Book review: Pillars of the Earth, Ken Folliet

I managed to finish this book a few weeks ago. From the moment I started it, I could not put it down. I really like the old English-type literature. The neatest thing about this book is that it first became popular by word of mouth rather than by being on someone's book club list or best-seller list. The interest in it started over in Europe and popularity finally spread to the US. Of course once it became popular here the book was completely exploited in grand US fashion. However, it was not a best-seller here until several years after it was written.

I had heard rave reviews of this book and was curious to read a book about the physical building of churches. I was super-more curious when I read the prologue and found out that the author of the book is an atheist. Can this be right? Guy spends years studying the grand cathedrals of England and researches the people that actually built them. I am talking about people putting down the stones, not the church leaders organizing the religion. I am talking the physical building to the church. Okay, so I was curious. Turns out he wove a fascinating story, HOWEVER, several of his characters shared his views on the non-existence of God and I just can't get past that. I suppose I can understand someone being so passionate about architecture that you would want to make your mark by building a grand cathedral. But without purpose besides architectural significance, I just don't get it. They could have built a castle, a wall, or something else. The attempts of the priests sponsoring the cathedral building projects were to build something that would inspire people toward God (or so I like to think). To think that the hands building that church had no affections for God seems crazy. I could be totally wrong though, they lived in different times, in different cultures. But I like to think the hearts of these people had to be hearts of God-fearing men. Curious to me that Folliet, self-proclaimed atheist, is so drawn to churches. Imagine his level of fasination and influence if he truly believed in their purpose. Maybe one day?

Awesome book and I will read the follow-up.

Vacation Reflections

A few of my favorite things about beach vacations….

….the nostalgia of it all. Growing up we went to the beach almost every year. Feeling the heat, the ocean breeze, and hearing the surf brings you back to all of those marvelous beach vacations growing up. It's amazing to me that we somehow cannot enjoy being so responsibility-free when we are young. Know what I mean? It is amazing to look back and realize how care-free you actually were when you were young. It's only when you are responsible for something/someone more than yourself that you realize this. I wouldn't go back for anything. I am just living in different but good times now.

…just seeing that BIG ocean reminds me of how small I really am in the whole scheme of things. Man, this is huge world I live in. Why I ever worry and let circumstances take over my life is beyond me. Seems that people who live near the beach must be the most worry-free people in the world.

…vacation allows you an opportunity to make life changes. On vacation you have time for things you don't seem to when you are at home. Exercise, smoothie making, reading, showering at night, watching TV in bed with the kids, etc. I always attempt to take one of these vacation-enjoyed habits and take them home with me. Seems to make the vacation last for me a little bit longer. All-in-all it is these little things we do on vacation that enhance our lives. Why do we not do them when we are at home? Yesterday I read for about an hour rather than watching the idiot box. Today I made a smoothie and brought it to work with me. The vacation lives on…..

See our cool beach pics below.

Go Braves

Ryan loves baseball. He doesn't know the game but he knows all the players and all the cheers. His favorite player is Kelly Johnson. We had been watching the Braves on TV and I finally took him to a day game one Thursday last month. It was a surprise and I also got him a jersey at Walmart to wear to the game. He was thrilled. He cheered the whole time and got mad at me when I made him come with me to get some lunch to bring back to our seats. We were in line at the concessions and he was saying "let's gooooooo mommy, we are missing the game." Towards the end of the game we went down and watched the opposing pitchers warming up in their bullpen. Wow, what a cool time we had. I hope I can take him to another game or 2 before it gets too hot and I am too big to go. I also hope I can get some one-on-one time with Chase too.

Mini...van

I've always dreamed of having a mini-COOPER. Can't say I've ever dreamed about having a mini-van, but here we go. It really drives like a dream and it is very handy. This all in preparation for the new youngster. Darryl and Ryan have already disgraced it with an Aubie sticker on the back. We traded in Crimson, my old Honda. It was quite sad watching old Crimson being driven away. She had 240K miles on her but she was an amazing car. I will miss her. Love the mini though. Definitely the nicest car we have ever owned! Darryl is still trying to get over the shock. He pulled out all the stops in trying to convince me NOT to go there (the minivan route that is).

Let's go cruzin. There is room for us all.

New Baby Martin

We found out the week after New Years that this was going to be a life changing year. We are pregnant and having the baby around September 3rd. We were a little surprised but mostly just excited. We have been blessed with a healthly pregnancy so far.

