chels

I love the pictures! So much fun. So this weekend I pretty much did nothing. I laid in bed the whole time. NyQuil has officially become my best friend. I seriously thought I was on my way out, but I think I'll make it.

Leash, I wish so much that I was again pawning off of my ridiculous company, but unfortunately I'm not. I had to pay cold hard cash for these tickets so I don't have any for you! If it makes you feel better, the seats are in the upper bowl. I will give you a full report though.

And Darla, just so you know the concert I'm going to is a country group. I am sure you have heard some of their songs, because they are amazing!

This day has drug on and on. I have a horrible headache and I don't like it. It's probably due to the fact that I have been eating a whole bunch of crap all day. For Halloween at work, everyone was supposed to bring their favorite treat. Needless to say, all of the weight I lost from being sick has made up for itself, plus some.

Tonight's plans are still evolving and I am almost certain they will result in nothing too elaborate. I will probably be in bed by at least 9. Not even kidding you. I thought that the stupid daylight savings change would help, but it seems as though it hasn't at all.

Cortney and Ashley had fun at the dance. Unfortunately I forgot my camera when I went home this weekend. But even if I didn't forget it, I am going to be honest. I probably wouldn't have posted them because I don't know how to.

Okay, that's all. Love you all!
Chels

Happy Halloween too

I couldn't resist posting Maddie's bubbles. The funny thing is, it even got worse after I took the picture, but it soon ceased to be funny - I thought maybe she was having a seizure. Anyway, everybody have fun. Leash

Happy Halloween Everybody!

So I'm hoping these are all the right pics. I was looking at the smallest thumbnails ever- like baby thumbnails. Leash, I hope this goes toward healing the hard feelings. I'm sorry you had to work with raw chicken. One of the grossest things ever in my book, plus I have to wash my hands every other second and my counters with anti-bacterial dishsoap. Way too much trouble. Darla, I too loved your blog. I love all your blogs dang it. Oh, Leash, yes I remember the Bennett Rigby buggy butt check night. Our parents tried to convince us it was okay because we were using Uncle Kev's camo flashlight. Phew that none of us had them, I don't think I would have ever recovered mentally. Alright, good night all. Love, me

Roasted Chicken

Brooke, it's a shame we weren't able to get the princesses together while you were down here. Clo and Sadie would've got along smashingly. Chloe would need a positive DNA test to prove that she is not, in fact, Cinderella. She has this tea set and she'll pile all these dishes on this tray and then drop it, grabbing her cheeks and exclaiming "the prince?!" - you know like when Cinderella finds out that the prince is going to marry whoever the shoe fits and drops the stepsisters breakfast tray. Yesterday we were in Payless and she was running around and with this fake, sing-song voice was saying - good-bye! good-bye! - like Cindy does when it's midnight. Silly.

I made my first roasted chicken today and it scared me. I mean it really scared me. Did you all know that they leave organs in those little suckers? Not to mention what seemed to be a tail as well as a neck? (Save the neck for me Clarke) I was totally dry heaving the whole time, shouting over my shoulder to Kev that he better enjoy it because it's the last one I'll ever make. Luckily it turned out very well. I just let the oven do the work, that's my secret. However, if I make it again I'm going to need latex gloves and a nine iron.

Darla, I loved your story about your mom. That was so perfect how you added that cough. I could just hear you saying it.

Anyway, we've kind of got Clo on a new schedule. We've decided it might be good for our marriage to be able to spend some time together. Alone. We put her to bed last night at 9 (as opposed to 11 or 12 with us). It was pretty cool. Apparently Kev likes long walks on the beach as well. It was weird to talk without using the phrase
do you want a time-out? Intermittently.

Anywho talk to you later, Leash

A Blog for the Masses

Okay, this is my update blog for both sides of the fam. Life in Battle Ground is great, for the most part. We had so much fun with Mindi here. Every day was a fun fest, also a refereeing match between the three 3 year olds. Everywhere we went was a challenge in logistics. How to fit 6 adults, nine kids, two double jogging strollers and a single jogging stroller and occasionally a kid backpack into as few cars as possible. Also, how to try to arrange all fun activities into a day filled with poopy diapers, nap times, making and cleaning up meals for the above mentioned and getting everyone out the door in proper outdoor attire- including shoes. What great memories we will have forever.

I'm sorry if I made anyone feel neglected on either blog. Now that Mindi's visit is over I am happy to say that life will not be returning back to normal. On Thursday I leave for Korea and I am so excited I can hardly stand it. I have so much to do between now and then I know the time is going to fly by. Mike and I are so excited to be together again. Just to do the normal hanging out things that we all take for granted.

