::Merry Christmas!::

::hands down my most favorite picture of our Christmas celebration!::

::it sums up my trio::

::my big guy so handsome in his tie, desperately trying to keep it all together, smiling through the pain with a death grip on his brothers::

::my middle man, making silly faces and trying not to smile::

::and little dunc, ticked off at having to do anything not on his agenda and not afraid to show it!::

hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

fordisms

"Mom, is Santa nocturnal?"

::the BIG 5::

::ford is 5!!!::

this blows my mind!

five is BIG.

i love this kid something fierce.

he's super smart, hysterical and sly as a fox.

::he's OBSESSED with legos::

would eat peanut butter & jelly sandwiches 3 meals a day.

favorite show is Wild Kratts.

wants to be just like his cousin, Parker.

::he's got a precious heart.::

easily memorizes scripture.

loves to ride his bike.

can whine with the best of them.

can't wait to go hunting with Uncle Clayton.

::has his mama's heart in the palm of his hands!::

::we love you, Ford!::

happy birthday, big guy!

ahoy!

::this merry band of misfits had a blast trick-or-treating and fall festivaling!::

ford said his school's fall festival was the greatest night of his life!

duncan got sent home early when he tried to climb in the corral with the miniature ponies.

and luke stuck close to granny's side...he was slightly overwhelmed!

::have you missed us?::

::we're still here!::

just CRAZY busy!

the boys are out of school for the summer,

and other than VBS next week,

we have no big plans.

but this mama still has a job...

and no childcare...

so things have gotten even wilder around the martin casa!

i've rearranged my work so i have every morning free

and then work every afternoon.

we're all adjusting and my plan is just to

wear them out every morning so they're content

to stick around here in the afternoons!

{i may or may not have resorted to bribery a few times

with a happy hour slush from sonic}

::and this guy has decided to make things interesting and cries ALL.DAY.LONG::

bless his little heart...and mine...and his brothers'...and anyone else

that is forced into contact with him.

for some reason, he seems to snap out of it when daddy walks in the door.

crazy, right?

he just has a gift:)

::duncan's 1-year stats::

weight: 21.13 - 30%

height: 30 inches - 55%

head: 75%

he was down a pound from our last visit, so if it weren't for that pesky stomach bug, i think it would have been in the same percentile as his height. and he's carrying on the martin tradition of having a big ol' noggin!

ONE

::my baby is ONE::

i am still in shock.

this year has gone by in a blink.

after delaying his party due to a nasty stomach bug,

we finally got to get our cake on last night.

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it was also our 7th anniversary,

& i can't think of a better way to celebrate.

i asked joseph if he thought we'd have 3 kids in 7 years.

he said, "maybe, but i sure didn't think we'd have 3 kids in 3 years!"

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this little boy is my heart.

he brings so much joy to our family.

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and he sure can TEAR UP some cake!

he started out slow, not sure what to think.

but once he got a little taste and knew it was sweet,

he was all about it!

::we LOVE you, duncs!::