WE'VE MOVED!!!

If you would like to see what the latest happenings are in the House of Marshall, please go to our new online home at:

http://themarshallfamilyrocketship.com/

See ya there!

Biggest...

Here are some of our biggest (fill in the blank) as of late:


Biggest Challenge:
Getting Abigail to stop throwing her food on the floor

Biggest Accomplishment:
Getting Abigail to count to 10. (She always skips 1 and 9 is pronounced as Nana)

Biggest Joy:
Seeing Adrianna smile

Biggest Craving:
Crunch Roll with just a touch of soy sauce and wasabi

Biggest Desire:
To get even 6 straight hours of sleep (Heidi's)
To have gills for breathing underwater (Sean's)

Biggest Sadness:
Lost Season 4 ending

Biggest Pasttime:
Playing Canasta with the Alaskan's

Biggest Petpieve:
Sean drinking a half gallon of lemonade in one night (Heidi's)
Heidi scratching the leather couch with her nails (Sean's)

Biggest Moment of Pride:
Listening to Abby say "Amen" at the end of our family prayers

Biggest Feeling of Parental Sappiness:
Watching Abby and Adri both sound asleep

Biggest Laughter:
Abby learning to say Adri's name but it just comes out as "Itchy"

Biggest Not-Funny-At-The-Time-But-Afterwards-Is-Super-Funny
Watching Abby put her hands up as claws and growling very loudly at the people behind us during a very quiet moment at church

Biggest Hope:
To get Sean to actually throw away Abby's diapers after changing them (Heidi's)
To get Heidi Scuba certified (Sean's)


That's just a little for now...more to come.

The Rea Award

And the Rea Award goes to.....................dididididididididididdidididid Heidi Marshall of Laguna Niguel, Ca.

"Thank you Thank you, Gosh I don't even know where to start. First I want to thank the kid who past this rare bug to Abby. Of course Abby for holding on to that bug like a champ and showing her diapers, her crib, the carpets, and the bathroom floor who's boss. I can't forget cute little Adri for sharing that good old newborn runny poo and what muscles she has for pushing that stuff clear up to her neck. So after six blowouts and four loads of laundry I proudly except this award. Thank you again."

Sorry if that was too graphic for some but after those two messy days I thought I deserved some kind of award and I knew no one else was going to give me one so I gave one to my self. yeah for me!

Adri's First Smiles

Watching my newborn smile for the first time is one of life's greatest pleasures. It makes me feel grateful to be alive. And so grateful to a wonderful God who has given me such beautiful gifts. Sean, Abby, and Adri are my life and my reason for waking up every morning.June 18, 2008

I told Abby she could grab a book and read to Adri but I didn't think she actually would. She is such a good big sister.

She's All Girl

Abby loves to play in mom's bathroom drawer. Occasionally she finds an extra special treat like lipstick.

Lookout, mood swing!
Forget baby wash I want Bath an Body Works Cucumber Melon Bodywash and a lufah (any one know the spelling on that?)
Abby has to pull a chair in the kitchen everytime I make anything so she can help. Here she is making pizza.
"mmmm raw dough tastes splendid"

Look out boys! Red hot lips, sweetsmell, and she can cook.

Jury Duty...an act of Patriotism?

Hello Everybody (This is Sean by the way)

Yesterday I had to report for Jury duty - my first time ever. Together with about 60 other people I was escorted into a courtroom where a very stern looking Judge sat. She opened with a few directions and then made some remarks. She acknowledged the sacrifice of time we were making to appease the general sense of grumbling in the room.

She talked about how the Jury process is really a privilege we enjoy in this country. She said it's a way we can serve our country and that there were many people overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan who would be very happy to trade places with us.

That single comment alone totally changed my attitude. I realized I enjoy the blessings of living in a free country that I completely take for granted. When was the last time I put my country first in my life? To my shame, I can't think of a single time.

I'm reminded of about two years ago when I had the great honor of watching the Marines from the 3-5 return home from Iraq. I was there with Heidi and a brand new baby Abigail.

We watched bus after bus arrive full of Marines. The emotion in the air was incredible. Friends and Family of the soldiers were all there waving American Flags. We were there with our best friend Tisha as she anxiously waited for her husband Ryan who had been gone for over 8 months. His bus finally arrived and we got to see Tisha throw her arms around Ryan’s neck. I can’t even put it into words…

Political views aside - there are some amazing men and women who are serving our country voluntarily. With great sacrifice they leave their loved ones and put their country first.