Last night was our ward Trunk or Treat. It was alot of fun. Dad, Meagan, and I made chili for the cookoff. Jane dressed up as Laura Ingalls, if you can imagine. Sadie was Cinderella and Ellyn was a cute little puppy dog. I took Sadie to the bathroom after dinner and as we were leaving I had to break up some boys playing rough right outside the bathroom door. I turned to get Sadie and she was nowhere to be seen. I looked down the hall and she was gone. I turned and opened the bathroom door and there she was standing in front of the full length mirror smoothing her dress, rubbing her finger along her ribbon headband, smiling at herself. It was too funny.

Ellyn sat happily in the back of the Honda sucking on a tootsie roll pop during the Trunk or Treat. My mom took Sadie and Jane around while I handed out candy. Like I said, a great night.

Well I think that covers it. After November 14 I will post more often. I imagine that I will post at least once or twice before then. I will put some Halloween pics on soon. I love you all and hope you have a great Halloween.

provo wanting to be in BG bennett

hey...so that picture is so dang funny BG girls. Where did you get that retarded table cloth?! I'm kidding. I thought I'd be bitter and mean like your so called girlfriends in high school can be. But really! i'm so jealous i'm not there. my mom has been at our house for a week..and let's just say (cough), it's time to go. Yesterday I took her car to take Dayne to a doctor's appt. and on the way back we got side-swiped by another car. Fortunately, we weren't hurt...but unfortunately the car was and now my mom will be here for another 10 days or so!!! Aah!! I know I sound like the worst daughter in the world but having ANYONE at your house for that long is straining. So i think she got the hint because she and Geof. have been at each other's throat (okay, she, Geof and I)...so she's heading up to Logan to stay at her poor sister's. Things have been crazy though. she has 2 maltese dogs that are literally more important to her than her own grandkids. she yells at poor Cole if he tries to touch them! That's like bringing a huge bag of candy into the house and then screaming at him for going near it. Cole loves dogs! oh well. She's been good with the kids but i can't handle her or her stupid dogs anymore. Yeah, I'm a great daughter. Well. Hope all your Halloween's are spooky and fun! Cole's going to be Zorro (a borrowed costume), but since he has no idea who that is he goes around the house with the cape on saying "i batman"...over and over and over again. Is it me or do 2 yr. olds repeat themselves like mad? funny. alrighty, we do miss you all. I'm glad to hear A. Jack is doing well and doped up on drugs (hee..hee) and I hope things improve with Moni. Let us know. Um Chels, I hav no idea who that is that you're seeing in concert. I'm so out of the loop. Geof. always knows who all the new hot bands are and i turn to him like "what? when did you learn about them? You're not supposed to be cool with out me!" blog out. Darla

You don't look a day over fast cars and freedom

Chels, please, please, please tell me your work has a bunch of extra tickets for the concert. If not, dump your date and take me. I'd even let you hold my hand. But really, don't you just love them? Cory, I'm sure they make the Waylon within you just want to puke, but I've fallen for them. Actually, I've liked them for a long time. Anyway, have fun you little traitor.

Battleground girls, cute picture. I hate you all.

Anyway, it's been a pretty dull day. I'm way excited for Halloween with Clo. She keeps bugging me to "go buy candy for the kids." We've taught her to say - get candy, get candy, get candy, like the Seinfield bit. It's pretty funny. Everyone needs to post pictures of their little spooks so we can pretend like we were all together this holiday season. Leash

chelsea

Hello everyone, it's been a long time. I'm actually at work before 9:00am today, so I feel like instead of making good use of my time, I should use it as time to blog. Hey, they're lucky I'm even here already, right?! I am definately never going to be employee of the day/month/year. I'm so positive! :)

So over the past four days I have been battling a ridiculous cold. I'm so sick of it! I took half day off on Monday and all of Tuesday and Wednesday off. It was nice to relax, however; not fun to come back.

I've still been really busy at work. I just looked over at my phone and I have seven messages flashing at me. Hopefully at least five of them will simply be just from the 70 year old man that lives in Nevada. (He announces that everytime I talk to him.) If I don't answer my phone, one message is never enough for him. During one day, he left me eleven messages that said the same thing everytime. They are never important at all. "Hello Chelsea. I was just calling to make sure you receieved my payment. You did? Okay, thanks. You have a wonderful day." I'm so over it! I hope I'm not that annoying when I'm old.

