, we wanted to have a small family luncheon at the yellow house. Well, when it comes to Clint's family, "small" is just not a word used to describe it. It turned into thirty people! Can you say panic?? We set up tables in our front porch and inside our house and it was such a perfect day.

Just chillin...

Lila and I just catching up on some reading. This was right before she starting gnawing on my arm...

Lila's Nursery

Nurseries are so much tidier before the baby is born. Lila, here 's your own special place in the yellow house...
I can attest to our crib manufacturer's guarantee that it will withstand a few hundred pounds. Just don't ask me how I know...

Lila at 3 1/2 Months

Lila is almost four months old and getting so big! I'm not sure how much longer we can squeeze her into her swaddle. When we do though, she looks like like her friend, "Mr. Glow Worm." She loves it! Daddy put together her jumperoo this past week and it quickly made it to her "favorite's list."

My Fitness Blog

I have to laugh because this blog is actually a reconstructed one that I abandoned a few years ago. It used to be my "fitness blog" in which I logged everything I ate when I was on a health kick. Things like egg whites, Cliff's Bars, etc. And it included "before" photos like the one below. So funny, because the blog was abandoned after a short stint of eating like a rabbit and working out like a feen. I would give anything for my "after" photos to look anything close to those "before" photos now. Oh the changes a few years of eating at Checkers and giving birth make on your body! I will spare you the other ridiculous photos and poses. Well, I will spare myself of becoming a complete laughing stock of the blogosphere.

Lila Kate

Lila Kate Martin was born on Oct. 29 and has brought so much joy into our lives. She was born on a Wednesday night, and she surprised us all when she came in at 10 lbs. She was the talk of the hospital and the biggest baby born that day. She is incredibly loved and within one hour of her life she was held by Gigi, Papa, Aunt Kelly, Mimi, Grandpa, Uncle Derek, Aunt Victoria - and of course her proud dad and mom. She was 21.5 inches long. The first night, she slept beside me in the hospital and every time she made a sound I pulled out the bulb suction and made sure nothing was blocking her airway. I was obsessed!

At ten weeks old, she had a routine check up with the doctor and weighed 15 lbs, 8 oz and measured 25.5 inches. She had grown four inches right before our very eyes! Every time I take her out in public people tell me that "she makes their day." I can relate, because she always makes my day! We call her "Smiley Liley" because she hands out smiles like there's no tomorrow.

Her favorite things right now:
- Compliments
- "Little Miss Muffet"
- A good nap in her swaddle
- Sounds of the ocean in her sound machine

About 30 seconds after she was born, actually before her feet were even out yet, my mom declared that she looked just like Clint. And she was right, because some people swear I had nothing to do with bringing that child into the world. If they had been in that delivery room, they would beg to differ!

To catch you up a bit...

I'm starting this blog right in the middle of some very exciting things, so I feel the need to catch you up on some of the major events that have happened thus far. Here are the highlights:

Fell in Love

Married the Boy

Adopted our First Baby

Got "Knocked Up"

Bought Our First House

Fell in Love All Over Again

Although you missed many important details, like the fact that we lived in a trailer for a year that almost fell down every time we did laundry. And, we suffered a miscarriage somewhere in the middle of all that too! But God is good and he has brought us to this moment in time where we can count our losses as gain and praise his name for the every-day miracles.