G2...

Is still a rascal.

TP...

An obsession...

 

Trains and cars, cars and trains, this boy loves them both.  So naturally you read a book about trains to your cars so they can get to know one another.

Traditions...

Christmas Eve tradition:
Dinner with the Martin family, act out the Nativity with costumes and singing, Bonnie plays the piano, Jim is the narrator, Allie may one day participate, I am old enough to be in the audience, but somehow Eric isn't,  he was a sheep and the smallest is baby Jesus and Lola was a pretty cute baby Jesus.  Then drive the kids home and hope they fall asleep before we get there.

LL...

Luche Libre

JC spent some time in Mexico and gave this to Mason for Christmas.  Maybe we are going to have a luchador in the family.

Plank off 2012...

The long awaited results of who would win the Martin plank-off of 2012 are finally here.  What?  You know, a plank off.  Doesn't your family get together during the holidays and have a plank-off competition?  We did.  Everyone trained up for it, well maybe not everyone but I did.  If you are unfamiliar with this competition everyone finds an open spot on the floor and then they see how long they can hold the plank position. 

Here are the results:
Mason 1:30
Cody 2:18
John 2:40
Amber 2:41
Cherie 4:02
Sierra 4:10
Garrett 4:22
JC 4:35
Ted 7:18
Krista 8:00
Eric 8:07 (his official record is more than 11 minutes but that would be bragging wouldn't it)

There were other feats of strength like tossing pennies into a pot, stacking and unstacking cups and balancing on one foot on a small piece of wood with your eyes closed.  (I smashed everyone on that one.)  I haven't heard what next years competition is but I hope someone tells me soon so I can start training. 

Martin family picture?

 

It's pretty hard to get a really great picture of the whole Martin crew.  Why?  It's past 10pm, there are 8 kids 9 years old and under, we are inside, the camera is on a piano bench, Ted isn't next to his wife Amber so their heads look strangely huge and tiny and the Martins are a crazy bunch.  But what is great about these pictures is this is exactly what was happening at our house a few days after Christmas.  The whole family was in one place for one day and it was wonderful.  And that, my friends, is a picture worth having. 

Snow...

MLK Day brought enough snow for play and sledding, if your hill is steep enough. Garrett had no desire to wear a jacket or pants or socks.  He did live through it all just fine and didn't even care, kids don't seem to get cold.  He would tell me, "I don't need jacket, I be fine."