Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Sweet Pea's Very First Birthday Party

My Fair Lady

Not even a year old yet and her personality shines through. This girl is ALL girl. That's right, she loves her hats, bows, dresses and playing dress-up with mommy's scarves. Watch out boys!

Rocky Mountain Rapids

The sun shone down on us with love and not a cloud in the sky obstructed its rays. It was a perfect day to hit the Arkansas river. I slapped on the sunscreen with excitement and anxiety. Last year I missed Luke's annual work rafting trip because I was mego prego. This year we were able to leave the Sweet Pea with some adoring family and spend our first night away together in... well, since she was born almost a year ago! Too bad rafting doesn't allow for sleeping in.

The conditions were epic, the river was the highest it's been in over 12 years. With the river running over 3,000 cfs (if you're not a raft guide or scientist, this number means a lot of flippin water running unbelievably fast), we were gearing up for a day of adventure. I wish we had brought a waterproof camera, because it's hard to describe the intensity. Not five minutes from launch we hit the "Boat Chute" and I started to wonder if I made the right choice in coming. It was incredibly scary and strangely addicting all at the same time. Luckily our boat navigated the rapids with no major upsets.

Ironically, it wasn't until the end of the day when we were hitting the last little bumps that something caught us by surprise. Luke flipped out of the boat before we knew it! It was a strange phenomenon, almost as he was magically lifted out while we all watched in slow motion. Good thing his slow motion super power enabled him to grab onto the rope and stay with the boat. We quickly hoisted him in and finished up the day exhausted and satisfied.

Hopefully next year will offer us the same adrenaline rush... and not a day of paddling on a slow trickle of water. (Photos from top to bottom: some of our beautiful 14'ers, lathering on the sun shield, one of our boats and bus, the best looking couple on the river)

A Girl And Her Toothbrush

There's something to be said for every child's first experience brushing their teeth...

especially if she only has six. Sweet Pea gives it a try
Showing it off
Letting Dad have a turn

She's Walking!

Week #3

We're moving into the third week of raising these little guys and things are still rolling along. (Well, at least I haven't heard any complaints.) We keep checking, but still no sign of back legs. However, their appetite has increased dramatically and they've almost doubled in size. We estimate they now measure about 0.5 in/1.3cm from nose to tail. Grow 'poles! Grow!

Mr. Wonderful

It's Friday and my husband spoils me... need I say more?

Sum Sum Summertime

Nothing says summertime like a day at the pool. Today was our first venture to the community pool and... well, Sarah's first time swimming. It was a success. Our little sweet pea loved crawling around and chasing the little bugs that floated by. She hasn't quite mastered the skill of holding her breath under water and seems to think she doesn't need it. I couldn't keep her from trying to crawl to the deep end... face first. She didn't seem to mind the few occasions she gulped down her first taste of pool water. We'll keep working on it, as I'm sure the pool will be a popular attraction for us this summer. Please come join us, we'd love to have swim buddies!

Update On The Poles

We've had these little guys for over a week now and they are doing great. They are feasting on spinach leaves and growing like crazy. Well, they're still about the size of a pea... but a much larger pea than last week. No sign of legs yet and we still have no idea what kind of hopper they'll morph into. I even saw someone collect 'poles that turned into salamanders? I had no idea there were so many options for tadpoles. I am a bit ashamed to admit that we were not sure if all six guys would live the first few transitional days, especially since we are not wise in the ways of raising 'poles. However, it looks as if all my Internet research has paid off and we may be able to release all six finished products someday. Let's just hope that they're not bullfrogs. Those guys stay as tadpoles for one to two years!

Helping Mama

Cooking a meal wouldn't be complete with out the help of my sweet girl. She has discovered the joy of opening and closing every cupboard/drawer in the kitchen... excitedly dumping all the contents onto the floor. Her latest craze is clanging the lids on the floor and smacking them with the baster.
Sarah also loves laundry... or at least throwing the clothes on the floor. As she systematically empties the dryer, she occasionally likes to wear a random piece of clothing as a hat. Thank goodness they are clean!

Tee Pee With The Sweet Pea

When people ask, "So what do you do with your time other than taking care of the little one?" I think, "Other? Other? I don't have time for 'other'." This little clip is a perfect example of what happens when you're busy cleaning and all of the sudden you realize it's too quiet.