I'm thinking about fun things to tell you....it's sorta hard. Oh yeah, I did dye my hair brown. It's not too extravagent, but I love it. Definately a good decision on my part. Guess what else?! I get my braces off on December 19th!!!! I bet you guys are so excited! I sure am. No more looking like a 13 year old. Maybe after they are off I can pass for 16.

Cortney and Ashley are going to the Halloween Dance tomorrow night at dear ol' Davis High. Cortney is (of course) taking Rodger. They are going as a Nurse and Doctor. Cort's costume is really cute. I'll definately take pictures and somehow post if I can figure it out. Ash is taking one of her friends. I'm horrible, I don't even know what his name is. Anyways, they are going as a school girl and a nerd. They will also be pretty cute.

Lindsey has had a ton of softball practices lately, but no games. I miss the games. November 11-13 we will be at a tournament in St. George. If any of you are interested, head on down. It will be fun and I am very excited. My Mom mentioned giving us our Christmas money early so we can go shopping in Vegas. That would be ideal! :) We'll see.

Next Friday I am going to the Rascall Flatts concert. I am so excited!

Okay, this is a way long blog so I am done. I hope you are all having a fantastic day.

Peace, Chels

Party All the Time!!!!

What was that Leash? The music, the laughter, the fun, it's all just too much! Wish you were here. Love, us

boo.

happy halloween from the Allens, Bennetts, Stinchfields, and ColoradoBennetts!!

ok, that's enough

I realize it's just a big vacation up there for all you jokers in Battleground and who stops in the middle of a vacation to blog? - but I don't really care. The rest of us are bored and angry.

Kev is busily carving his award winning jack-o-lantern and Clo is brushing my hair. I'm just about to wake Maddie up so we don't have another unfortunate event such as last night. She woke up every bloomin hour it seemed, all because I let her sleep into the night when she fell asleep at 9. Usually she doesn't go to sleep until we do at like 11, then she'll sleep until 4 or 5. It's really unbelievable. I seriously didn't get more than 2, maybe 3 hours of consecutive sleep until Clo was one. Maddie is just being a brown-nose and doggonit, it's working. She wins for being the best baby.

Today I was laying down by the girls reading them a story, and as usual, I was falling asleep. Unfortunately, when I fell asleep today the book fell and hit Mad in the face. She started screaming, which in turn triggered the tired and irritable Chloe. So they're both bawling and I tell Clo that's enough, that she's crying right in baby's ear. She then reaches over, puts her little hand over Mad's ear and continues to cry. Pretty cute, and yet annoying at the same time.

Ok, that's all I've got. Leash

death by uni -lydia

so the other day I thought it would be a good idea to break out the old uni. It had been awhile and I was a little rusty, also adding the fact I had on tight pants and not the proper shoes. The grandparents were over and I wanted to show off for them, so here I go with dad, Reed, and Lela watching me, and I guess you could say egging me on to jump on with no help, -so I do and I’m fast, and I fall! With in seconds I’m parallel with the ground about 4 feet up from the cement. Enough time for me to look over at my dad thinking I’m dead, and land full force on my elbow, followed by my hip, then head. It was a fantastic feeling, all I could think of was skiing and “man I must have hit hard” I got all dizzy and sweaty. I just rolled over and held my elbow, I’m surprised I didn’t swear! Anyhow story goes on I guess my papa asked me if he should call 911, I don’t remember much of it but I passed out, my eyes rolled in the back of my head and I seizure for about 2 minutes – enough time for me to dream about bunny rabbits and “hitting hard” while skiing! Amazing how that happens! And of course I have nothing to show for it, I’m thinking I was gonna get the biggest bruise, but nothing just pain and swelling of the elbow. I was telling my roomy Jord about it and he said if I had any of his blood in me I could get hit in the face with a baseball bat and still not bruise. Anyhow after that little episode my dad said I had to retire the uni till next summer. He can only take care of one broken person at a time. Speaking of, moms surgery went well, I guess a lot better then last time. It was done last night and I guess she had a pretty good night. My dad was saying they have her on narcotics and it’s making her say funny things like “make sure you wear rubber gloves when washing out the diapers in the toilet” followed by “did you see the paint? The paint looks nice” drifting in and out of sleep, I wish I could be there with a video camera! Anyways that’s all I got for you sorry it’s such a long story. Blog to blog later Lydia

