crazy me(ags)

my heart goes out to all of you not living close to parents. i guess that would just be my sibling, but it may happen to any of you, except the rigby girls. i feel sorry, because today i tried to find a babysitter. not just one, no, that would be too easy, we tried to find two. you see we have not been to the temple in three months, i know we are terrible, because we do have parents right here and the temple close. but today we were going come hell or high water. but we also had dinner for chris's 21 birthday, during ward temple night. so we had to find a babysitter for the afternoon, which did turn out to be danna and pa. pa was so kind to accept, then ditched mom with the kids and went golfing. noble huh. then we had to find a sitter for the dinner. sure, just call one of the girls in the ward/stake. well first they must meet very high standard like be graduated from high school and have an increadible family, so that left one girl. however we have one small problem. ok he is not so small, he is 32 lbs or pure mean if you are not mommy, daddy, a grandma, deon, or michelle. yep that's it, he still doesn't even go to nursery. danna at temple, g' allen at dinner, leaving only women with their own families to care for. thankfully michelle is crazy and loves my children. so finally our problems were solved. are you all bored?? well it was mind boggling to me and i hated every second of it. oh get this after rose (cory's sister) had her baby they discovered that she had gall stones, so she went in to have her gall badder removed and found that some of them had passed. don't know exactly what that mean, but it's bad. she has been in the hospital for three days with a 1 1/2 month old at home. and she's living in montana with no family around. her husband works nights so some lady from her work has been watching the baby at night and her insane husband has had her during the day. but anyways they scoped her and found four quarter size ulsers in her stomach. so cory is freaking because he is the one with the bad stomach, and their grandfather died because of them. although the doctors wanted to wait until cory was 30 to scope him, he is going to press them to do it now. he is pretty sure that they will find that he doesn't really even have a stomach.

from g.

Quick post. The move from the provo house to the other house is complete. By complete I mean that the new house has boxes to the ceiling. At least we're no longer adding to the mess only cleaning up. Darla is doing very well considering she is very pregnant and having to deal with Cole. Everyone stops and stares at her belly because it's so big and she's still so small. Not a ton like my sisters when they're pregnant but kinda similar. So the days have been frantic. The move was non stop and the only break I had enabled me to run to the school and turn in my last final. It's good to be done. Only one class left which I'm holding over til the fall. Of course I'll need to take at least six credits in the fall so I will be taking the one mandatory class and then tennis and rock climbing or some other strenuous class. As for the bugs. In my first area which was Dryden Ontario we called those little suckers no see ems. my arms were aflame with bites. Luckily a member had an alo vera plant and they cut off a leaf for me. You split open the leaf and rub the juices directly on the bites. within a day the swelling had subsided and I was more happy. so life is definitely calming down. darla now has my permission to thrust dayne out into the sunlight filled air. Brooke reading about you makes me feel better. Jessica nothing will make me happier than spending eternity with all of the family as long as we're loaded. peace out

Faith is Like a Little Seed-by Brooke-not the song just the blog

Okay, I'm in charge of the activity on Wednesday night. It is supposed to be based on Faith and be testimony building. Any activities that stand out in anyone's mind? Mom, now that you blog you're on the spot. Meagan, because you're my sister. Chelsea, Jess, Lydia, Leash, you are in the land of Zion so I expect a wealth of info. Mindi, you are just brilliant in general, but I don't know if you will be back in time. By the way, Sadie loved the pictures from Nauvoo. She squealed with delight and said "look mom, my friends!" So, so cute. By the way there is repellant for chiggers. I've had to buy it for Mike, it's called Chig Away or something like that. Had I only known we could have set you up before you left. Well, I just wanted to check the weather for our soccer game for tomorrow and got sucked into the blog. We are playing a team with a reputation for playing really rough. It is an all boys team with a coach that takes this all way too seriously. Practices every night, trying to intimidate other coaches with his rank. Sounds like a total loser. This is youth services soccer not some traveling team. I bet he suffers from short man syndrome. It's supposed to rain in the morning, I hope it doesn't. I just want to make fun of him in my mind through the whole game. They haven't lost yet. My team is already prepared to lose, they've heard the stories from classmates, so we have decided to play our best, not get hurt, and have fun as a team.

Mike and Sadie are busy celebrating Father's Day. Mike's two favorite pitchers from the A's are now on two different teams. The Braves and whoever they're playing- I've blanked for the moment. He got a really good seat six rows up from the dugout and since we couldn't all go for the price (plus it is easier to get good seats if you are just trying to get one), he took Sadie because she's free and she's fun as well. Ellyn would be free but not as fun. Jane would be fun but not free. So that is his Father's Day gift. Jane is celebrating being two year old sister-free by having a sleep over with Savannah and Ellyn and I are just chillin' and feeling jipped. I did eat several warm chocolate chip cookies and that seemed to help. Okay, I really must go. I love you all. Brooke

Jessica-Procrastinating As Usual

The time is now 10:20 p.m. and my two last assignments of the semester are due by midnight but just like Brooke I got sucked into the blog. I have this system (as you all now I have many systems) I check my hotmail, I check the blogs, I check my Weber email and then I get to my homework. I do it everyday the same way. Even if I checked my emails and blogs earlier and I just need to do homework I still have to go through the whole rigamarole (I don't even know how to spell that but if you sound it out I think you'll get my drift.) Can you say OCD!?! Well anywho, I went to the temple tonight, one of my friends took out her endowments. In the temple I started thinking about eternity and started to get dizzy while trying to wrap my mind around that idea. The only thing that made my feel better when contemplating, "what am I going to do for eternity?" was to think of spending time with all of you guys, that will be awesome. I am tearing up just thinking about it. Tony is at work so things will be pretty dull this weekend. Good news is I am done with this semester after these two assignments and one test tomorrow. YEAH!!! LeAnne, I am glad to see you on the blog. I was laughing when you were taking a walk down memory lane thinking of the ol' van. Van Pepe really has been through a lot. I guess that is all for now. I LOVE blogging and I love all of you. Love Jess

LeAnne

well so as not to burst all your bubbles i will prepare you now. meaning, life does not slow down just because you are more than a half of a century old so just suck it up i am convinced that God does not really care whether or not your house is clean or your homework is done or that you hate being fat and pregnant etc. he only cares that you care but in the grand scheme or things so what!!!!! i knew i could find an exclaimation point if i looked hard enough. next i'll look for a way to underline something and then all i will have to figure out is how to write in the margins and for those of you that have never recieved a letter from me will know what ellynn and brind go thru each week trying to decipher my letters. oh well, geof. and adam survived it. i love reading these it is great fun when i come over to meags and join the rest of the human race in the 21st century on a computer. it has been so beautiful here everything is in blossom. we took part of a volkswalk thru downtown vancouver. there is a double line of big ol fugis cherry trees. they are one mass of pink blossoms. we had a positively lethal blossom throwing fight. g'ma won what can i say i've been throwing blossoms longer i should be better by now. then we stopped for the promised playground experience hence the reason we weren't able to complete the entire volkswalk. ben and i were on the teetertotter together because we are so close to the same weight. i tell her her piggytails are bouncing all over. she has this great giggle and says i think they are having fun. too bad i don't have all my babies up here to play with me. love you but i have to go practice my song for the stake talent show tonight. why i do this to myself i will never know all i know is that right now i am hating that i ever volunteered. geof. and darla i'm almost there. mike checked out the van and said it was in great work condition, but would still recommmend renting a car just because it is so old and worn i just laughed and said so what so was i. jack remember the lst time we saw the van. ah warm sweet memories!!!!!! love le anne

meags

brooke i am sorry to hear about your yucky day, but if you are only complaining about those little things than you have the right idea. not to focus on the big things. mindi i know it's probably hormones but the end of your blog made me cry. i am just so happy that you are happy and that you love my brother so much, because i know how much he loves you. and you have the sweetest family. i wish we could just all be together!!

love you all ---------- me

ColoradoBennetts

I was hoping I could post a picture, have you click on it, and it would load you into the vaction photo album. Otherwise I'm going to be posting 132 pictures and hogging the whole blog. Meagan and Cory's last photo post on the blog was able to do this. Help! How do I set that up?

Nauvoo Temple 

Our campsite in Nauvoo 

ColoradoBennetts--Chiggers

I really recommend that you DO NOT CAMP in the Florida Keys. It stays a cozy 95 degrees all through the night with 100% humidity. Plus, there are these horrible, microscopic bugs (later we discovered they are called chiggers) that bite like parana. They are so small they fit through the tent screen so there is nothing we could do to keep them out of our tent. It was dark when we were setting camp so I thought we were getting bit by mosquitoes (there were a few of those in our tents too) and that they were really fast because I couldn't ever kill them when I felt the bite. But it turns out I was just hitting the chiggers which were too small to even feel. Bug spray only works for an hour or so and then they would come back with a vengeance. The welts didn't appear in the morning so I thought we were ok. But now, a day later we are all swollen and itching like crazy!!! On the up side, Key West is awesome and we had a great time touristing around. We went to a treasure museum and looked at pirate treasure that Mel Fisher found in the '80s. We had key lime pie and watched all the street performers and the cruise boat tourists. I'm going to try and post some of our pictures on the blog after this. Right now we are in Nashville and it is pouring rain. Isn't there a song about that? We stopped in Chattanooga last night to see the Choo-Choo train. They turned the old train station into a Holiday Inn and now they have hotel rooms on the passenger cars. We didn't stay there, of coarse, but we did eat at their overpriced but beautiful resturant. Sierra loves trains and Kaia loves getting out of the car. We've been driving about 10 hours a day for the past two days and Kaia said she's not going to take it any more. So today we are going to see what we can see in rainy Nashville and Adam says he is up to driving through the night tonight. I love this vacation and I love, love, love my family. Even with the girls in tow it still has been a romantic getaway for Adam and I. Brooke, I hope Ellyn didn't get sick from Sierra. Some how I feel responsible for the spread of any puking illness. Good luck to all the movers and school finalers and baby havin'ers. We love you beecherfamilia!