Red Fish, Blue Fish?

We LOVE taking walks and fortunately our neighborhood is perfect for them! As we were enjoying the beautiful weather today, we strolled along the stream which runs near our home. Well, the term "stream" is a little generous... I guess it's more like a natural ditch. Either way, it has running water and wildlife and we were exploring it. In doing so, we came across a multitude of tiny tadpoles. Now, everyone knows tadpoles are only created for one thing... to keep as pets and watch them grow legs! We collected six little guys (they are barely .25 in/.63 cm long from head to tail) and immediately introduced them into their new five star abode. They took to it like, well, like a fish to water. We have no idea what kind of frogs they will become, or if they will even become frogs at all (we've read about "toadpoles"). However, we will thoroughly enjoy watching them and keep you updated on their progress.

Let's Go

Our neighbors let us borrow this little cart so Sarah can take her toys for walks around the living room... I don't think it will be much longer until she's walking on her own.

Nice To Meet You

Today Sarah met her Great Grandma Jackie for the first time. It was a pretty special event considering that this is her only remaining Great Grandmother. Sarah was all smiles and babbled excitedly as Grandma introduced herself. Spoiling kiddos is what Grandparents do best, and this meeting was no exception. Grandma Jackie gave Sarah her first dolly and she loved it! Sarah talked to that doll all the way home. :)

Up and Down

I finished feeding Sarah breakfast and placed her in the family room to play while I cleaned up. She usually crawls around and investigates her toy bin, methodically emptying its contents onto the floor. As I was cleaning up her bowl and bib I thought it strangely quiet. I turned to check and saw her climbing the stairs at lightening speed. I didn't dare gasp because I was afraid she might startle and fall. So I watched and smiled as our little speed racer excitedly climbed each stair. She would periodically look to see if I was watching and then happily babble as she continued. Of course she completed them with out any complication. Our next lesson is teaching her to go down... not in the head first direction that she currently attempts.

Long Live Community Garage Sales

When I was but a wee sapling my mother would take me around thrifting and rummaging through garage sales. I quickly learned the art of spotting a good deal and the hidden potential of a discarded item. Therefore, when our subdivision hosted its Spring Community Garage Sale, I was focused and ready. As soon as our sweet pea was fed and happy we headed down the street to see what we could find. Immediately we came across this brand spankin new bike, and since Luke was in need of some wheels, we snatched it up for a mere $10. Now that Luke and I were mobile, we needed something for the babe. Not long after we found this gently used trailer for a whopping $5. A little elbow grease and a new inner tube set us up for traveling with the wind in our hair.

Along the way, we found this table for practically nothing. We were looking for something a little bigger and sturdier, so it now has found a new home in our dinning area.

I came across a treasure when I found these dishes. They are 'Denby' stoneware and hardly ever used. One 'Denby' plate alone sells for $32 at Macy's... I got service for 10+ with 3 different size plates, 2 different size bowls, multiple serving platters, creamer, sugar bowl, salt and pepper shakers, butter dish and a couple other items for a whopping $40!

May Day

To welcome in the merry month of May, Mother Nature decided to unpack one last snowfall. Ah yes, the schizophrenic weather of Colorado, how we love the surprises. A final farewell to the fluffy stuff as we prepare our planting pots and sunglasses for the many warm days ahead.

The Girl LOVES Blueberries

With the pincer grasp finally mastered, the ability to self-feed is a welcomed one!

What I've Been Working On

I've been trying to carve out time in my days to get back into "creating" again. Here's some of my latest achievements...

Some simple Spring flowers

A ring strung with apatite beads

Stunning eye-catchers

The beginnings of a felt mobile for Sarah

The Hike Up "The Rock"

In an attempt to make our residence in Castle Rock more official, we did what every local has done... hiked "The Rock". It was a quick little jaunt and a bit more urban than our preferred hikes, but the weather was beautiful and allowed some great views.

Busy Body

It didn't take Miss Sarah long to discover she prefers the vertical. She is now pulling up on everything and taking adventurous steps. Her new found mobility leaves my back and knees aching since all she wants me to do is 'walk' her around. However, nothing can compare to the joy my heart feels when she achieves new heights and squeals at her accomplishment.

Baskets & Bunnies

Sarah welcomes her first Easter basket while sittin pretty on Daddy's lap... and tightly clutching her Cinderella Pez.

