The Martin Family News & Notes

Nicklas had one of his classmates, Donovan, spend the night Thursday, June 23rd.  The boys spent most of the evening in the basement playing with the slot cars or the Nintendo Wii.  They also opted to sleep down there pulling out the bed from the sleeper couch.

Well, it has been a while since we have updated the site.  We’ve been busy with work, school, and adjusting to life down in TN.

Brenna was in pre-k and absolutely loved it!  She made many friends and has a really close friend named Makayla.  They were together constantly in school.  So much so, that they were given the “Reese’s Stick” Candy Bar award as they were always stuck together!  They get together now as much as they possibly can.

Nick was in 5th grade and he kept his grades up…..and down….but finished the school year with 3 B’s and a C.  He was on a basketball team through the Loudon County Rec department and when he could get the ball, he did very well.  There were two ball hogs on his team and they didn’t give the ball up very often.  Nick also participated in the Steekee Writers Fair and was awarded 2nd place for his piece.  We are very proud of him for that!  He went on a field trip with the 5th grade to Fort Loudon Middle School to see what it would be like for them in 6th grade.  He seems to be excited.  Nick tried out for the middle school basketball team and unfortunately didn’t make it this year.  He said he had fun and would try out again next year.

Michaela is taking a break from working full time and is staying at home with the kids.  She does baby-sit twice a week for a girl from Brenna’s class and her little brother.  It gives her a bit to do and Brenna has someone to play with at home.  Michaela has also gotten involved with the Tellico Community Players and worked lights for a play earlier this year.  She is currently working lights again for another one of the Players shows.  The Players will have a musical later this year and then at Christmas time, they will put on a version of Ebenezer Scrooge.

Paul is busy with work.  He has his hands full with a variety of issues and it’s generally never boring.  His company had a holiday party and it was very nice.  It was held at a country club and had a live band.  The food was excellent and the dessert table was over flowing.  Michaela fell in love with the red velvet cake.  A good time was had by all, including the kids who were home with a sitter.

That is pretty much it in a nut shell.  More updates will come during the summer and the school year.  Check back often as we will continue updating.

🙂

• Nicklas had his first practice with this year’s Lenoir City baseball team on 3/27.  He is a member of the Red Sox this season.  He’s been a member of the Blue Jays, Mariners, and Mets in his past seasons with New Haven Little League.
• Nicklas raced his Pinewood Derby Car on Saturday, March 27, 2010.  He and his car took Third Place and earned the right to compete in the District competition in a few weeks.
• Nicklas did very well at his baseball tryout on the 18th.  He hit and threw / caught well and hopes to have a good year.  Teams should be drafted by the 24th and games start in early April.
• Brenna received another book from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.  This is the second book this month.  ‘The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush’ she received early this month must actually be the February book making the latest arrival, “Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy”, the book for March.
• Nicklas is excited for the annual Cub Scout Pinewood Derby.  This year’s event is on Saturday 3/27.  He wants to run last year’s car rather than make a new one.  Under the rules, he can run last years car
  as long as he modifies it in some way…so he changed the paint scheme of the car.
  We shall see if the car does as well for him this year as it did last.
• Nicklas has signed up to play little league baseball in Lenoir City’s league with a friend of his.  He has tryouts on March 18th.
• Paul was given more tickets to the Knoxville Ice Bears. He and Nicklas went to the game Friday night 3/12 unaware that the tickets waiting at Will Call were for an ice level box!  We sat just left of the goal the Ice Bears shoot at for two periods – the Zamboni end.  Nicklas was able to interact with the team during player introductions, fist bumpd the three blind mice – a.k.a. the referees – as they left the ice after all three periods, and all the other game related activities that take place at the Zamboni end of the ice during a game – all while being glued to the glass to watch the game! He left the arena with pucks from the pre-game skate, the puck that scored the 3-3 tying goal for the Ice Bears with 0:01 left in the first – handed to him by the linesman that dropped the puck at center to kill the first period clock, and a third puck that cleared the glass with 6:00 minutes to go in the third.  He got the puck from the third period signed by the winning goalie #82 Andrew Gallant and the player with the first assist
  on the game winning goal, forward #15 Mike Bulawka. This was a night Nicklas will not soon – if ever – forget.
• Brenna received another birthday present this past week from Grumpa and Sitay.
• Nicklas spent the night Friday 3/5 at his friend’s (Tyler) house.  The boys seem to becoming quite good friends.
• Brenna’s latest book from the Imagination Library arrived – “The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush”.