Tire was flat

Just to let you all know, Mike had a good excuse. The tire was flat, which I guess adds to my good day.

what a day this has been and it's only 9:00-Brooke

Yesterday mom and I were talking about my back and not knowing where we were going to live and the fact that Mike will eventually leave for a year and our house in Oklahoma still not rented and she said "I'm sorry your life sucks right now Brooke." And I told her it didn't, that I was really happy. I loved my husband and my kids and we were having a beautiful spring and having alot of fun and there were uncertainties but that life was still good. Well some unseen force heard my reply, whether this is a force of good or ill has yet to be determined because this could just be a test but like in Freaky Friday as soon as those words were spoken many little things have begun to pop up and make me completely crazy. Last night I found out that I get to go to the YMYW activity all Saturday evening, we got home fromYW/Activity Days and Jane informed me she had "forgotten" to do her homework, which she didn't understand. So...with the two youngest still awake and getting crankier by the second we were up till 10:00 doing her homework. Mike took my car this morning after he told me he had found his keys and I didn't notice till it was too late to ride our bikes and I had to call our neighbor and ask for a ride for Jane. I let our damn dog off her tie out in the back yard to bring her into the house and she bolted across two yards, through my friend's flower bed, under her porch, and there she stayed while I tried to get her to come. Meanwhile Ellyn is in her high chair and Sadie is doing who knows what because when I came back inside she was just coming in the house from the side door. Oh, and Ellyn is super clingy and threw up all over both of us. I have about 10 loads of laundry to do, the house to vacuum and the kitchen to clean, not to mention planning soccer practice, running errands, and meeting Jane for lunch and so I decided to just sit for a moment and vent. But you know, I'm not moving-right now, I don't have finals, although I wish I did, and I'm not huge pregnant, which while I love the whole "get a baby" part the rest I can live without. So I guess I'm just fine. Plus Sadie just walked up to me with her fingers digging into her cheeks singing "surey show" (if your happy and you know it). I'm sure this will be followed by "Michael Donald had a Farm" so hopefully as soon as I get done with this life will be okay again. I love you all. Good luck with everything. Love, Brooke

meags

wow it works. when i tried earlier it was giving me a bunch of jibberish. i am sweating hot, cause i just got back from the gym. and i must sleep because i am suppose to go with mom in the morning, but don't be impressed. most would not call what i am doing working out and i am still packing on the weight. i am so excited for all you school people getting done with finals and school completely. oh it seems like only yeasterday i was blowing off all of my finals. i was such an extrordinary student it's just amazing that i did finish college. no i am not envious of any of the movers. how i hate realizing how much crap i really have. we watched an incredible lighting storm up at the farm tonight and all the baby cows frolicking in the fields. i know you are all jealous and if your not it's because you have never been there and you are really missing out. ask all the others. love tons to all.---------meags

Geof.

A few finals down and one to go. I still have a knot in my stomache wondering what my grade on those finals will be but I’m sure it will dissipate by the weekend. It’s been good reading all of the blogs. Alicia I’m sorry you are stressed with the move. Jessica good luck with the papers. Send it to Cory when you’re done so he can proof read. He was up til 1 this morning looking over one of mine and I think it was as much fun for him as it was for me. You know what would make your lives happier? Watch house of flying daggers with the English dub ins (hysterical). Okay Coles’ ears are still draining and because they removed the adenoids through the throat his breath reeks. All day long we try to brush his teeth and feed him toothpaste, altoids, whatever it takes. We’re moving tomorrow which should be as much fun as urinating on an electric fence. Get through til Monday and then I can test out my new golf clubs and relax a touch until the check ride. I need to go check on the delinquents so I’ll talk to you later. p.s. we will trade Cole for Sadie.

Word to yo motha-yes, you can make fun of me

Okay, if you are writing a long blog and do not want to risk having it erased you can write it in Word and then copy it and paste it onto the blog. This was too much for Meagan but some of you might find it worth it. So please keep that in mind. Today has been rainy all day. We had play group and then Jane had early release which means she gets out at 2:00. It totally messes up nap time every Tuesday which makes me crazy because Sadie is psycho the rest of the day. My friend that used to be my running buddy here and then moved to Ft. Sill, Oklahoma drove past my house for me today and they don't have a rental sign up. I find that it is helpful when you are trying to rent out a house that you put out a For Rent sign but evidently my rental agency hasn't figured that out yet. They are completely worthless. It makes me want to charge them rent. Everything else is going on as usual. We won our soccer game last night. So far that is the highlight of my week. Oh, I got my MRI results back and I have a tiny re-herniation of the disk and then a mass of scar tissue continuing to pinch the nerve in my leg. The good news is they might be able to fix it with a cortizone shot. I have to meet with my surgeon again, I'm telling him that surgery is not an option so he had better come up with another plan. Wow, don't I sound like a bad A? Well, I'm so tired I can barely move and it is only 5:00. Dinner still ahead and swimming after that. Anyone want a two year old, upside she's 3 in a month.

Brooke

meagan

mindi i feel for you, i just spent forever writing and reliving my stressful weekend pushed publish and it disapeared. so when i have calmed down i will try again.

just waiting for Geof.-Darla

okay....so Geof. came home at 5:30 today and left at six to play raquetball. It's now 8:30 and his dinner's just sitting on the table getting cold. Oh well. To get on here and read the blogs has completely put my mind at ease. You women are amazing. Mindi...I can't believe the puking stories. That's so crazy!! You know, Cole's really never had the throw-up flu or any food poisoning that has caused him to throw up. The only time he's thrown up is when he's choked on something and it just came up. So I'm sorry and I'll tell you I'm not looking forward to the day when he does! So did you guys ever find a hotel in Cocoa or what? Geof. said you sounded pretty tired. And how's the beach?!!! I really am living through you with this whole road trip thing. Do you know how long I've wanted to go to Savanna? To the South at all? One day. Alicia, I feel for you. Obviously we're not moving into our own house or anything, and you probably have more stuff than us, but I've been so stressed about this move I can't stand it. We're moving in 2 days, Cole's been so grumpy and sick with this whole ear operation thing, I'm due in 2 weeks (but feel like I could have her anyday)...and I just don't know how we're going to do it! This girl in my ward just had a baby (maybe I already mentioned this) and her husband is a mgr. at Costco and he got 5 weeks paid paternity (I'm not sure if that's the right word) leave. I almost wet my pants when I heard that! If Geof. had a job like that we'd be off on our own little road trip. I wouldn't even care that we'd just had a baby. So back to my complaining. Geof. has 0 time off and we really can't afford for him to ask for it off. Thankfully my sister called and offered to help. SHe's pregnant with #6 (yes, she's crazy)...so I didn't really feel like I should ask her. Luckily she's wonder woman and should be able to help. And LeAnne should be out here next week. I honestly don't know what I'd do if my mom AND my mo-in-law were crazy. LeAnne's so great when she comes out because she just works a ton and doesn't really get in your way. So she'll just come and be able to help us into our new place. It's just another house in Provo but it's a little bigger and has central air (aahhh...). so that makes me happy. Okay, Jessica, I loved the single spaced comment as well. That's absolutely crazy...it has been about 20 yrs. right? And does anyone know if Alicia is using the name Georgia for this next little one? I'm just curious. Okay, so Geof. just got home. I love you guys and just want you to know how fun this is. So keep it up! love Darla

Our fun time with Adam and Mindi-Brooke

This is my chance to get in funny stories before Mindi does. First of all Sierra and Sadie each have very special names for their sandals. Sierra calls them candles and Sadie calls them tonsils. So everywhere we went we had to put on the candles and the tonsils. Our trip to Savannah was very fun. The drive there used to take us 3 1/2 hours. However, with nursing babies, potty trained toddler, everyone's need for constant snacking-which meant stopping at the strawberry fields for shakes-it took us a mere 5 to get there. Saturday we spent our time touring the city. Savannah is beautiful. The historic area is built around 25 squares. Each square either has a monument or a fountain or a cemetary or something of that nature. Each one is filled with grass and benches and gorgeous old trees draped in spanish moss. Everyone is out walking their dogs (way too many pitbulls for my taste). At the far end of the historic district is a park with a huge fountain. It is beautiful. We saw three different brides there and also a fraternity and a sorority dressed in old southern belle hooped dresses and confederate soldiers' uniforms. Thinking how neat it was and maybe they were in costume for a play or prom or something we took all the kids over to look at the dresses. Just in time for the kids to break out their booze and ciggs. Great. From downtown Savannah we left for our favorite restaurant, The Crab Shack. It is an indoor/outdoor restaurant built on a pier over the grassy, marshy, waterways that make up much of the coast near Savannah (I feel like I should be giving a lecture right now). Well there were a million cars there and I was afraid it would be forever until we got in, BUT we were crazy enough to sit outside (it was unseasonably cool at 55 degrees or so) so we got right in. Within minutes Sadie had dumped over my glass of ice water onto my lap. Refreshing. Then the bottom popped off the bottom of Sierra's cup. Luckily no casualties. A few minutes later Sadie spilled some of her chowder. Already traumatized from spilling the water she immediately blamed her accident on Sierra. Very funny. We all chowed down on chowder and sausage and shellfish and listened to Jimmy Buffet and the like. It was fabulous. The next morning Jane had a lovely breakfast of shrimp, strawberries, and Krispy Kreme donuts. The rest of us had the same thing sans the shrimp. We ate Twizzlers and fruit snacks and fish and chips and all of that was evident the first time Sierra threw up- under the table at Captain D's. Mindi took her back to clean her up, after a few minutes we hear a huge thud coming from the bathroom area followed by crying. Sierra had tripped over Mindi's foot and fallen head first into the bathroom door. So sad, but kind of funny to hear from the other side of the door. So we had a wonderful time and already miss the Colorado Bennetts greatly. The first thing Sadie said this morning when she woke up was "Where's my Kaia Jane?"
I know I'm leaving lots out like when Sierra and Sadie both scaled the rock wall at the park like little lizards and how fun it was to watch Kaia and Ellyn sit next to each other and visit. But between Mindi and I we will I'm sure get more in.