Easter Eggstravaganza

This weekend our neighborhood put on their annual Easter event which involved about 17,000 filled eggs, 5 hunt circles (divided by age group... and yes, they even had a circle for Sarah's non-mobile age group), carnival games, Jello egg eating contests, a giant inflatable slide and more. We initially thought it would be a moderately sized event but were astounded at the number of families who attended. Although Sarah didn't seem to get too excited about it, we had fun watching all the kids line up around their egg circles and pounce on the colorful plastic bobs like piranha's on fresh meat. We're sure the squeals and cries could be heard 'round the world.

Weekend Getaway

This weekend we journeyed into the majestic Rocky Mountains of Colorado for an overnight getaway. Luke's company had taken a snowmobiling trip to Granby, and although we didn't snowmobile, we accompanied for a free night and dinner away from the norm. This was Sarah's first overnight stay away from home and we weren't sure how things were going to go down. Surprisingly enough, Sarah went down with out any problems! Unfortunately, it was the large group of international students from Brazil and Chile partying the night away that hindered our sleep. Nonetheless, we made the best of it and took in all the beauty our Colorado backyard has to offer. These pics were taken outside the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory (yum) in Winter Park. Sarah just loved this bear, squealing with every grasp.

First Piece

I've had a couple of requests to share some of the work I've done in the past. I've posted a couple of pieces I did in my university Drawing 1 class.


Lydia Martin, Positive and Negative Space Study, 2003. Charcoal and graphite, 30 x 22 in.

Second Piece

Lydia Martin, Imaginary Still Life, 2003. Charcoal and graphite, 22 x 25 in.

Third Piece

Lydia Martin, What I Did Last Summer, 2004. Charcoal, 22 x 30 in.

God Bless You

Sometimes sneezes can happen at the most inconvenient times. This one came about right as I had a spoonful of carrots and applesauce in transit to Sarah's mouth. The best part, she's completely oblivious to the fact that her lunch ended up all over her forehead!

Yeah, I Made Something!

The act of 'creating' has always run heavily through my veins. It gives me energy, life and a deep sense of joy. It's truly hard for me to put into words how important this is to me. However, the past few years have been a bit rough for us and 'creating' has definitely taken a seat on the back burner. As with any passion that is bottled up or ignored, my hindered creativity has been causing severe frustration. I was grieved by it and was sure that I had neglected it for so long that it had packed up and left me. Our most recent move has been an interesting phenomenon for me. Ever since the relocation, I find myself with all sorts of artistic ideas and a burning desires to make something. So I finally put the procrastination and fear aside... and did it. I made something! It all started with a Ziploc bag full of large red glass beads a friend had sent me years ago. One of her favorite necklaces had broken and she asked if I would restring it. Of course I would... too bad it only took me years to do it. Be that as it may, her bag of beads gave me the jumping off point to get back into the game. So, I made her a necklace and with the remaining beads, made her a dazzling pair of earrings too.

Swing Into Spring

The weather has been amazing the past few days, and with more snow in the forecast we wanted to take advantage of it. Sarah took her first ride in a park swing today! Although, I don't think she thought it was as exciting as watching all the other kids run around.

Chile Verde

In celebration of the beautiful preview of Spring we've been having this week, I decided to cook up some Chile Verde. Now, I've been told that this is some of the best Chile Verde a Gringo (like myself) can make.

Ingredients:

3 pounds cubed pork stew meat
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons sea salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons ground cumin
7-9 cups chicken broth (depending on desired thickness)
4 fresh poblano chile peppers, seeded and chopped
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1-1/2 pounds fresh tomatillos, husks removed
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

Directions:

1. In a large stock pot, over high heat, sear the pork in the vegetable oil until golden brown. Remove the pork from the pot, reserve 2 tablespoons oil in the pan, and . Cook the chopped onion and garlic, seasoned with salt and pepper, in the reserved oil until onions are tender. Season with cumin, then stir in pork and chicken stock. Simmer for 30 minutes.

2. Stir in poblanos, jalapenos and bell peppers. Puree the tomatillos and cilantro in a blender, and add them to the pot. Cook an additional 30 to 45 minutes.

3. Serve with sour cream, cheese and/or warmed tortillas.

From President's to Valentine's