The Party

Carrying on with the occasion of the first b-day, I thought I'd include a few of the pics we just got back from Asher's party this past Saturday. We asked another extremely talented friend, Matt, if he'd take some candid shots throughout the afternoon. Well, we got more than we bargained for because they turned out amazing!!! How blessed are we to have such gifted friends??? Thank you, thank you, thank you! To check out all the pics, click here.

Talent

My so very talented friend Erin agreed to take some 1 year pics of Asher for us. They came out just how I wanted: simple, black and white, nude :) I'll spare you the butt cheeks, but here are just a few of the great shots she got. Thanks so much Erin!!!

One.

Happy 1st Birthday to our boy! It's been a year of immeasurable blessing that we will treasure forever. We pray the Lord will bless Asher James with many more sweet years and that our family life will bring Him glory!



More on the Bday to come...

Play Time

Asher has these wonderful times of independent play here and there throughout the day. It's a perfect opportunity for me to sneak away to the kitchen or other things that need attending to, but sometimes, oftentimes, I find myself watching him from around a corner. I'm just fascinated with the things he says and does. And it always brings a smile to myself. While this 2 minute video may seem long to you, I could watch this guy for hours...

Play Time from Sara Martin on Vimeo.

5 Years, 1 1/2 kids and a Week Away

This past Saturday, July 31st, Ben and I celebrated 5 years of marriage. We always thought that 5 years would be an ideal amount of time to be married before having kiddos. I love that we are so often wrong about what we think is best; that God's will always trumphs our own "perfect" plans.

Ben took a week's worth of vacation time last week as we toured the great state of Ohio. We started things off in Cleveland visiting family and friends and using the tickets that Ben got to the Pro Football Hall of Fame for Christmas last year.

Then we headed out to Pymatuning Lake with Grandpa Dietz for 4 fun filled, relaxed days of camping.


Finally, we spent this past weekend in Columbus visiting Grandpa and Grandma Martin who took care of the little man while Mama and Papa spent an evening celebrating and reflecting on the 5 years that have come and gone...

New Favorite Blog Alert

I found 101 Cookbooks while searching for a recipe for choc. zuchinni muffins. Scrumptios whole, natural cooking. Check it out next time you need a recipe or if natural foods strick your fancy.

Caged In?!

I could see the large box on the doorstep as we approached the house.
Buddy... Mama's special package is here. Get excited...
I had ordered the Superyard XT after several different strategic placements of chairs and ottomans failed to dissuade Asher from climbing the bookcase, the floor lamp, eating cords. You know how the story goes.

So, while a part of me feels badly for "caging" my son, a bigger part of me feels happy with the idea of him being able to play safely and still have some room to crawl around while I'm in the bathroom or cooking dinner. Not to mention that the time is coming when I'll have my hands full with a newborn who needs nursing!

Maybe someday we'll spend our house budget money on something fun like a new kitchen floor. Maybe. Someday. But for now,
I'll take a peace of mind over new pieces of tile on the floor :)