So last night we came home and I force fed my children vegetables. This morning I had an MRI for my back. I asked three different times if it mattered if I was nursing because they were using contrast. No, no, and aha finally the tech-Yes. So without any warning Ellyn can't nurse for 24 hours. She hasn't been too happy about it and I am not looking forward to tonight. That four o'clock feeding is just going to be torture or I'm going to call it close enough to count. Okay, I think that is enough for now. Darla, by the way my floors are completely lacquered. I do nothing to them but vacuum and mop so don't you stress. Did you get moved or is that next weekend? Alicia, I feel your moving pain. I can't tell you how many times we have moved and Mike has had to be out in the field right away. I think it is a conspiracy. Auntie Jack, maybe this summer I will come get some cookies.

Love, Brooke

chelsmarie

Single-spaced?!? That seriously almost made me pee my pants.

Jessica and Aunt Jack's cookies

Hey Everyone,
I am just kicking back with a plate full of mom's chocolate chip cookies and checking the blog. Who's jealous? I promise if any of you came to visit mom would whip up a batch. Well actually I am procratinating to the point that it is becoming ridiculous. I have a 10 page paper due today. It has to be single spaced, who has heard of single spacing in the past twenty years. So that equals out to about 20 pages. My night is ruined. Well nothing new. This weekend flew by of course because Tony was off. The weekends he works seem to drag by. We went and saw the interpreter. Great show. The rest of the weekend was spent doing homework. The semester is over this week but it has been a killer for both of us. Tony is taking his practical exam in anatomy where he looks at cadavers and names all the millions of parts. SICK!!! That's all for now. Adam and Mindi your trip sounds amazing. If only I could have seen the drama of the "puke." Is there a stop in Utah in the itinerary? Brooke one day I want to come visit. All for now. Blog to ya later. Love Jess

Alicia

I told myself I wasn't even going to look at mom's computer when I came over here because I knew I'd get sucked in here. We have our computer over there, but we don't have a phone line yet. Anyway, I still have a room full of crap downstairs here and my house is already full. I told Kev we are going to have our own little "Clean Sweep" and get rid of all of it. It's hard to believe we fit it all into mom's house. Anyway, I'm a horrible mover and have been in a perma-bad mood since we started. Kev asked me the other day if I was happy about the house yet. I felt so bad. I blame it on the pregnancy, but I cried about every night we were moving stuff - mostly because Kev is at work all day and I have to take care of wild baby and try and move (however, my sisters helped me a ton every day). Anyway a lot of it is still in boxes, but I'm starting to practice relaxation techniques in my mind and I just start to chant "goose fra ba" when I start to feel the anger sharks swimming. Well Clo now has a huge tupperware cup on her head and is singing to me about Jesus and princesses in her sweetest voice to try and get me off here, so I'll talk to you all later. I love you guys Love Leash.

ColoradoBennett-nutshell

So I'm just going to write our story in a nutshell, even though I spent most of yesterday thinking about how I would post this lenthy story on the blog. Long and short, Sierra puked in the car on the way to Flordia. Huge mess, mass hysteria. We pulled over and this nice lady saw me striping my child (who was still throwing up) of all of her clothing. She came over to us and said she owned the house next door and that I could use her shower to clean up Sierra. Total blessing that we just happened to run into this lady. Her name is Fathiyyah Muhammad and she is a "Custom Capmaker, Cothing Designer, and Public Relations". She gave me her card and on the back is her picture with President Bush (he's wearing one of her caps). Her office was plastered with pictures of her and hundreds of famous people. Anyway, we got all cleaned up, thanked her over and over and took off. Ten hours later we made it to Hollywood, FL at one a.m. and crashed with the Fairhursts (a mission buddy of Adam's). Now we are off to the beach...

ColoradoBennett-erased

Hey, I just spent a precious 30 minutes typing up a blog about our adventure from GA to FL and it got erased while I was trying to spell check. I'm so mad that I have to step away from the computer for a while...AAAAAARRRRGGGGGGGTTRRRFFSFRRFHHHHH

chelseamarie

Hello Everyone! It's Saturday afternoon and I am real tired. I just got home from working on a group project. In my English class we had to write a paper in groups of four defining a word. My group decided to write ours on Eternity. (don't forget the school I attend.) So we did that last week. Now that is done with, we have to give small presentations in front of the class about our topic. The group decided to make a movie. That is were have I been for the last 4 hours. That's right, four hours. I'm real tired. We walked around Temple Square and asked others about their views of eternity. At first it was real intimidating, but then it started getting intense. There were homeless bums noticing the camera and asking to be on it. One guy started talking about aliens. Pretty entertaining. After we interviewed one gentleman he stated, "I hope you haven't asked those Mormons about this, they don't know what they're talking about." It was very interesting to hear others views and opinions. A large black man performed a small rap for us all about his religious views. This world is very interesting. Fun stuff, huh! Well that's been my day. I will blog later. I love you, peace out.
Chels

povo ites

geof.-
Here i sit a blogging among the happy cheer. Offering up sonorous tones of sweet delight to avail me of my plight (add some kind of music). But seriously blogging has changed my life, it has made me a better man. I love blogging for the man it is and the man i hope he will some day become. Its done more for me than pimp my ride. Whatever, so the other day i was in the store and i saw two medium pizza's for a certain price and then there was one large pizza. Luckily I'm enrolled in math and busting out 3.14 or pi I was able to discover that the larger pizza was saving me 12 cents. I was so happy for math I wept right there in the center of the aisle or island as alicia calls it. Eventually they asked me to leave and just as well since i didn't have money for the pizza. Seriously though this week they have asked me to be an extra in the upcoming LDS motion picture "Joseph". Yes it will grace the legacy center next december. Not only will you be able to see the life of the prophet but you may also see the bottom lapel of my jacket. That's right I've already been an extra. They said I was a little too good looking and or bald to be up front under the camera but they needed some people in the back left. Behind the props and lying down and away from the premises. Just know that I do probably have a 20% chance of having my lapel with or without left hand in the final cut. These next days of extrahood may be more promising. I'll write you all again later. Until then know that you are really special to me.
p.s. mindi this is my journal so just know we're on the same wavelength. Probably only on that thought though. unless you're nuts.

baby on my mind

okay...so it must be annoying to not be pregnant and be around someone who's in their last 2 weeks...it's literally all I can think about! Poor Geof. I want so badly to go into labor but then I think of my piano ensemble tomorrow, my one last final...and the fact that we're moving in a week...um...less than a week....scary....and I freak out. "STAY IN THERE FOR JUST A LITTLE LONGER DAYNE!" So we took Cole in at 8:15 this morning to get tubes in his ears and his adenoids removed. Yeah, this is the 2nd time he's gotten tubes. Poor thing. So when they brought him out and he was all groggy from his anesthetic (I had to check on the spelling) and his ears were full of blood...I just broke down. maybe it's the pregnancy hormones, but I was a mess. I'm sure I looked pretty silly seeing that it wasn't even that big of a deal. I don't know why I have this constant desire to be a nurse...I'd be horrible. Needles, blood...the look of someone in pain...it all makes me so physically sick. So anyway. We're home now and Cole's doped up on drugs and hopefully will be for the next week or so since his doctor said the whole adenoid removal thing is pretty painful. Hopefully not as painful of 2 yrs. of chronic ear infections though right?!! Geof. is at a math review. Let's just say he's SOOO done with school. He hates math more than anything and can't understand anyone that actually enjoys it. So not much else to report. I wish I was in Georgia with Brooke and Mike (and of course you and Adam Mindi!)... well, one day. There's things I think about when I have nothing to think about (um...good things), that I want to post on here but of course now I can't think of one single thing. I love you all and I think this is great. We need to get a few guys on here though, and maybe even a few more Beecher women (it'd be a miracle if we saw LeAnne right?). DARLA

Lydiamae

mindi i love to hear that the board flipped up and hit you. back in the swim team days, the time i was such a champion of, you could angle the board just right and kinda "toaster" it towards another person, and just like toast it would spring up and hit who ever was really working out and setting the pace for the rest of the team, man am i glad thats over! it was great, anyhow nothing much is up with me im getting excited for maine and most of all i get to move back in the basement, which will be lovely except i wish chloe was still in her room, so she could still come and wake me up in the morning, and yell suuupise judia judia wake up! anyway thats all for now blog ya later, ps i love reading all of them and stay up with all that everyone has to say i love this!