I’m very grateful for the country I live in. I’m grateful for the few who stood against oppression over two centuries ago and went on to form a free country. I’m grateful for those who have died to protect that freedom ever since. And I am still very, very grateful for those who serve our nation today.

As I think back to the time when I saw my friend Ryan return home, I can’t help but feel grateful for not only his service, but the service of all those who’ve helped make this country what it is.

As we near this Fourth of July, perhaps we can all take a moment to reflect on the simple freedoms that we enjoy and thank God for the blessing we have of living in a “Choice Land”.


-Sean

PS - My Jury experience was cool but short lived. I got cut from the varsity team by the late afternoon. :)

PSS - Watch this short video...

Abby's Chicken Dance

Abby is so cool!
This video is from a couple months ago and we just forgot about it. It was so cute I had to put it on here for others to enjoy. Watching Abby dance is one of my most favorite things to do in the whole world. I could be in the most terrible mood ever and all Abby has to do is make her arms look like wings, get down low, and boogie. You'll see. Enjoy!

The Blessing of Adri

What a perfect weekend! I don't think I have the Literary genius to properly convey how cool the weekend was, but I will try.

The actual blessing was amazing. I felt so grateful to have a husband who was able to bless our daughter.

It was nice having Gramma, Grampa, and the entire family here. Sean (my brother) even came down up from Nor Cal for the long weekend.

Our Attempt at a family picture...this is the best one we got

My Dad flew in from Utah and it was so great having him here. He got to see Adrianna for the first time and he and Abby became best buds over the weekend. It was such a cool thing to hear MY daughter call my dad "Pop Pop".

Abby and Pop Pop

Abby modeling at the Montage

Dad and the girls relaxing after a big day at church. Plus I just love this picture so I wanted to throw it in somewhere.


As if the blessing wasn't enough, it was also Abby's cousin's birthday. Abby just couldn't get away from those presents. Happy Birthday Zoey! 2 years old! Good Luck Kylee!

It was really cool having my entire family there at the park that day. (Mom? Do you have that picture?) Sean kept saying it felt like a family reunion. Everybody agreed. :)

An Awesome Gift!

Life with Two

A common fear for mothers of one is "How can I love another child as much as I love this one?". One month ago this fear was my own. Abby is just so darn cute and fun I couldn't help but think how can I love another as much as this one. Before I went into the hospital I prayed that I would have some sort of amazing bonding experience with my new baby. My prayer was answered. As soon as I saw Adrianna I felt a bond and love that I can't describe. My heart grew that day. It grew into a family of four! Now I get to spend every day playing with the two cutest girls in the whole world. I must thank my incredible husband for giving me this life. I love you Sean! OK enough sap and on with Life:

Being a Mom of two is pretty easy - Adri sleeps all day

And all Abby needs is a phone and her parents bed

We took Adri on her first outing to the beach when she was 2 weeks old and she slept the whole time

While Abby charged the 59 degree water

Adri patiently waiting to go to church for the first time

Well in case you haven't noticed already the Marshall Family Blog is under new management. Sean has been too busy lately and has forced me to learn the ropes. It may not be as creative or as well written but I can promise weekly updates and cute as can be pictures so check back often. Love you all. Ciao!

New Look

Heidi said the white look had to go. So we're giving Firebrick Red a whirl. Nope. Nevermind. No Firebrick. Just really dark Gray.

Let us know what you think.

And yes, a changing of the guards is coming. Heidi, proud mother of two beautiful daughters, will assume the reigns of the blog and post pictures of her children and other current events in the House of Marshall.

I'm really looking for something funny to say right now but I'm tired so adios.

Happy Trails

New Arrival

Dear Friends and Family,

I will get to the pictures but you have to read this first!

As many of you already know, I drove Heidi to the hospital yesterday so we could welcome our second daughter into this world. I’ll take the liberty of speaking for Heidi but two words come to mind when thinking about the entire pregnancy and birth: Peace and Joy.

Heidi had a relatively easy pregnancy with no sickness of any kind. Towards the end it got a little tuff to sleep but that’s all.

The delivery was no different. We went to the hospital with Heidi having contractions every 5 minutes. When we got there the nurse said it was for real (we had a false alarm last week). From start to finish, the entire labor lasted about 4 hours.

The nurse called the doctor in and the room was a flurry of excitement. The doctor told Heidi to start pushing at 3:09 pm. Three (3) pushes and Seven (7) minutes later, our new daughter was born. Wow!!!

Heidi felt the second baby was going to be easier – she sure was right!