Yippie

Well, mom's surgery was a complete success. She's feeling fantastic. She was almost giddy when I left her this afternoon (no it wasn't the drugs. The ones she was on when I got there were pretty cool though. She was telling me about "the price of cheese per pound" and then she trailed off. However, those wore off and she was beside her with happiness at how great she felt. We attribute it to the fact that they didn't try to kill her this time). They had her walking around, then she asked if she could take another walk. Needless to say we're all pretty happy and very grateful. It was nice too because her nurse got his done a year ago and he had a really hard time too. He told us not to kid ourselves, that it takes a lot of time and A LOT of drugs to get through it sometimes. He was on percocet for like 6 months. He was talking about oxycontin and mom gets this firey flame in her eyes and warns him (and anyone else that will listen) that she WILL NOT be taking that again. Fine by us. Anyway, just thought you guys would like to know that she is doing great. She keeps saying - I think I'm doing so good because they didn't try to kill me this time. She's probably right.

Also I am familiar with the difference between you're and your, however you wouldn't have guessed it from my last blog.

Everyone write more or I'm going to kill you all.

Oh ya. Remember (how could you forget) the Beecher Buggy Butt fiasco? Wasn't that weird? Does everyone remember how LeAnne had to wake Adam up in the middle of the night at our old house and ask him who he wanted to have examine his bottom for worms? I was just thinking about the whole ordeal the other night. Have any of you since then ever heard of worms in someones bum? Maybe all of us were on oxycontin and we just thought we had worms in our anus'. Crazy.

Ok, see ya. A blog is a wish your heart makes. Leash

I thought I would post a couple picutres from our Lake Powell trip a couple months ago. I finally brought Monica's memory card in and downloaded her pictures on my computer.

I don't have much time this morning but I wanted to say thank you to Adam also for his tribute to the women of this family. I don't think it could have been said any better.

povo

Well I just barely finished getting caught up on all of the blogs, letters, life, etc.. It sounds as though all is well with the family on a whole. I am so proud of the missionary's out right now they are good stock. Alicia I was laughing very hard about the waiting at home with a teddy line as well as whatever else you've written. I'll try and go through the important events of the last week or so. As Darla already wrote we hiked up to the Y the other night. It was so much fun. After we got down we rapidly dressed the whole family in braided belts and denim shirts so that we could take some sweet family pictures in front of cougar stadium. You should all be getting the shot in this years I'm better than you Christmas card. Mike, Brooke almost disowned me because she was certain I had written the blog natzi post. I thought what you wrote was great.
There's been a lot of good news around here. I pretty much quit two of my jobs so now I only have two jobs. 13 hour days seem like cake and I'll be able to sleep with my wife and high maintenance daughter.
The other day I was biking along the provo river trail and there's this old couple walking there dog. I swing out to the very far side of the trail. Well right as I'm almost abeam the couple their dog cuts across the trail all the way to the far side and my tire tags it in the head. I yell shoot (serioulsy) and stop my bike. The couple pick up there dog and the lady yells at me. They are both giving me the evil eye. Now I'll admit I would have yelled left if I'd seen that one of the legs on their matching jogging suits had been raised up but there was no such indication the g'ma was packin. So I took in their angry look for a small moment and then rode off because if anything I should be angry their dang dawg almost made me wreck. We have been locking the doors at night to protect ourselves from angry geri's. I soloed my first student the other day and let me tell you that is not the greatest experience. I'm on the ground standing with his wife and a hand held radio just hoping he doesn't die. I mean if he does then I have to console the bawling wife and that gets uncomfortable in a hurry not to mention the paper work etc.. He got down and the plane seemed to still be in good shape.
This weekend Darla and I were able to be together a good deal of time and it was so nice. I appreciate being with my family so much. Darla threw a little Halloween party and that was fun. It's hysterical how social she is. I don't know anyone in our new ward and she goes to play groups know's other womens troubles and talks with them about it. We went shopping yesterday and that is something I don't know how women do without help. She asks if I want to take Dayne and Cole to go get something. I'm sure I looked like a deer in the head lights I started to place the razor blade against my wrist when she said she'd take Dayne. few that was close. Women are amazing I love my wife and family they're the only thing that makes my burdens dissipate. Keep on bloggin y'all.