ColoradoBennetts--Big Head Todd vs. Kid Rock

I had the urge to change the name of my last blog because I was overcome with disgust for Kid Rock. I know that for some reason he is revered among members of this blog, but he really is down with the devil. Adam was listening to his CD on the way here and I was closely following the lyrics. He's only talking about strippers and now every time a song runs through my head an image of such a girl comes into my head (I've never seen a stripper but now that I spend so much time at truck stops I think I may have met a few and seen their cartoon images on plenty of t-shirts--plus my husband is obsessed with the chrome lady who I know for sure is a stripper--he tried to buy a baseball hat with her image superimposed with the confederate flag and a chrome lady belt buckle--all the influence of Kid Rock). My kind of band is Big Head Todd and the Monsters, which now that I think of it, doesn't have any stripper songs but if looked hard enough I bet someone could call me on their equal evils. Um, I don't know why I let these random thoughts onto the blog. What I really want to say is that our blog could almost replace journal writing in many ways. We could publish our blog book someday and it will be a family treasure much like the books about George Darling Watt and Billy "Nubs" Bennett. But I better erase my reference to Kid Rock and strippers and chrome ladies before that happens.
Sadie, Sierra, and Ellyn are upstairs taking a bath together right now. We are still having a blissful time. Brooke and I left the chillins' with the men last night and met her friend at the pool. I really need to learn the ropes of lap swimming because it was a lot of fun. I failed to master the paddle board, though, because a few times it slipped out from under me and caught me in the nose. Not sure why I just admitted to that. If I wasn't typing one handed while nursing I'd share more embarrassing swimming stories, adieu

if you write it they will come-Brooke

Okay, now I am writing one handed while nursing but Mindi and I feel the need to read something new on the blog. Although we both pretty well know what the other one is doing. Yesterday was a lovely relaxing day. The girls spent the afternoon jumping on the trampoline w/the sprinkler under it. Mike and Mindi and Adam and I sat in the shade with the babies. Ellyn loves Adam. She even fell asleep with him as Mindi previously mentioned. The weird thing is, she goes to noone except me, Mike, and Jane. I am wondering if there is a Bennett smell or heartrate or breathing pattern or something that she can sense. It is very bizarre. Well the girls are all ready for a bath so I am going to go assist. We are having a very great time. Darla, somehow I missed your blog until after I had posted last time. I am very happy to see you on the blog. Chels, Mindi and I swam again last night with paddle boards for part of the time. Meags, how's it going? Alicia, I don't want any lame excuses like "I'm moving" for why you aren't posting. I love you all as always. Love, Brooke

ColoradoBennetts--Georgiaonmymind

Hi! This is Mindi, I'm typing one handed while nursing so this 'll be short. We are having a blissful time with the Stinchfields! This place is so beautiful. This morning Sadie, Sierra, and I played on the trampoline. After a robust game of duck-duck-goose and ring-around-the-rosy we around around and around until we were so dizzy we couldn't stand (just me). Lying on my back, looking up into the blue blue sky and giant branches of 75 year old+ trees, sweet smell of humid and green, it was perfect. Then Sierra stepped on my hair and kneed me in the eye and I was back to reality. Right now Adam and Ellyn are cuddled up on the couch, Ellyn's right hand in Adam's left ear. Ellyn and Kaia are getting along swimmingly. So are Sadie and Sierra, unless they aren't getting along swimmingly. Which reminds me of my favorite road trip statement from Adam thus far. I was ferociously hungry and mad about having to chase Sierra around the creepy truck stop after she almost knocked over a rack of trucker shirts. She had a melt down and I drug her out of the gas station screaming bloody murder. When I got to the car I said to Adam in my grumpiest voice, "Everything goes just fine until we get hungry and tired!" His response was, "So everything goes just fine until everything is not going fine. If the car breaks down and we have to drive a motorcycle back to Colorado with Sierra on my lap and you and Kaia in the side car, you are doing to say everything is fine unless you are hungry?" Something to that effect. I laughed, ate something, and then I was fine. Well, time for naps. gotta get Sadie and Sierra down simulatainously or else...

Jessi

Hello all,
It has been a while since I blogged but everyday I have been reading them only to keep up with all of them. This is the best. Chels, when I read your braces story I just about peed my pants when you said, "here goes nothing." You really don't look bad, I promise. Geof. I didn't know you were moving. There must've been so much crap in the garage at the Provo house. Hopefully Dave and Andrew won't miss anything. Brooke, your house looks like something out of the movies. It is gorgeous. I totally picture that type of house when I think of a southern house. Dad has been to Mike and Ed's, or whatever it is called, when he was back east one time. Meags tell Cor good luck on the singing, I am sure he will do great. Adam and Mindi, I envy your trip, one day I want to go on a cross country trip like that. Nothing new to report. I have been helping Alicia get into her new house and loving every minute. Cleaning and organizing, right up my alley, don't you think. The house is AWESOME and I can't wait to have one of my own...one day hopefully. Well that is everything. I love you guys and blogging. Love Jess

fun fun fun at our house

Well I don't have too much time to write, you see the Colorado Bennetts are at our house. We took them to Mike and Ed's, a BBQ joint for some real southern food. We are busy trying to ignore the fact that we have four kids under the age of three. I'm just hoping they all put themselves to bed because the bed routine is going to be all screwed up and I bet it takes me forever. Chels, I used the kickboard last night for half of my laps and it really works your legs. So don't knock yourself. Okay, the chaos from the children is making me feel a little guily. We'll write more later. Love, Brooke

tired mrs. prego

Okay. So I can't believe I'm finally here! I'm so excited I don't know what to do. I've been reading all your blogs for the last 3 days or so and I've tried getting on but have no idea what i'm doing...so it never worked. So finally I see my husband today (he's never home!) and he shows me how to sign on...the password, etc. So yeah! Anyway, it's midnight and I should be in bed but I had one last assignment to turn in for my Intro. to Theatre class and then tomorrow I'm supposed to write a 10 page play. I don't even want to do it. Geof. keeps arguing with me and telling me how incredibly easy it is but I just don't have it in me to do anymore. Online classes are great but I finished both of 'em about a month and a half ago so now that I'm pretty much due with this giganta (note the feminine) baby, I'm done with ANY school work. SO what do you think? Should I write the play tomorrow morning in the wee hours before Geof. and COle are awake (like 9 am...hee..hee)? Or should I just settle for a B-? Mindi, I don't want your input smartie pants. I'm kidding. Okay, enough about me. It's been so fun to read all your blogs! You girls (and Geof.) are so dang funny. I'm just not that witty. How exciting that you're in a house Alicia. Maybe in 10 yrs. or so that'll be me. So now that you know you're having another girl...are you going to name her Georgia? just let me know so i don't have to "wish" anymore. Geof. isn't too keen on the name anyway. Brooke, like everyone's said, your house is gorgeous and I don't know how you keep those hardwood floors so nice and clean and shiny all the time. I guess the fact that the Provo house's floors need a big time scrub down and finish to them probably explains why they don't look so pretty. Did that last sentence even make sense? Alright, well I gotta go sleep. I'm glad geof. keeps you all up to date with our life. he's pretty silly. I laugh a ton at his blogs and then when he gets home i'm just the mean grumpy prego wife. poor thing. love you all. i'll try not to write as much next time. Darla

ChelseaMarie

I know that I usually don't say much, but I seriously love doing this blog! It's so entertaining! Thanks for the support on the braces. It's real unfortunate but it'll be worth it. Geof, don't be a smart alec. Some of you could've thought that I had braces on my legs or something. :) Ha ha, just kidding. Jack, I'm glad you had an enjoyable birthday. It's nice to hear that you're up and moving about. For those of you that don't know, Jacki had some sort of ridiculous surgery on her knee. I'll let her fill you in on the details. Anywho, on Sunday my family, the Rigby's and the Robbins (who need to get in the blog) played games at good ol' Barnes Park. It was great! We played kickball and soccer. I'm so incredibly sore though! Pretty sad that I'm that out of shape. Lydia and I went and swam laps last week and I enjoyed it. My idea of swimming laps consists of me using a kick board, but hey, it's better than nothing. I don't like getting my hair wet, it's turns it green. After we swim I go and sit in the sauna for the same amount of time I swam. It's a great system. Well, that's it for now. Have a lovely day. I'll write later. Love you! Chels

tired mrs. prego

Okay. So I can't believe I'm finally here! I'm so excited I don't know what to do. I've been reading all your blogs for the last 3 days or so and I've tried getting on but have no idea what i'm doing...so it never worked. So finally I see my husband today (he's never home!) and he shows me how to sign on...the password, etc. So yeah! Anyway, it's midnight and I should be in bed but I had one last assignment to turn in for my Intro. to Theatre class and then tomorrow I'm supposed to write a 10 page play. I don't even want to do it. Geof. keeps arguing with me and telling me how incredibly easy it is but I just don't have it in me to do anymore. Online classes are great but I finished both of 'em about a month and a half ago so now that I'm pretty much due with this giganta (note the feminine) baby, I'm done with ANY school work. SO what do you think? Should I write the play tomorrow morning in the wee hours before Geof. and COle are awake (like 9 am...hee..hee)? Or should I just settle for a B-? Mindi, I don't want your input smartie pants. I'm kidding. Okay, enough about me. It's been so fun to read all your blogs! You girls (and Geof.) are so dang funny. I'm just not that witty. How exciting that you're in a house Alicia. Maybe in 10 yrs. or so that'll be me. So now that you know you're having another girl...are you going to name her Georgia? just let me know so i don't have to "wish" anymore. Geof. isn't too keen on the name anyway. Brooke, like everyone's said, your house is gorgeous and I don't know how you keep those hardwood floors so nice and clean and shiny all the time. I guess the fact that the Provo house's floors need a big time scrub down and finish to them probably explains why they don't look so pretty. Did that last sentence even make sense? Alright, well I gotta go sleep. I'm glad geof. keeps you all up to date with our life. he's pretty silly. I laugh a ton at his blogs and then when he gets home i'm just the mean grumpy prego wife. poor thing. love you all. i'll try not to write as much next time. Darla

it's deluxe cu

Geof.-
So this week has been great the flying this morning was smooth on my part and turbulent on the airs part. Actually my part could have been smoother. So I feel enlightened by this blogg thing. Chelsea I had no idea the braces were medal contraptions placed on teeth. Brooke your house is beautiful I had no idea. As for the events Sunday evening we went and roasted smoores in the canyon. Very nice and cole only tried to jump in the river twice. Today was oh so rainy and after forgetting three key formulas on my math test Cole, Darla, and I chilled together. We had pizza which excited Cole. He also wanted a drink. Cole took said pizza and pushed it into said drink, then he tipped both over onto his plate. Well being the good father that I am I realized that our boy needed dinner. Luckily a friend had called to tell me that today is the local Ben & Jerry’s customer appreciation day. So with the quick thinking that made me a high school graduate we loaded into the car and headed down so I could get my boy a dinner he’d actually eat. I had phish food, cole had cookies and cream which he didn’t like sharing, and darla had some oatmeal thing. Pheww. Father of the year right here. That’s about all to report other than the fact that Darla’s belly barely fits behind the steering wheel. She is doing well and so is Dayne. Happy Birthday Aunt Jack I hope you get the package I neglected to purchase and send. Peace out. P.S. Cory I hope your singing goes well. I also think every one should know that I sent a report to Cory to proof read and his first comments to me after reading a couple pages were “what time of night did you write this.” What a nice guy. (you’re muerte)

meagan

i love the sun!!!! oh how i wish i had not married a mole, who actually hates that which makes me thrive. aunt jackie happy happy birthday, i'm glad you admit that you hate getting older. so do i, i dread every november. chels i love that you have braces. i had them when i was twenty also. i know your only 19 but almost the same. i got them on right after my engagement pictures and got them off the morning we left for utah. my whole engagement with a metal mouth. i was beautiful and looked about 10. right now i am suppose to be getting ready for a practice so cor and i can sing with 3 other couples on sunday then have enrichment. (i bet you all wish you could be here to see cory sing in public. i'm pretty excited.) i put off getting dress as long as possible, then i can use it for an excuse as why i look so bad. wil is screeming at the other two to eat their dinner. it's pretty cute, they are just laughing cause you could eat him with a spoon. love you all -------------meags

