Tobacco Road Rivalry - Its not just for ballers anymore

Everyone has heard all the ESPN analysts go on and on regarding the "Tobacco Road Rivalry" between all the triangle area colleges during basketball season. Well, this past weekend gave a whole new meaning to that rivalry...

A few months ago, Michael and I decided we would train for a half marathon together. We've each run one before, we had just never trained or run one together.

I ran one a couple years ago after training with my good friends, Heather and Ashely, and finished with a pretty respectable 2:35 - not bad for my first big distance run, and not bad considering it was the City of Oaks course from hell. After that race, I decided I was done. Done with the training runs EARLY on Saturday mornings, done with the crappy runs when it was either freezing cold or hotter than 40 hells outside, and done with the shin splints and sore feet. DONE I tell you! FINISHED! Checked that goal off the list!

Then along comes Mr. Martin. Who without really even training, ran the OBX half this fall and beat my time by about 5 minutes.

Oh hell to the no! I'm super competitive when it comes to exercising with Michael. I want to run farther than him, run faster than him, and overall just beat the snot out of him. (I think it's the whole girls vs. guys thing)

So we decided to train and run the Tobacco Road Half Marathon. Together. As a couple. And see who would win bragging rights this go round.

DAMMIT - He beat me. By 2 minutes and 58 seconds. So he's all, "Yeah, I beat you by 3 minutes" Oh no, mister, you beat me by 2 minutes and 58 seconds.

So, we'll let him have the win this time, but just know that I'm training harder, running faster, and next time, I've totally got the "W".

And I look way cuter in a foil pashmina (thanks Lis, for styling this shoot)...

Heres the speed racers drinking a well deserved beer after the run. That's Bentley on the right. He beat both the Martins by about 30 minutes - YOU GO BOY!!!

It's Cookie Time!

Does anyone remember that movie from the late 80's, early 90's "Troop Beverly Hills" where Shelly Long is the girl scout leader to a group of spoiled little Tori Spellings and they are competing to be the best troop there is and they are in the middle of Rodeo Drive pimping girl scout cookies like it's their J-O-B??!! No?? Well, I swear, I think of that movie and the song they were singing everytime I hear that it's girl scout cookie time!!

ANYWAY - It's cookie time, and the girl scout cookie ordering process sure has changed since I was a girl scout. Did anyone else get a hangtag on their door over the weekend to place an order? WHAT? A freaking hangtag? With a contact number to call and place your order? What happened to wearing that sweet little girl scout outfit and walking door to door with that big order form and guilting your neighbors into buying boxes of cookies? DANG, I love me some gs cookies, but I refuse to call a random phone number for some random girl and give her the sale. I'll wait until I'm accosted by the little boogers out in the Harris Teeter parking lot!

This is what Christmas Looks Like!

Christmas this year was a big flurry of activity!

My 'lil bro married an awesome girl the Tuesday before Christmas in a gorgeous ceremony all befitting of Holiday Wonder. Unfortunately, I didn't take a camera, and I was also on Grandparent patrol making sure that my Grandparents were seated in the right place and not talking at their normal level of sound to disrupt the ceremony, so I have no pics to post as of yet.

Here's one of the happy couple that was taken earlier this year. I'm soooooo excited to have a sister in law!!

We were in Hickory from Monday - Saturday, so we had some time to spend with good friends, some time to spend hanging with Nana and Papaw, and then Mr. Santa Claus paid a visit to Finley and Maggie on Christmas morning!

Even though Baby Fin is not quite 4 months old, I used that whole "First Christmas" motto to death! Big personalized stocking with tons of crap in there that she'll never use.... Loads of toys that she can't play with until she's walking or at a minimum balancing on 2 feet. I even baked Cookies for Santa and penned a note for the guy on behalf of Mags and Fin. (That will be something for the baby keepsake book) Michael thought I was half-cocked when I made him help me drag out all the toys and goodies late Christmas Eve night and set them up for a photo op so Fin can remember what she saw when she woke up her "First Christmas Morning"! Um, yeah, not even 4 months old.

So, without further delay - this is what Christmas looks like!