ColoradoBennett Playing in BG

Adam Ellery Bennett, that was one of the sweetest things you've ever said. We are sitting outside with Brooke's computer and she read your blog to all of us out loud (all of us being me, meagan, wilohm, kaia, and ellyn) and I teared up. At that moment we decided that we definitely need to print out this blog every six months or so. I love being up here and seeing how meagan and brooke run their motherhood program. They are very very amazing and i'm so happy to be spending so much time here. And I can't leave out LeAnne, she works so hard at everything and is so great to us and runs a tight and very clean ship. We are getting ready to leave and enjoy this sunshiny day outside (plus pick up kids from school and take the little girls to ballet and find something to eat). But I wanted to type up this quick blog to let my husband know how much I love him and I'm so grateful that our girls have such a loving and devoted father!

Adam, I love you

I always knew you were the perfect guy, but now you're just showing off. I can't stop reading your blog and I bawl every time. I think I speak for all of the tired moms when I say - Thanks for noticing. Love you, Leash

Seattle Bennett living in Colorado

After reading the last few blogs I will have to admit that are times usually within the first 15 minutes when I walk through the door and the girls are so happy to see me and Kaia cries if i don't pick her up and both Sierra and Kaia act like angles where I wish it was my job to stay home and be mom or when I get the call from Mindi that they are swimming or at the zoo. but that last 15 30 minutes max sometimes at work I feel like I'm in a race to the finish I can see the finish line (the last apt for the day, the task wrapping up, or just the good old time clock hitting beer:30 (just kidding)) I can't think of the last time my job has called me out of bed in the middle of the night or even more distressing called me out of bed 2 hours early without at least knowing the day before. even as dad most of the time when the girls wake me up I fake that I know what I'm doing until the Momma can come to the rescue(I don't know how to Lactate). I know I can lift heavier things than Mindi and I can reach things that Mindi can't (unless climbing) but some how I can't cook, clean, or simply stand for longer than a few minutes with a kid in my arms. Without a doubt Motherhood is a far harder, never ending, and at times seems non rewarding job than anything I face.
I think the women in this family do an amazing job at making the tasks of motherhood look easy and keeping the kids happy and entertained. From family home evening, scriptures, going to church, cleaning house, eating meals, staying really really really ridiculously good looking, and the list goes on and on; I don't think there could ever be enough praise given, flowers bought, and definatley not enough open mouth kisses given to show the appretiation I have for the mother of my children and my best friend.
I love you Mindi and while I'm not going to feel guilty sleeping in tomorrow and listing to my talk radio and staying up late watching non baby einstein, pixar, disney, signing times movies tonight, I am going to feel very greatful.

Just kidding

Brooke, I was seriously just kidding about the thirtysomething bit. It was funny because I'm like 10 minutes younger than you. If it wasn't funny, then sorry. It's late and it's the 2 bowls of cereal that I've had talking, not me. Leash

I can't think of a snappy title

Brooke, leave it to our mothers to help bring us back to reality. No doubt you were thinking how hip you looked and how dangit, if only Mike were here you'd get an open-mouth kiss, when you're sweet mother shoots you that one. Sounds like something mom would say. They just have this matter-of-fact way of doing it too, like they're just telling the truth. I'm sure you look hot and nothing like a thirtysomething girl trying to regain her youth (I'm just practicing for Clo and Mad).

I also know what you mean about one of those days. I spent most of the day organizing Maddie's room. We had boxes piled to the ceiling, with no hope of ever getting rid of them. I finally got them all put away, or at least hidden. I was so proud of myself. I only "raised my voice" at Clo once (which resulted in her laying on her bed and crying into her pillow "it's all my fault" - ya that one really made me feel great) and nurse Maddie three times. I called Kev and told him he wouldn't believe the surprise I had for him (I was banking on one of those youthful kisses because of it). Needless to say it didn't revolutionize his life like I was sure it would. He didn't even say anything when he came downstairs after work. I was like - "did you see Maddie's room?" - "Oh ya, looks great." No, no, you're enthusiasm is thanks enough. Then he starts telling me about how he and his buddies are talking at lunch about their wives. Actually, it was just their older friend talking about his wife. He says how after you get married, your wife pretty well shuts you down until they're about 40, barring the need to procreate. I was like, hmmm, let's see. The guys get up, go out and actually get to take a shower before 9:00 pm. They get to put on cute clothes and see other actual adults and have conversations that don't end in "because I said so damnit." They drive around listening to talk radio and other adult, thought provoking material, all the while I'm making sure Maddie is laying on the left side of her head and explaining to Clo why we can't watch Cinderella again. Can't possibly imagine why we're not sitting in a teddy when they get home. Anyway, what do you do?