ColoradoBennetts

Adam --day four, six states and 1700 miles later we have made it to Detroit we are currently hanging with Karen Bellow's and family and in true Karen style she is as excited about this blog as the rest of us for those who don't know Karen she was my mom away from mom here in Detroit and continued to take care of me and the other missionaries here in Detroit, Geof. on his mission and the rest of our family. Mindi has had fun here in Detroit we went down town last night Mindi's favorite thing was a sign that said "NEVER HEAT A HOME WITH A OVEN" and a house engorged with flames. love you all and will post more when we have more time Love Adam

Jaclynne

Brooke,great job on the new tooth! I guess that I'm out of the loop, Adam is coming?
Sounds like fun. Chels I like the braces and just think how wonderful they will be. Thanks for the BD wishes, but there is nothing wonderful about a 50th BD. I will try to get though it as best as I can. I use to think that if you were 50 you were real close to passing over to the other side and I have to admit that over the last 2 months sometimes that wouldn't have been such a bad thing! Anyway a show with Kev, I couldn't tell you how long that has been since we did that and then prime rib dinner with the girls. Hope all is well with you all! Love Aunt Jack

ChelseaMarie

Hello All! Brooke, your pictures were so fun to see! I can't believe that your girls are that big. I love your house! It would be so fun to come visit. Speaking of pictures, you will not be getting any with me in them for 9 to 12 more months. For those of you who don't know why, here goes nothing...I got braces. That's correct, metal braces that go on your teeth. It's seriously a hilarious sight. I never liked my teeth so I buckled down and did it. So take that and run with it. :) If I'm not mistaken, today is Aunt Jack's Birthday! Happy Birthday Jack!!! Well, that's it for now. I'm just wasting time at work before I get to go to lunch. I'm starving! I love you all. Have a good day.
Chels

a tooth

After a long night of very little sleep I am happy to announce that Ellyn has a new front tooth. A top one. It is very cute. I will have to take a picture of it and someday get it on here. Well I am trying to get the girls fed some breakfast and then run to the store so we have food when Adam and Mindi come and then go eat lunch at school with Jane, so...this is all for now. Love, Brooke

Aunt Jack

Dear Beecher Descendents,

Isn't this the best! I want you to know that I haven't read anything yet, just wanted you to know that I'm not dead and think that this is going to be a great thing. Mom would be so proud, I have thought of her a lot lately and it is sad all that she has missed. I tell myself that she gets to look down every so often and see all the great things that one women started! For all you new comers that didn't get to meet her she was a great lady and she would have loved you very much, for those of you that did get to meet her, remember her because she loved us all so much! Enough sad stuff! I'll write more later. I love you all and am so proud of your lives and all you do! Love Aunt Jack

letter from brind

this is a letter brinders sent to our primary and it's so cute i thought you would all enjoy it.....Dear Primary,
thank you all so much for the pictures and letters that you sent. it made me happy to know that you are all thinking of me and preparing for your missions. i want to share some things that will help you be better missionaries. even if your mom is a bad cook eat what she makes, it will prepare you. on my mission i've eaten raw fish, chicken feet, chicken heads, sea weed, and blood pudding. another important thing is learning the gospel by having family prayer, family scripture study and family home evening. if your family doesn't do that tell your parents elder bennett says you don't have to eat your vegetables or clean your room until they do them, (but after they do you have to eat veggies and clean your rooms). another thing to work on is you hand writing because you'll write alot of letters. i love you all be good have fun.
love elder bennett
ps a good way to practice handwriting is to keep a journal!!!!

now how cute is he!!! leash i want pics of the house, jesse and ton congrats to both, brooke my nieces are waay too cute good thing they have a big daddy!! and to all i love you so much. look geof. something from a boy. lyd and chels any future plans for being on you own again?
meags

if you double click-Brooke-since it takes Chelsea waay too much effort to scan to the bottom of the blog! Love ya.

Alicia, I'm so glad you got your house painted and the briar patch pulled. I'll write more later but I wanted to tell you that if you double click on the picture of our house it will let you look at a few more pictures we have in some random file. They are mostly from last spring, but the one of Ellyn and Jane are from this month.

Jane and Sadie

Jane and Sadie
Originally uploaded by georgiastinch.

Not the best smile on Sadie, but here's our cute girls

our Ellyn

our Ellyn
Originally uploaded by georgiastinch.

Mike is showing me how to post pictures

209 Austin Loop

209 Austin Loop
Originally uploaded by georgiastinch.

it's way too late

um...don't even know if this is working. i wrote a huge long blog and it's gone! When will I be part of the beech tree?!!! Darla

Alicia

You can tell it's the weekend and no one is at their computers at work to write anything. Well, we've finished all the painting - thanks to my family. They were there Saturday morning before us, cleaning up the yard. I wish I had taken a picture of the yard before, because it is amazing what they did. On the side of the house was Briar Rabbits briar patch and they tore it apart. It looks so good I can't even tell you how much less stressed I feel. So then they all helped us paint all weekend. It was great. We didn't finish Clo and the baby's room, but we are going to work on that after we're in. We're getting the carpets cleaned tomorrow, then we can start moving our stuff in. It's a really cute neighborhood. All the kids were running up and down the road, playing with each other - just like in the movies.
Anyway, nothing else exciting to write. Clo's grease head is gone, but she's back to itching. Oh well. Mindi, I think I've already wrote you about this, but it's worth repeating. I have these pictures of us in Europe framed above my bed. Every now and then when Chloe notices it, she's like "Jesus!" She thinks Adam is Jesus. It's pretty funny. Anywho that's it. Love Alicia

cheerleader

If anyone needs someone to cheer for them while they potty I'm sure Sadie is willing to do it over the phone. You've never had such an encouraging bathroom experience as when Sadie accompanies you. She'll cheer for you, hold your hands, get TP for you. She'll want to see if you turned the water yellow or pink. She really makes you feel good about yourself and what you've accomplished. It's so cute you want to eat her up. This is probably all for today since I now have two posts in a row.

Love, Brooke

As promised-a blog a day keeps the therapist away-Brooke

You see if I post a blog right now I only need to half watch Wonderful World of Disney's "Little House on the Prairie." All the girls are bathed and ready for bed. You can always tell when Sadie is tired because she becomes more and more hyper. She is running back and forth down the hall, sliding the ottoman around the room and jumping from the coffee table to the couch. Screaming and laughing as she goes. Crazy, yes, but throw into the pot Ellyn crawling after her a mile a minute and Bailey, our Golden Retriever trotting along as well, tail wagging. Today was a fun day. We were able to sleep in because our soccer game wasn't until 11:00. I know that I updated you all on my sleep last weekend and I apologize, but sleep is important to me and with church at 9:00 on Sunday and soccer games on Saturday the days to sleep in are few and far between. Man, Little House is getting tense, Indians and fires and such. So today we tied in our soccer game, based on the current trend we should win next week. After the game we went to a matinee of "Sahara,"-very good. We spent the rest of the day playing in the backyard. Spring days are so treasured here because once summer hits it is soo dang hot you can't move outside. It's pool or nothing. Well, I have a mountain of laundry sitting on the end of the couch so I had better get folding. Love, Brooke

Testosterone in the house -o- Estrogen

from geof.-
So here is a fun posting. It’s great that I have something constructive to do at work now with aimlessly reading the nuances of female life in the Beecher family. Right now I am on my second package of bon bons and am wondering what Kelly will do when she finds out she was switched at birth (Days). But seriously I feel you girls. I know you are busy. We spent part of today preparing for the largest garage sale ever. We’re emptying out the shed behind the provo house and selling all of Brooke and Mike’s crap plus all of Meagan and alicia’s crap, followed by ellynn, Jessica, and Cassie’s old crap. Along with the bodies and space ship we found in there. My oh my the memories. We are actually moving out of the house May 1^st and moving about a mile away. It’s a tiny bit bigger and a lot more expensive so I’m really excited but hey you pick your battles right? We found a great couple to rent out to so that is a load of dad’s mind (the chauvinist pig). I’ll throw my two cents in on the benefits of children. Cole often will begin to say I WANT THE BLEHANKY. Repeat as many times as necessary for me to lie down on the couch with him and a blanket to watch Incredibles, Nemo, Shrek, Toy Story etc… Some times he even falls asleep and he loves to give me hugs and mucus kisses. Darla made me read her about an hour of blogs tonight and she was laughing very hard and will join the craze as soon as she can get on the slow dial up computer at the house. I’ll read all the new blogs on my Monday night shift. Until then I love you and feel like I’m one of the girls.

meags

really i have nothing to say i've just had a wopper of a week and hate to bore with the details. but honestly i can't let a day go by without blogging. i like it, i love it, i want some more of it. you beautiful people make my life, i picture all of your faces while i read your funny and happy stories and pretend that we are all standing around jack's counter. i love you all and don't worry chels you will have your own poop soon enough.....love me