Our daughter, Adrianna Joy, was born at 3:16 pm and weighed in at 8.1 lbs and measured 19 ½ inches. She’s very healthy. Aside from being beautiful, what strikes us most about our new baby is her peaceful nature. She's only cried a few times when being changed. Other than that, she has slept or laid quietly in her crib. So peaceful.

There is so much to say. We are very grateful to have her safely here with us.

Interesting side note: When we were on our way to the hospital, I kept feeling like we were driving to the airport and not the hospital. You know the feeling of going to pick up an old friend who you haven’t seen in a long time? That’s what I was feeling. When I got to thinking about it, it’s not such a strange thing. After all, if this life is just one more stop in the big journey, who’s to say that we weren’t dear friends with our little Adrianna before?

I have a very strong feeling that Adrianna was indeed our sweet friend before this life and now we have the absolute honor to be her parents and raise her best we can.

Having her come into our family fills a gap we didn’t even know existed. We feel more complete. How blessed we are to have such a beautiful little family.

We love all of you and thank you for your friendship and love.

-Heidi, Sean, Abigail, and Adrianna

PS – I wanted to leave you with a Happy Thought: When I brought Abby in to meet her younger sister for the first time, we were curious to see what she would do. I brought her close to where Heidi was holding Adrianna and she said, “Baby!” She then started waving hello. I held her down closer and Abby kissed Adrianna on the forehead.

It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed in my entire life.



Now here are those little “I just came out of a very small and tight place and I haven’t even put my make-up on yet” baby pictures…




On our way to the hospital...

Heidi making pregancy look easy...

Mama and baby...

Adrianna Joy Marshall

Baby and Gramma

Baby and Big Sister

The Marshall Women

The Marshall Fam

Big Sister

Yawning...

More pictures coming soon...

Missing Disneyland

Tonight marks the second Friday in a row that the Marshall Fam will have missed out on going to Disneyland. We're having withdrawls.

We got the "affordable" tickets which means because of Spring Break we are banished from the Magical Kingdom.

Last week we found ourselves just hanging out by the gates looking at all of the people going into the park. We even asked a few people coming out how their trip had been. They said they loved it - the time of their lives. It was like salt on the wound.

Monday night we are allowed back in. Guess what the Marshalls are doing for FHE?

PS - Occassionally there are some posts that have a lot of truth mingled with fiction. It's up to you, the reader, to determine what's true and what is just plain silly willy.

HAPPY BURFDAY HEIDI

The below film is a documentary. Our film crew was notified of a last minute present that a guy and his daughter were preparing for the special lady in their life. Luckily, our crew caught up just in the nick of time to film the process of what went into making the present.

This was a last-minute production, so please forgive the “home-video” appearance. Our Sound department did a great job with the music so be sure to turn up your volume.

Our studio was notified of the following after we released the video to the public:

Dear Red Monkey Productions,

My name is Sean Marshall and I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for filming me and my daughter. We were able to give Heidi (my wife) her Birthday Present the night of her birthday along with the film and she loved it!

You may have noticed my daughter Abigail and I were supposed to be dancing in the film. But Abigail was hungry & tired and refused to dance. Not even to her favorite Dora the Explorer dance! So I wanted to thank your Editing team specifically for their help in “re-mixing” our dancing.

Again, thank you for your film and we look forward to working with you more in the future.

-Sean Marshall

We hope you enjoy our film. So hit the play button, turn up the volume, sit back & relax, and enjoy our short but entertaining film that brought so much joy to those involved.

Red Monkey Productions

The Cat and The Crow

Do you all recall the 1984 classic Ghostbusters? Towards the end, an environmentalist shut down the Ghostbusters and released thousands of ghosts and ghouls into New York City. The mayor, very troubled and seeking guidance, asked the Ghostbusters to come to his office. Things quickly escalated and well, read the script…

**
Dr. Peter Venkman: This city is headed for a disaster of biblical proportions.
Mayor: What do you mean, "biblical"?
Dr Ray Stantz: What he means is Old Testament, Mr. Mayor, real wrath-of-God type stuff.
Dr. Peter Venkman: Exactly.
Dr Ray Stantz: Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling!
Dr. Egon Spengler: Forty years of darkness. Earthquakes, volcanoes...
Winston Zeddemore: The dead rising from the grave.
Dr. Peter Venkman: Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together - mass hysteria.
**

Ladies and Gentlemen,

When the time comes that dogs and cats are living together, we know the end is near. What does it mean however, when a cat and bird live together?

Check it out. It’ll make you say, “Ah, that’s sweet.”