Well it's 1 in the morning, but my legs were killing me so I had to get up to take some Ibuprofen. I actually have a quote that I found yesterday that couldn't have been more perfect for the day - "I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble."
Helen Keller

Love you guys, Leash

P.S. Meags, mom and dad saw Summer Elaine Clarke last night at the Mandarin in Bountiful. She saw mom sitting in the waiting area and was like "you're Alicia's mom!" She was so impressed when mom and dad both called her by her full name. She was like "you guys are good!" Anyway, mom said she didn't see a ring, but that she looked really cute. Really girly too. Weird huh?

Venting

So today at institute, among other things, we were told to keep a journal. Keep track of our spiritual experiences and also relate how we faced up to life's challenges. Right now I can say "I stink." I am resenting all of life's challenges right this minute. It's 10:00 pm and all day long I planned on getting to the gym at 9:00, but no, Jane's homework wasn't done, the kitchen wasn't cleaned up, Sadie needed to poop on the toilet, while Ellyn was pooping (for the third time today) in her diaper. So I just got done doing my breathing excersizes and hoping that it counts for something. I know it's not a big deal but when you just add one little thing on top of another throughout the day- like loading one child in the car for institute in the morning, going in to get the next one and finding them playing in the toilet, eating an apple piece that you didn't give them and wondering if they played raccoon first- or losing your keys for 20 minutes at institute, only to find them under your sister's baby carrier that you did shift side to side but did not actually pick up. Like I've said, it's just been one of those days, one little thing after another all day long.

Cameron, I'm sorry Monie is going through all of this pain. I hope you figure out what it is soon.

Jess, I'm sorry you missed the NY trip. I'm glad you got a good job though. What do you do?

Lyd, art school sounds fabulous. Just remember not to pick up on all those freethinking ideas that will lead you away from the iron rod- kidding, but not. We would all love to have an artist in the family.

Leash, I'm with you on the box elder bugs as well. They are getting almost as creepy as cockroaches in my book. They are in my bathroom sink, they land in my hair, they climb along the walls. The picture I had in my head of you exterminating those suckers is priceless.

Chels, we never heard back about the hair, did we? How'd it go? I did blond streaks in the front of mine a few days ago. I like it. I was feeling too old and dowdy. Mom says it makes me look older, like I'm desperate to cover the gray. Whatever.

Okay, I guess I have been bitter blog nazi tonight. Sorry, I will try to be better later. I love you all. Tomorrow is another blog. love, Brooke

Howdy

So we have been cheating a little the last two weeks on our letters to Joel. His emails come directly to my cell phone so we noticed that they came through at the same time every week for the last month. So, even though there was like a 5 minute delay we talked with him via email the last two weeks. I don't think we could have had more fun and been more up to date on Joel and his mission. How would it be, I remember getting letters in the Philippines and the information was already 3 weeks old. He is doing really well. They had a baptism this last week that he was really excited about. He has had a Japanese companion for a month now and his comp. seems to get a little frusterated sometimes with Joel's ability to communicate in Japanese but it sounds like Joel is progressing well. We'll just keep praying for him. He will eat pretty much anything now so I am excited to take him out to eat when he gets home. I won't have to worry about paying for a bowl of noodles with nothing on them.
AJ is doing great also. He is leaving on a cruise to the Bahama's with a friend today. Paula has been a little stressed because he has to take his birth certificate with him to board the cruise ship. Many of you may know why she has been nervous but for those of you who don't I will explain. Your little cousin AJ isn't really AJ. His name, as far as legality, is Timothy Jay Robbins. His birth certificate has never been changed. So Paula told him not to take any picture ID with him, he won't need it since he's not 16 anyway. I'm sure he'll be fine and have a blast.
Jan is Jan. Football is almost over and their last game is against their major rival, Ben Lomand. He is pretty excited. We love it because Jan has brought the boys over a couple of times to spend the night since they have late school on Wed.
Monica and I are doing good as well. We have spent the last few days staying at her Aunt Mary's house watching their kids. It's always a party with that family. Monica has not been feeling well again. For about 2 weeks now she has been having abdominal and back pain. They did a CT scan on her last Friday and didn't find anything wrong. The next step is a colonoscipy (spelling?). And if that fails she will have to have another test done checking all the functions of her gall bladder.
Anyways, other than that we are doing great and having fun with Harley and Eliza. They keep us on our toes at all times.
gotta go, cameron

New York, New York-Jessica

Well it has happened. Work has now taken over my life. Tony, Kim, Parker and I were all invited to be on the Montel Williams show and have an all expense paid trip to New York. I, for some unearthly reason, decided to stay at my week old suck A job instead of going on this once in a lifetime trip and now I am kicking myself for not telling my job to stick it just like I would've at any of my old jobs. I have never let a job rule me like this...however I do really like the job I just don't like that I missed out on the trip.