LydiaMae and JessicaMarie

Written by Jessica,
We were both just feverishly reading the blogs together. I checked them at about 5 yesterday and by today at about 9 there were probably 5 new ones. We were laughing and bonding through the miracle of the blog. We were so wrapped up in the blogger that we didn't realize Chloe, who we are babysitting while Leash and Kev get paint, was pushing every button on the computer. She was making the cd drive go in and out but we let her do it because it was keeping her quite. Then, much to our dismay, she found the power button. All the sudden the screen was blank and our beautiful bloggs dissapeared. All that was then heard was Lydia shreek of desperation, "Oh S#$%." It was the best. After rebooting we were able to finish things up. On a lighter note. My presentation was today and it went great. 198 out of 200 on both presentations. Now my life can begin. I have literally been dreading this day for over a year. I want to set the record straight, you better believe I would 100000000000 times rather have a baby then have to do what I am about to have to do which is get a dreaded full time job. But soon enough I will be able to share my stories. 2007 is right around the corner and who knows if things go well maybe it can be sooner. Until then I really honestly enjoy all your stories. That is all for now. Love Jess

ChelseaMarie

Hello Everyone! I seriously get distracted from work reading everyone's postings. I love it! I love hearing about everyone. I just want to clarify. Thanks for reassuring me about having kids. I honestly know that it will be amazing. There is good and bad to everything. I didn't intend to concern everyone, so I apologize. Alicia, if you ever try and apologize to me for a ridiculous statement like that again, I think I'll freak out. I love anyone and everyone's advice, so keep it up! Like usual, I don't have much to tell you. I don't have children that smear crap all over the walls. Sorry! :) Have a great weekend everyone! I'll write later. Love you all. Chels

I don't know what everyone is talking about-Brooke

Okay, there is nothing great about having kids. Meagan and Mindi and Alicia are all just afraid that they are going to get struck by lightening if they tell the truth. Who wants hugs from chubby soft arms or big open mouth slobber kisses? Who wants their eight year old to read Little House on the Prairie when they're driving to and from a million appointments? Okay, me, but did I scare any of you. Alright I just sat here laughing so hard I was crying. Geof. you think so far out of the box. I'm amazed. I'm so glad to finally know where I got my legs, and now I would like to know where you got your license to criticize your sisters' bodies. Alicia, I think that sign should be done in caligraphy. Then people will know you really care. Mike was reading the blog last night and actually belly laughing. I can not wait to watch him read today's installment. This is so magical. I do want to call my dad right now and kill him. Mindi, just ask him how many hours he spends in front of the t.v. This is so much better. Every night now I put the two oldest girls to bed, get some toys for Ellyn and climb into bed with the laptop. Mike is in the room next to me and we have friendly "do your own thing time." But yes, I am writing in the middle of the day right now because I just can't resist. Jess, I am so happy for Tony. That is awesome. Alicia, I know your house will be such hard work but you'll have so much fun. Only 13 years to go and I can put down roots. Okay, I'm going to finish writing tonight when my whole day is done. Right now I have to go wash dishes and set up an appointment for my soccer pictures. I love you all SO MUCH. Love, Brooke

ColoradoBennetts

I'd like to add to the "sorry to scare the yet-to-be-parents". I wouldn't rather be doing anything with my time than raising these precious children. The are cuddly and lovey and sometimes I feel like I could just burst because I love being a mama so much. The grocery store nightmares and the poop smearing stories only make up 9% of a parent's routine, and they are dang funny to share later. Glad you joined the blog, Geoffy. Last night I was reading the blog to Ellery and Adam because neither has taken the time to join in. I was going on about what a great thing this is and how it is a phenomena that all us busy girls take time to write our stories and get up-lifted by one another. I said something about how no boy had written anything up to that point and Ellery made some horrible comment about how the boys have jobs and us girls are just sitting around eating bon-bons and that is why we have the time to blog. I haven't forgiven him for those words and probably won't for a long time, and that is why I repeat them here. I think I love this blog so stinking much because it makes me so happy to hear what everybody is up to. Congrats to Tony!, by the way. Alicia, your 'first time to the house' story is awesome. Ellery laughed pretty hard about the mayor owning Aunt Jack a favor. Only in the "Mother Land". Well, tonight is our departure for the great road trip. I accidentally booked us the wrong campsite in Nauvoo. I really thought there was only one campground, but it turns out there are two. The nice state park, and the one behind the Dairy Sweet restaurant. We'll be camping by the restaurant dumpster unless I hurry and make further arrangements. I love you all so much. Love Mindi

Alicia - oops

I was wondering if everyone was going to get the wrong impression about kids. I have to side with Meags on everything. I love it too and I'm negative right now because I can't see my feet at first glance.
Anyway our realitor called at like 8 last night with our keys. We fly out of the house with mom, dad, Lyd and Jess. We get there, we've got the video camera going as Kev goes to unlock the door. Mom's taking pictures, Clo was singing I hope they call my on a mission, I think I saw a shooting star - it was priceless. We get inside and there's no power. Dad's like, let's check the breaker. Nothing. I had been to the city earlier in the month to have it turned on and we'd been in it with the power so we didn't know what the crap. Anyway, leave it to mom and her "don't worry, I know the mayor and he fears me" attitude and we had a city worker over there at 10 at night to turn it back on. We couldn't really do anything because they didn't turn on the water, but I vacuumed and it made me feel a little better. I still feel so overwhelmed I can't even sleep. The yard is trashed (it was a repossesed home and it sat vacant for over a year) we still haven't picked paint colors and we need a disposal installed - just to name a few of my worries. Oh well.
I forgot to tell you guys about little Whooskie's itchy head. She got sick in February with some crazy viral rash and although the rash is gone she still itches her head more than I think a little kid should without looking like she has lice. I called the doctor and the nurse was like, just put some Cetaphil lotion mixed with cortizone on her 2 times a day. We decided just to do it and night, which ended up being the silliest thing ever. The next day I tried to wash it out without any luck. It's been 2 days and 7 shampoos plus a regular soap scrubbing and she still looks like a greased kitten. I actually got a "look" from this lady at the loan place. I want to hang a sign on her that says "It all started when I came down with this crazy viral rash in February. My mom called the doctor to see what we could do about my itchy little head....." You know and explain the whole story in a little letter hanging about her neck. It's kind of funny, but mostly annoying. She started itching while we were at the house last night and she's like "momma, head, itchy, wotion." Her little sentences are the best. She'll get mad at you and scream "no, no - Pie tout!" Which means time-out. I don't know why she calls it that, but it's pretty funny. The other day we put Lyd in "pie tout." It was funny how she acted like she was me or Kev.
Anyway, I feel like a jerk for only telling bad stories about my little sissy, but they are a lot funnier than the good ones. I remember before we had Clo, seeing one of Kev's friends wife seemingly aimlessly chase their 2 year old around the house. I thought, how completely boring. She must be so bored! Now I'm not saying this to ensure the progression of grandmas posterity, but I wouldn't change a thing. There's never a time that I'm bored with Chloe. Yesterday she wrapped her arms around my neck and said 'oh mom, hair pwetty" as she ran her fingers through my hair. The other day she was yelling at Ernie on t.v. because he wouldn't stop singing and Burt was trying to sleep. "Top it Eawnie!" It may seem like a nightmare listening to some of these stories but one day I'll guarantee you'll know what we mean. Kev used to tell me before we had kids, that as you progress in life you're trying to become more like Christ. Having kids is one of the biggest steps in that direction (and there's nothing wrong if you don't have kids right now) because almost everything you do isn't about yourself anymore - and that's what it's all about. Okay first you girls were all scared of kids now you're just pissed off. I'm not tooting my own horn. I don't have one to toot. If any of you remember correctly I didn't do anything right until I was like 24 and didn't even have kids until I was 26. So anything that you guys are doing (this is for Jessie Chels and Lyd because I feel like you guys probably think I'm a huge jerk now for getting all churchy) is already way ahead of where I was. Wow, I think I've sufficiently fallen all over myself - I'll just shut up. Anyway, that's it, I love you guys. Love Leash

Geof. Bennett in da blog

Ellynn, in response to your request for ancestor stories I feel inspired to relate the little known story of little Billy Bennett. A Scot by rights and a lover of fine milk and fresh cheese. Billy was born in the secluded town of Ness. It was he more than any other local wizard who led the fight against the evil scientists who sought to destroy Nessy "our underwater ally" thank you Napolean for giving me an appropriate name. At the age of 17 Billy decided to seek his fame and fortune by searching for the perfect cheese. It was not uncommon for the citizens of small towns to see the famed hunter walking about the hills searching for the perfect yak to milk for excellent cheese. Often Billy would walk with his trusted dog quamchetka. That is until the fierce winter of 1740 when he was stranded in the mountains and was forced to cut open said dog and sleep inside. Ironically quamchetka was a poodle dog so only Billy's left forearm was saved from severe frost bite. Needles to say the loss of both his hands severely inhibited his ability to milk the yaks. As a result Billy became one of the first professional long distance runners. Unfortunately there were no professionals at that time in that area so all he really did was crawl around on his nubs and lunge across any line he could find in the dirt or a low hanging laundry line. Luckily Billy was a ladies man still and kept the posterity going so that one day we were eventually brought into the earth. It is often said that since his leg started from the thigh up that is where the women acquired their leg shape. You know the ankle look like the thigh etc... I feel we all owe a debt of gratitude to little Billy may he rest in peace.