I think Doodlebug was pleased by the look on her face!
Wow- I can't wait for next year when she really knows whats up and can tear into those presents like theres no tomorrow!

Missing in Action?

Where have the Martins been? Missing in Action you say?

We're here, but we've been just a tad busy with this new little baby that we brought home a couple of months ago. Miss Finley Claire Martin was born on Friday, Sept. 4th at 5:13 in the afternoon. Weighing in at a whopping 6 lbs and 4oz. (Not bad for arriving a month before her due date!)

All is well at the Martin house. Finley is getting settled in and has finally decided that she's pretty cool with sleeping through most of the night. Maggie loves Finley, and gives her all the doggy sugar she can handle. I can't wait to see the two of them grow up together - I envision lots of disasters throughout the house in the coming years. As for Michael and I, I don't know what we ever did without this precious little bundle. I'm sure whatever it was involved lots more sleeping, and alot less dirty diapers.

So anyway, now that we're in more of a routine, and since I'm being called out for my lack of blogging (thanks, Ms. Clark - I needed that) I promise to devote more time to Hickory in the House. Stay tuned for more adventures and lots of photos. I PROMISE!!!

Yep- We're still cooking that turkey!

Little Baby Girl is enjoying her place in the spotlight and has pretty much decided that she's cool hanging out in her Momma's big belly for just a little while longer!

All her labwork and monitoring look ab/fab - and if her momma could do the same then we might get an opportunity to head home and try out this bedrest thing from our very own bed!

We're still in limbo - just waiting to get more info and more opinions throughout the week so we can get a game plan in process!

Thanks so much to all of you for your prayers and thoughts and positive energy. Michael and I had no idea how many GREAT friends we were blessed to have.

We're keeping our heads up, and we'll keep you all posted on everyones status via the blog or our daily updates.

Look at it on the bright side, if this little girl comes along early and all is well, she could make an appearance at a College Football Game sooner rather than later! Courtesy of an awesome gift, Baby Girl already has a pirate outfit to wear!!! I'd say she's ready to pull those Pirates through those first tough games!

Bebe today? Maybe they say!!!

Hey guys,

For those of you following the crazy saga of childbirth, Michael and I are at the hospital. We were admitted on Friday afternoon because I'm showing some high blood pressure, low platelet count, and basic signs and symptoms of pre-eclampsia. Long story short, pre-eclampsia is a "momma" issue, not a baby issue, and the only remedy is to deliver the bambino just a tad early.

We've met with a high risk perinatal doctor, and baby girl is weighing in at just around 5 lbs. so they seem to think she's good to go if we deliver anytime over the next few days. Her heart beat is super super strong, and I've taken two rounds of steroid shots to make sure she's as completely developed as possible - and all the perinatal consults seem to think we're in great shape. We got to see a 4D photo of her, and she's cute as a button and looks just like her daddy!!! Poor child - we're gonna really need to work on that.

Right now, its strict bedrest - ummmm yeah, here at the hospital, which totally rocks, so they can constantly keep an eye on both of us. My b-day was yesterday, so we had a little party here in the Labor & Deivery Suite! Thanks so much Lisa, Stephen and Michael for the sweet b-day party that didn't get to happen! I promise to make it up to all ya'll!

We'll keep you all posted with updates via email and Hickory Holler!
Thanks so much for the prayers and positive energy!

It's ALL THINGS BEBE!!!!

And I'm not talking Bebe like that store at the mall where I used to be able to fit my former self into some scandalous clothing for a night out on the town!
I'm talking "BEBE" as in "Baby Girl" as in the little one coming our way in just a few short weeks!!!

Things are starting to fall into place - Theres a big crib in what used to be a really cool guest room, there's a cradle in our room that Maggie thinks belongs just to her, there's a pack and play in our living room, and a PIMPED OUT stroller in our dining room!!

We had our first baby shower on Sunday, and in a matter of a couple short hours our house has been overrun by All Things Baby!

I'll post about the shower later this week - I unfortch didn't take my camera, so the picture taking was left up to the Nana to be - so I'll have to show her how to upload them when I'm in Hickory this weekend.

Can't wait to show you all the cool new stuff we got!