Anyways, the three of them left on Monday and will get home on Wednesday. It is just a shorty but in that time they were on Montel, they went to David Letterman, they went to a show like Stomp (some African version) and many other things. I was soooooooooo jealous. Tony called from Central Park and all I could do was bawl. Oh well I guess, I told him to take a lot of pictures.

So keep your eye open for them on Montel if you want. I am not sure of the exact date they will be on. If I find out I will let you know.

Sorry this is short, but it is almost ten and you know what that means. Plus I have to drive to Bountiful to take care of ol' yeller.

Blog to your mother. Love Jess

Work Shmirk

Meags, I know exactly what you mean. Kev has never said as much, but I secretly think he thinks it's a party around here the minute he walks out the door. I would just once like to switch places. I want him to not only watch the children unassisted, (that means no help from Grandma Hatch, where the Creamies and Capri Suns flow like honey) I want there to be no sugar or T.V. involved either. On top of that he'd simply have to vacuum the house. I give him half a day and he'd be curled up in the fetal position, while Clo watched a movie with a cookie in her hand. In his defense, I'm sure I'd crumple in the heat of the moment at an auction, but it seems like there's an awful lot of "business deals" being had at the Sizzler every week.

Well I don't have much time so that's it. Clo is sitting on my lap begging me to brush her hair and Mad is squeaking. Later, Leash

bg me

this weekend was such a blast. i love the coast, being covered in the salty sea air and having that wind blown look all the time makes me truely happy. running on the beach is my favorite thing!! the kids loved being wet and dirty so the beach was a perfect place. we also went on a hike to a lighthouse, that would have been just a nice stroll had it not been for the 34 lbs boy in my arms. i wish i could just live like that all the time. never have to get dressed up, be outside all the time and let my kids run wild.

we had to say good-bye to adam last night. that was a bummer. i wish i could just kidnap them and make them move up here. we do get to keep mindi for another week and a half, which is the radest thing ever.

alicia i love the boxelder bug story. mom's house is covered in them and wil thinks they are spiders so he is scared to go up there.

jesse i really feel for you, the whole going to work all day every day thing is truely for the birds. although sunday night when we were coming home from the coast cory was telling jackson that it wasn't fair that the two of them had to go back to the real world of work and school while mom and the kids could just keep playing. so the next day as i am cleaning out the fishy foul car with a screaming baby in my arms...play, play, play. at that exact moment cor was driving up i-5 with his dad to check out a job sight, then have a bs session...work, work, work.

ok a few more quick ones... jackson is really into praying right now, and i mean all the time. every time i turn aroung he is praying about something, kind of like the chick on steel magnolias, it would be really funny except he is so sweet about it. he says, "mom i have a lot of faith in jesus and he loves me and answers my prayers." benni is loving ballet and practices all the time. now she is trying to teach cor the basic positions. i think he might look pretty cute in a little leatard too. wil and hazey are my soul savers, the cute loves they give me remind me why i just kept having more.

blog out........me

read could've fooled me first then me 2nd! -Lydia

Family members I’m not even going to lie to you, Alicia’s freak out couldn’t have been more perfect. She started leaning in, and I’m thinking “man this is gonna be good, I sure hope she doesn’t hit me.” So I lean in too making her think I’m looking closely my second time around, 2 seconds later the ghoul pops up and the reaction couldn’t have been better, how I wish I would of recorded it. Like she said she flew back in my arms and I immediately almost peed my pants quiet literally.

To top that, I had some free time in my screen printing class waiting to expose my screen and I thought it would be funny to show some class mates and what not. Long story short I couldn’t bring up the player so my teacher got interested and decided he was determined to make it work, because of my build up of lies I had made it seem real real cool and creepy. So with my teacher at the screen and I and my classmates behind, he leans in close to see the mist, and well lets just say his reaction was priceless also. But I’m afraid to say my grade now may suffer because of it!

Blog blog blog Lydia

Could've fooled me

I'm sitting there reading "Brooke's" blog and I'm thinking, man, they really pissed her off this weekend. The thing is, I didn't even doubt any of it because that is exactly how I would've been had my little husband not been there with me. However, knowing that it wasn't really you, but instead Mike, that's pretty funny.