So that’s the story of nubs. Alright so life is sick crazy right now. Just trying to finish off my last real semester. After this there will only be one freaking math class left and then I can get that sweet piece of paper which entitles me to minimum wage jobs in provo. What could be better really. So the other day I was watching cole. I dozed off while I thought he was dozing off and when I awoke I went to check on the docile child to see if he needed me to awaken him from his sound slumber. To my delight he had not fallen asleep and was standing on the changing table naked. Not only had he removed his own diaper (not mine)but the genius had removed his diaper and smeared poo poo all over the floor, dresser, crib, etc… In shock I took him by the arm and set him in the tub. A mere hour later the bulk of the situation was under control. Life’s sweet I work two jobs one at night for a youth program and the other at the airport for UVSC in the day. So pretty much I don’t sleep and my brain is fried. Darla is lovely and engorged with Dayne. The Belly is perhaps larger now than it was with Cole. So it’s more like a giant beach ball on a tiny little frame. Cole is a crash waiting to happen. Due to continued ear infections we’re having the second set of tubes put in soon and also removing his adnoids. Obviously if he needed them we’d have heard more about them I say. Flying is going smoothly I am trying to get my Certified Flight Instructor check ride scheduled so when that comes up you’ll know because there will be ten blogs a day asking for your prayers. I went to a big meeting with the FAA the other day to help prepare for the experience. He basically told us 90% of the applicants fail the first time around and we need to know everything and be able to teach it. I jammed a pencil into my temple and here I lay. Whatever eh. Alright can’t wait to keep reading this here blog and hopefully I’ll have lots of exciting updates like I got off an hour early from work and was able to get five hours of sleep. Seriously though have lots of kids cole is the sweetest and Dayne I’m sure will smell nice. peace

Pine straw-by Brooke Stinchfield

"What," you may ask "is Pine straw?" Pine straw is actually millions of pine needles bundled together like bales of hay and passed off as bark. You use it in all your flower beds, just as you would bark. Weird, disturbing, and not nearly as pretty, but quite a phenomenon here in Georgia. Yesterday Mike asked if he could have 16 guys over here for a BBQ tomorrow so my yard went through Extreme Makeover-Yard Edition. Mike mowed yesterday and today I weeded all my flower beds (they were half weeded from earlier this week) and spread ten bales of pine straw. I also trimmed Sadie's bangs, dusted my downstairs, did all the dishes from last night's dinner (I had young women's last night and didn't have time to wash the pots), cleaned out my Pilot, made dinner, and coached soccer practice. A very busy day, it feels good though. You know there are some days when you are lucky just to get the dishwasher unloaded. Meags, I couldn't agree with you more but it is great to read everyone's stories. Okay, I'm going to bed. Write more tomorrow. Love, Brooke

meagan

i know i have already written and you are all tired of hearing from me, but i must clear a few things up. marriage and kids are the most wonderful things in the universe. you just have to remember that i am 7 1/2 months pregnant and super fat so i am a bit negative right now. however there is nothing sweeter than watching your 2 year old walk from one side of the room to you with his eyes squinched shut and his lips puckered ready for a kiss. or when your little princess wakes up crying in the night and wants her cor cor. not only do you love that baby but you fall in love with your husband all over again. and when you go to volinteer at your sons class for his birthday and you're out on recess and another little kid comes up to you and asks if you're going to have a baby and you answer that yes you are and they say, so that must be why you're so fat. but still your son does not leave your side and would rather play with you than all the other kids trying for is attention. and when i go to my ten year reunion next summer (if cor lets me), and girls it comes up faster than you can imagine. when i'm there and back in my size 6 jeans (hopefully), with 4 kids oh how sweet it will be.
you rock--- meags

TONY GOT IN!!!

Good news first, Tony was accepted into the Radiology Program at Weber. YEAH!! Bad news is my presentation is tomorrow. I am freaking. I will let you know how that goes. I am at work right now so I only have a minute. I love reading everyones stories but I must admit they are making me a little scared for kids too. Meags and Leash, I love to think about the good ol' days too, living with Elly and Geof. Best time of my life maybe. I gotta run. Sorry so short.
Jess

Alicia

First of all I'm reporting a correction from my last letter. I really do know the difference between an isle and an aisle, I'm just retarded.
We signed away our lives last night and should get the keys to the house this afternoon. I'm way excited, but we still haven't decided on paint colors. It has this hideous mint green and baby blue Noah's ark wallpaper in Clo's room, (if anyone has hints for removing it let me know) which needs to go quickly. As far as details Meags, it's a split level. It's kind of like Joanie's second house without the extra master level. Anyway our room is way big (with a dead bolt on the door. Yes a dead bolt. I really can't imagine what the previous owners did in there that would necessitate a dead bolt for their bedroom, but to each his own I guess). We may end up having Kev's sister, Missy move in with her husband when they get married in June. We're going to finish the basement for them and put in a mini kitchen because Kev is looking so forward to having his own kitchen he can't stand it.
Mindi, you win for the worst shopping story ever. We were in Home Depot today getting a broom. I decided to get some tape so we can paint and apparently spent way too much time deciding between 1 and 2 inch tape. Clo freaks and insists on getting down. She's crying but she's still safely strapped into the number 20 Tony Stewart, Home Depot race car. Anyway I won't bore, while at the same time scare, the single and childless cousins with the details, but I think I'm going to make a pact myself to never take Chloe out anymore. Ever. For any reason.
Brookie your soup sounds yummy and I would love to hear other recipes from others. For example we had Chicken Pillows last night. It's neither quick nor easy, but it is good. You boil 3 chicken breasts, chop them up (this is where the not quick part comes in for me. I have to be in a very chipper mood to want to make this because by the time I'm done examining each piece of chicken for veins, chewy pieces and fat, I'm usually about the explode. Not to mention the fact that I'm usually down to like one and three quarters of chicken breast) add (plug your ears Meagan) a cube of margarine, a rectangle of cream cheese, and a palm full of dehydrated onions. Wrap them in (2 packages) ready to bake croissant rolls and roll in bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. It's actually one of Joanies recipies that I'm sure she doesn't even remember. Like any of us have the time to sit and write about our day as well as swap recipies, but it's apparent we all can't seem to stop. I love it.
Anywho, Meags I know what you mean about going back to different times in your life. I want to go back to then and when I was engaged to Kev. You know, tan, skinny, and purse-less. Oh how I hate to carry a purse now. It's got more snacks and water in there than Chloe could use in 3 days. I really think she has a baby version of hypoglycemia, which I have no idea where she could've got that from. Okay, that's all. Love you guys, Alicia

i can relate

this meagan, and i love with all my heart reading all of your adventures. i truely can relate. except jess. i don't remember being married and having fun with just my sweet little cory, probably because i thought getting pregnant 4 months into marrage was a really good idea. some days i truely question that. chels and lid the two of you take me back to the best autum of my life, spent in sweet joy with my dearest alicia and adam. oh how those memories sustain me. maybe i can go back after the second coming. and you cazy women with children let me assure you that it only gets worse. isn't that a comfort. last night on the way to kfc, jacksons meal of choice for his big day, he decides to freak out. much like the rest of us you must keep the child fed!!!! so he's screaming and elbowing danna when ever he feels the conversation may be moving toward any other subject than him and his needs. when danna threatens his life if he does it again he begins kicking cor's seat. oh what a joy. three seconds however after taking his first bite of food he is circling the table giving everyone hugs and kisses, no joke. so mind my advice for the road, keep a power bar on hand so there is no bonking, emotionally that is. also keep the little ones in at all costs. the moment they taste freedom you're a gonner!! well my children have started calling me daddy because i spend so much time on the damn computer as we effectionately refer to it at our house. so i must run. i love you all meags

ChelseaMarie

Hello Everyone! I have been throughly entertained with all of the postings, but I'll be honest. I am now horrified to have children! I will freak out when those situations happen to me. But now that I think about it, it seems like Lydia and I had some of those same situations with each other. Living together was great, but we did have to set some ground rules sometimes. For example, when we would go to Walmart together we made a rule that we couldn't talk to each other. Walmart would curse us, it was ridiculous. Somehow we would always end up in a fight at the end of each shopping visit. Looking back though, I can't help but laugh.
Not much of anything is going on with me. I'll be done with school in a few weeks so that will be nice. I'm so ready for summer!!! Well, that's it. Have a good day everyone! Wait, I have a request...when you post a blog, can you put your name at the beginning or in the title? I know I'm a pain, but I find myself not knowing who is writing until the middle or end of the posting. That would be wonderful! I love you all! Chels

LydiaMae again

Just writting back to have a quick reply to chelseas message dealing with the wal-mart situation, she does speak the truth it did come to her and i usually fighting because a. we were starving and scary hungry going in there and 2. because we had no money to spend, and wanted everything in sight. the first time i'll never forget because we wanted grilled cheese on the snack master (pretty much what we had every night but we usually had taken the cheese from home because the jacki would have to much) so we went to buy cheese, who the h knew how expensive cheese is? cause i sure didn't, long story short i ended up leaving the store crying and i still have a tough time talking about the cheese incident! Anyways i love this it keeps me busy and awake at work and occupied doing this other than my homework.
But pretty much in the end all it took was chels and i telling the mothers that we went to bed every night starving and from then on every weekend we came home with a store full of groceries!
Oh and to brookie the camp is camp laurel south and it's 5,000 dollars per child for 3 weeks if your really doing that your crazy, send jane to see us and save more than half your money and her and i will camp in our back yard, and do arts n crafts in the front!