We found out about a month ago that it is....another BOY! I knew it the day I woke up and was scheduled to find out. I put on my big blue shirt and loaded up the entire family and off we went. Everything looks healthy. Praise God. I just had to scan in a few photos. This baby is measuring big already. The thing that amazed me most was that he is for sure to be a Stooksbury. Look at this long leg and these 2 big feet.

He has just started moving and I am really trying to enjoy every minute of it. Ryan talks to him just about everyday and wants to call him "Tra-la-la-la-la". Chase is crazy about babies and he is really going to be excited when he figures everything out. Right now, he is clueless. What a joyous time.

First Martin Beach Vacation

This year was our first ever Martin family beach vacation. We went to Fort Walton Beach, Ocaloosa Island in Florida. I can pretty much sum up the trip by saying it was amazing, however here are a few of the details that made it amazing (including food, surf, and fun)...



1. Dewey Destin is the BEST new place for seafood. We went for lunch (great idea with kids). Breezey patio lunch on the marina watching boats come and go. Kids were plenty entertained and the Mahi Mahi parmesan was to die for. Yes, mahi mahi parmesan. Who would have thought?

2. Amazing that you can put on 45/50 spf everyday all day and still get a tan. We never saw a cloud in the sky.

3. Ryan thought the swimming pool was soooooo cool.

4. You can get the Braves on TV at the beach. Had to watch some and they won!

5. You can do without Thomas trains for a week.

6. They first AM we woke up and Chase went to the balcony and said "where's the people". He is such a people person. He ran to the window when a few folk finally decided to arise and emerge onto the beach and said "there's the people, mommy." He did this several times while at the beach.

7. The first night on the beach we enjoyed dinner on the pier and saw the full moon rising over the pier. So pretty!

8. Ryan and Chase slept together for the first time and did great. They were adoreable.

9. When we came out onto the beach for the first time Ryan said "look at all that snow." Ahhh..."that's sand babe." WOW!

10. For the first time ever Ryan had no fear and Chase was more than skeptical about the beach.

11. We tried an Irish Pub, McQuires, for lunch one day because of all the good things we have heard. Amazing 3/4 lb. burger. I have been seeing this place for years and never knew.

12. One night we went to the Back Porch for dinner. Thank the good Lord for beach access to a playground for the kids. We sat right on the window and felt a nice ocean breeze while enjoying some fried shrimps. ummm....

13. Staying out on the beach till after 7:00 and then hitting the pool....ah. Afterwards we went for a "late" dinner at the Tiquana Flatts Burrito Bar. Either I was hungry or this was the best burrito I have ever had.

14. Not so great....sporting around on the beach in a maternity bathing suite. There is no way to look good in it. HOWEVER, you can eat and drink as much as you want and no one knows you are bloated.

15. Darryl enjoyed catching red snapper but was sad that it was not red snapper season.

16. We went to Stone Cold Creamry for ice cream one night. Oh so good.

17. They minivan was an awesome, hauling machine.

18. I loved watching Chase play with the sand toys under the umbrella.

19. Ryan's feet rarely hit the sand when he was on the beach. He ran about 3 miles a day. Up and the down the beach, back and forth. Jumping over and into waves. Kid was absolutely exhausted at night.


Okay, so admittedly a lot of my ah-ha moments involve some kind of food, but that is to be expected when you are eating for two.






Ryan's pic on the beach, on the balcony, and with his "funny hair".



Boys dressed up for Mom for mother's Day. We went to Cafe Italia. Yummy!

Daddy went fishing one day and here we are eating Daddy's fresh catch...snapper. Yummy!

We had to tune into the Braves one night and luckily they won by a lot!! Go Kelly Johnson. We spent an hour playing baseball on the beach the next day. Kid is crazy about it.

A little pool time....

A little surf ....

A little chillin under the umbrella...

Is that Darryl reading? These moments were few and far between but we did find some.

That about sums it up. Can't wait for our next Martin beach vacation!!!

Auburn A-day...what??

I find myself in the craziest places with Darryl Martin. It is a gorgeous, sunny, Saturday afternoon. I look at my children and they are adorned from head to toe in Auburn appearal. I look around me and I am standing in a line with those children and my husband, also in Auburn apparel. Where were we and what were we standing in line for. Well, we were standing on the Auburn football field in Jordan Haire stadium in line to get an autograph from Auburn Coach Cizik. Great! Like I said, I find myself in the craziest of places. The last time I was on that football field...I was completely outfitted in my UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA majorette uniform marching across the field to Yea, Alabama. Amazing really. What would my old buddies think of me now? Shame, shame.