Perhaps there is a glimmer of optimism in this cold, cruel world?

One shred of hope for mankind to look past our differences and co-exist peacefully?

Perhaps by studying this cat and crow we can eradicate hostility and learn to love and care for another?

Maybe the day will come when the world leaders sign the final ban on all weapons thus creating a utopian society and the cat and the crow will become our new symbols of peace?

Forever more, the cat and the crow, will teach us to walk hand-in-hand.


…Or maybe, TV Producers have way too much time on their hands?

The Laughter of Abby Kay

OK, so we tried to get some footage of Abby laughing at the Wicked clip. We got some kind of. I think she knew she was being filmed and acted a little different. She wasn't nearly as hysterical as the other night but there are still some good laughs on there. Hope ya'll enjoy.

Viewer Discretion is Advised

If you would like to experience, even just a little, the thrill of mountainboarding, click on the below video to check it out.

This is Ryan riding and filming at the same time.

Veiwer Discretion: If you're are not comfortable with speed, dirt, hills, wind, or a high to quite high level of fun, do not watch the following...

The Mis-Education of Abigail Kay

The below are two clips that seemed to affect Abigail in really weird ways. Even though it’s almost ten years old now, the famous “Wassup” commercial has found its way into Abby’s vocabulary. She seems to really like grunting the “wassup” sound. It’s pretty funny. The video is the kid version with milk, not beer.

Also, as of last night we discovered that Abby thinks the “Popular” clip from Wicked is hilarious. She watches it intently and for some reason she laughs her head off. It’s so cool to see. There is no sweeter sound in the world than a little child laughing hysterically. We’ll try and get some footage of her laughing at the video.

In the meantime, please enjoy the two clips.

Wassup



Popular

Happy 4th First

On January 22nd 2004, a beautiful, dark-haired young woman pulled into a church parking lot to await her friends. Little did she know that a young and charming man was already walking towards her car. He had one intention: to meet her. As she stood to introduce herself, she noticed his height, curly hair, and smile. Beneath the surface however, she felt something special. She thought silently to herself, “This is definitely someone I want to get to know better.”

Never on that momentous night did she think that only seven short months later, she would be married to that young man.

Last night, in celebration of the four year anniversary of their first meeting, Heidi and Sean Marshall took a trip to Hollywood. They went to see the hit musical Wicked.

Wicked takes place in the Land of Oz and is the story of two very unexpected friends – the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the North.

Intertwined with the amazing costumes, incredible set designs, flawless acting, and absolutely perfect singing, you find yourself going through all of your major emotions. From the very opening scene, you become involved. Love is the reigning theme and it's expressed throughout the play.

As you journey with Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda the Good Witch of the North, you learn how the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion all came into being. You learn about what was really happening in Oz before an unnamed farm girl and her little dog show up. As the story comes to an end and the curtains finally drop, you’re left with a simple feeling: a desire for more.

When asked how she felt about the play, Heidi replied, “It was amazing! Productions like this remind me of why sharing our talents is so important. It was perfect!”

Sean added, “The voices, the music, the story, the laughter – all came together to form this incredibly perfect creation. I haven’t been so moved in a long time. I had very high hopes going into the play and I was not let down!”

On a different note, when asked to comment on how the couple has grown since the first night they met, Heidi replied first saying, “Well, we were married only 7 months after meeting for the first time. Since then, we've had a girl (Abigail) and we have a second girl on the way. Our life is pretty much perfect!”

.

Looking down at his feet and thinking for a second Sean replied, “Not a single day goes by where I don’t learn at least one good reason why Heidi is the perfect girl for me. God definitely knew what he was doing when he paired us up. As Heidi said, we pretty much have the perfect life and we are grateful for that. I’m appreciative for events like this play that inspire us emotionally and spiritually and remind us of exactly how amazing life really is.”

**

If you would like to see a sample of Wicked, watch the video below. Be sure to press 'pause' on the music playing in the side bar.

Vote on Girl Name

Here's your chance to shape the identity of a girl for her entire life. Are you ready for that responsibility? Great!

Just look over to your to the right. The polls are open for like 15 more days. Vote on one or more of the names there. If you don't like the names there, just send us a message with a suggestion of a better name. We won't be offended. We don't really like any name yet.

Preferably it's a cool name. Somewhat unique. Maybe traditional. Gotta flow well with Marshall.

CAST YOUR VOTES NOW!

If all else fails we can always name her "Morla, the Ancient One" - That's from The Neverending Story for all ya'll that weren't around in the super rad 80's.