ColoradoBennetts

There are 509 things on my to-do-list, but I cannot resist the blog. Alicia, your fears about grocery shopping cracked me up. I had the same thoughts and so I made a pact with myself to not go shopping with the two girls and myself alone. A few times I was forced to break that pact and have paid the price dearly. For example, the Elders were coming for dinner and last minute I decided I needed to run to the store. I had a $5 dollar off for every $25 spent coupon at Albertsons so I drove the extra mile to go there. Everything started out fine (Sierra rarely gets in the cart for me either, she does for Adam because he steals cookies from the bakery to give her) because I miraculously got Kaia from the car to the cart without waking her. About half way through, she wakes up mad mad mad because Sierra, who was pushing the cart, ran it into the milk cooler. Sierra has a meltdown because I restrict her navigation privledges and I have to drag her into the produce section. Two babies kicking and screaming, mass hysteria, pretty much the scariest thing imaginable. Plenty of furrowed brows from my fellow shoppers who don't have children. I finally make it to the check out and because so many brain cells and nerve endings are fried by this point I mistakenly get into the self-check out section. I had way too much stuff because they were having a 10 for $10 sale. An employee comes walking over as though to tell me I shouldn't be in the self-check out but when she sees the expression on my face she quickly turned around and acted busy at her desk. My eyes must have said something like "I'll regret it later if I hit my own kids, but I wouldn't mind taking a swing at you, lady." So Sierra is attacking the gum stand, Kaia is screaming, and I'm self-checking in 10 cans of refried beans, 10 cans of pineapple, and 10 cans of cream of chicken soup slowly by hand. I finish the final payment process and realize that I forgot to use my coupon. I gather up my maniacs, throw the groceries in the cart (refried bean cans cracking my eggs, I don't even care) and head to the Customer Service desk. I plead with the woman behind the counter to take my coupon and refund me my precious $5. She said, "Oh we used to do that, but we don't anymore". Why even torture me with the fact the your policy has changed just in time to exclude my current desperate situation!!! I smile, fight back tears, and somehow make it to the car (Sierra stopped to look at the gumball and toy machines and got left behind the automatic door, it took a few minutes for someone else to leave the store and open the door so that Sierra could be persuaded to exit). Case in point, don't take two kids to the store with out someone to help you. Now, back to the laundry....

No News on Tony

Hey Peeps,
I am at work and I only have a minute. Tony has not heard back yet so he called Weber and they said they hadn't got around to sending the letters yet. Hopefully they were sent out today and we will get it by Friday. I will for sure let you know. This is so fun. Love Jess

Min-trip

Hi girls and whoever else. Min, I didn't even see your post below Meags. This is making me so happy. Mindi, our kids do great vegged out in front of a movie and with lots of food. Something we all are very fond of. If they have Adam's travel blood in them they'll do fine. Problem is Chloe has "stay in Kaysville at all costs" blood running through her veins. Alicia, I swear when I was pregnant with Ellyn and for about 6 mos. after she was born I felt like everywhere I went people were looking at me and thinking "why in the world are people with as little control as you allowed to have more children?" It all came back in control in August when Sadie broke her leg. I could finally keep up with her. Even though she could scoot like a demon she was no match for the likes of me. Some people think that break was an accident. My favorite times were chasing her when I was 9 mos. pregnant and bending over trying to pick her up off the floor etc...with my gigantic self, I just know that was a sight to behold. Mindi, I may have said this already but I'm going to say it again. I can't wait for next week. I am soooo excited I can hardly stand it.

Lydia, which camp is it? I'm wondering if it the one Jane is going to? You know, with us being rich and Jane so fond of leaving her family I thought it would be alot of fun. I can totally relate to the utilities thing. We don't pay utilities on post and I don't know what we'll do when we don't live in housing. I keep it a nice toasty 72 in the winter and Mike attempts to keep it about 65 in the summer although I try to explain to him that the girls can't wear turtlenecks in the house when it's 104 outside. The climate change makes them ill. Nothing like getting back from the pool and stepping into a 40 degree temp drop when you're wet. He's finally getting it now that Sadie is old enough to say "I'm freezing." He thought Jane and I were just being D. Q.s.

Okay, I really have to go get some work done around here or I'm going to have to ground myself. Our address is 209 Austin Loop, Ft. Benning Ga 31905. I still haven't heard about Tony. Did he get in? Love, Brooke

LydiaMae

Hello family this rocks news to me brooke who new you had a child named ellyn i only know of my little jane who i hear is not little anymore. Anyhow chels failed to mention the fact that while we lived away we probably would have been better off living in the antartic yes we did freeze to death every night. Although it was amazingly fun im glad to be home where heat is free and the food is filling, it is rough to drive back n forth to work everyday. I'm working like jess said at St. Mark's and loving it, i am however leaving for the summer to go to maine to work at a rich kids camp, it should be pretty sweet and my job at St. Mark's will hold the position for me for when i come back. Anyways thats about all that's happening right about now in my life this is great to hear from all you guys and i can't wait for more have fun love you lydia
Oh and jessica needs brookes address along with ellynn's real address and brinds too if anyone has them!

I love this

I know what you mean Mindi. I was laying in bed last night thinking about what I could write about in here. I really don't have anything else to say but I couldn't resist writing again. Oh and Mindi, my prayers are with you. I'm sure your angels are nothing like my little bisquit, but let me tell you this - we have been politely asked to never fly the friendly skies ever again. We made the mistake of thinking it would be fun to take Clo to Florida in February. About 2 hours into the flight she was running up and down the isle. An hour later she was crying hysterically because we were asked to stop her from running up and down the isle. We had complete strangers handing us gum and toys. At one point I was crying with her. After we landed I was in the bathroom and this lady was like "is she okay now?" I told her how I had given her Bennadril and everything (I had even given it a trial run the day before we left, it worked so well it was scary - so I was way confident we were going to be ok on the plane) and she was like "she was like that on bennadril?" Luckily it only proceeded to get worse after that (I won't even tell you about Disney World). I remember looking around at the airport on our way home, at all the other families with kids throwing fits and strollers and luggage and I thought, what the hell are we all doing? Needless to say that is the last trip until our youngest is at least fifteen and a half. Mindi, I wasn't telling you this to discourage you, I only do it to solicit some pitty out of you for my sake. We're talking about the child who can't make it all the way through sacrament yet. She won't even sit in the cart at the store. EVER! She just has a lot of energy and the Lord is testing me. Anyway, Brookie I'm like two weeks away from being six months, and I'm scared out of my witts. I keep having this vision of me and the two of them in Walmart and Clo does one of her signature, random dashes where I have to abondon the cart and run after her (the cart slows me down and she's awfully wirey). Now I'll have to grab the baby carrier and take off, losing precious seconds and possibly Clo. I'm seriously considering bringing back the toddler leash. Remember those? We had one for Lyd. I'm sure they don't use them anymore because they are silly and maybe somewhat inhumane, but I don't care. Anyway, Meags I'm sure that 60 lbs is a gross exageration. We're not talking about how much you've gained since 3rd grade, just during the pregnancy. Even if it isn't, in case you've forgotten the more you gain, the more you seem to lose. So I don't even want to hear it, okay? I love you all. Love Leash

What the?

Leash? You are pregnant? Not only would there be awkward silences in Heaven but I would be trying to help the lost little girl back to her family in another room and not even know she was related to me. How far along? I am so excited for your baby and your house. This is almost too much to take in one sitting.

Today was our first soccer game. It was so fun. We lost 3-5 but my kids were so tough and they had fun and that's what counts. It is a little intimidating, not only because all of the families are there but also because I have one dad there that coached for four years and Jane's coach from last season there as well (her friend Savannah's dad). Plus I felt self conscious jogging down the sidelines because my voice isn't loud enough, so everyone gets a nice shot of ghetto booty. In the car on the way home Jane says to me, "Mom, I don't want to hurt your feelings but I think Tony knows more about soccer than you do. Don't worry though. Even though he teaches his kids more tricks I think our team has more fun. He just knows more but we try harder." Very funny. She was so sincere. Tony was the coach for the other team and also our next door neighbor. The one with the annoying dog. I wasn't too upset, okay not at all because they're from Puerto Rico. Soccer is much bigger there and we all know my athletic ability. I just thought Jane was too funny, trying to voice what she was thinking without hurting my feelings.

So since I re-injured my back last week I can't walk fast enough anymore to really call it exercize so the two girls that I walk with said they would do anything that I could do if we could figure something out. So...instead of going walking at 9:15 three nights a week we are going over to the pool at 8:15 and swimming laps. Tonight was our first night and it was quite a work out. I like it alot. Although I have to say you must eat dinner at some point before you go or you will do what I did. Walk in the door and snarf down anything on your counter that isn't moving. Well, tonight Mike babysat during the soccer game (Jane wasn't playing so he stayed home for just this game)so there was dried left over Mac and Cheese and Sadie's half eaten cupcake on the counter, stale and dried out as well. Nope, didn't matter, I think I countered all the good for the evening, but tomorrow is another day. Well Ellyn has had a great time spreading my load of whites all over the bed and ripping apart all the inserts from my magazine while I have been typing. I think I will now attempt to fold the clothes before bed or put them in the basket in my closet. Yes, that sounds better. I love you all. Leash, I need details. Chels, Geof. thinks you should be the best at this because all forwarded e-mails he gets from Aunt Jack come from you. Any computer activity seems pretty amazing to the LeAnne Bennett part of the fam. By the way, I don't know if I told you all but El and Brind are going to find out about using this. At least Brind is, I didn't get the e-mail from Ellynn yet. Was it sent Meags?

"Superdooper" says Sierra

I love reading all your posts! I can't walk past the computer without jumping on to check the blog real quick. I've had to really pace myself so that I don't post something every ten minutes. The girls and I just got back from volunteering at the Toy Library. It is a great place to play and make a mess and catch lots of germs. We checked out a few "road trip" type toys for the big event. Brooke and Meags, I need some tips on taking outrageously long road trips and entertaining small children. Adam is off tonight with his other love, the Jeep. I forgot the Jeep's name. I'm just glad it is a boy name, not a girl, because he sure spends a lot of time with it. But it makes him dang happy and that's good for all of us. I've got to get back to my family history adventures. I'm driving to the temple tomorrow really early so that I can drop off some names to get baptized so that we have some family names to do in Nauvoo. I found an ancestor whose name is America Jane. I just love the name and can't wait to learn more about her. All I know so far is that her and her husband were sealed in the original Nauvoo Temple and he died somewhere near the Platte River crossing the plains. I'm sure there is an amazing story in there somewhere and I can't wait to find it. Maybe our next girl will be America Jane. We can have a Kaia Jane and an America Jane, right? Oh wait, Adam says we aren't having any more kids...ha ha. He thinks he is in charge :) Congratulations on the house Alicia!!! Very exciting, you'll have to post a picture for us. Oh, Adam says his Jeep's name is Clyde...and he has been off crack for about 13 hours now. Not sure what that means but I'm not going to ask him if he wants me to write anything else for him in the blog.