I'll write about the evil email that Lyd showed me because as a result of it I am now a different person. By that I mean that I think I now have a heart condition. Seriously. It talks about how you're supposed to be looking for this ghostly mist that travels along side of this car in this clip from a commercial. I'm all leaning in close because I wanted to be able to call B.S. on it. All of a sudden there's this piercing scream and a horrifying ghoul flashes up. I don't think I have to remind you people that I am a tremendous weenie. Needless to say I almost saw the light. I flew back so fast and so hard that I sent the rolling chair flying one way and I fell the other way into Lydia's waiting arms. Had she not been there I might have been killed. Seriously it took a few minutes for me to calm down. My heart felt all funny for like 5 minutes.

Also speaking of scary, our back French doors are being over-taken by a million Box Elder bugs. I don't know if that's really what they're called but it doesn't really matter. They just need to die. I was doing my aerobics when I felt one of the little sickoes on my arm. I was so angry, I got out the vacuum and started sucking them up. I only hope the neighbors behind us weren't looking out their window. They would've seen a sweaty enraged woman in her garment bottoms and a sports bra, skitting around and screaming, trying to catch the little devils. Clo was screaming and jumping with me. It was pretty funny.

Well, mom went to the doctor the other day and he wants to do the other knee now. She goes in on the 24th of this month and it goes without saying that she isn't too tickled. I told her that the Lord knows what we can and cannot handle and I'm sure she's not in store for another rodeo. That and the fact that I'm going to be the medical staffs worst nightmare, asking and re-asking just what exactly it is that they are giving her and why. Anyway, say your prayers for her. She's pretty freaked out.

On that note, Mindi, how is your mom? I hope that's all going ok.

Ok, that's it. Jess - loved the bloggin rocks bit. Love Leash

Blog Nazi Impersonating is against the laws of the Beech Tree- Henceforth and Forever

A. I am not a Blog Nazi

B. I did not write the bitter diatribe written on said pages.

C. My husband was very bored this weekend and sought to sabotage his loving wife whilst she was camping without him.

D. I almost wrote a scathing rebuttal aimed at my sweet innocent little brother believing that he was impersonating moi.

E. We had an absolutely fantastic weekend. Cory and Meagan did not get any "snuggle time" and I didn't watch their kids. Mindi was very nice and brought her own food. Mom and dad were both punks- as always.

Pictures to follow.

Yeah rad, -right! Lydia

Yeah rad, I think I used to write that on my fellow class mates papers cause I couldn’t spell (oosome no no that’s not right) awesome at the time! Anyhow, it’s me from the dead quite literally. My job and school is sucking all of the freedom I have away, not to mention the new second season of arrested development came out last week and that’s all I’ve done, and by the way that show will blow any of your lame lame lame shows out of the water any day of the year! It’s good quality cousin time which is nice, Chels and I meet after work and school and pretty much fall asleep to the funniest show ever, I’d dare say more funny than Seinfeld. By the way did I say I hate my new job, surprise surprise. schools ok I’m in a sweet screen printing class that rocks so that’s nice and my teacher really likes me.

Moving on my new options in life are Seattle, Denver, Disneyland, or Salt Lake City. Yes family these are my new destinations for school, I’d like to see myself going to some cheap but fun art school in any of these areas, bare in mind I will be making weekly/monthly visits to any house nearby these areas. So don’t talk up your area unless you want an extra niece/cousin to hang out with. No but seriously I wanna go to art/graphic design school or something along those lines, so blog me a couple of good suggestions on some good places and I’ll get back to you, great. I would say I’d like to go to Europe of something but ya know I really like our family and don’t really see myself going anywhere, where I can’t see a relatives face. Three months in Maine is enough time for me to be away from anyone.

Well that’s all I really got for all of you I’m still keeping up with the blog and I love every second of it, oh one more quick story cause I can’t stop thinking about it. Today I showed Alicia an e-mail I had received and well lets just say her reaction was priceless. I think Jessica forwarded it to most of you so watch it and report back to me on it, I think it’s called “spooky” then I’ll give you more detail as to what Alicia did, oh man I’m just laughing thinking about it right now. Love you guys Lyd.

Less than 4 hours-Jessica

I'm alive....barely. Yes, I did get the new job and I cried myself to sleep last night because I feel like my life is over until 2007 when I can finally have a baby. I feel bad whining after one week of full time work when most people, like my dad, have been doing it FOREVER. In reference to the title, I am just counting down to when I have to go to bed. I now like to be in bed by 10. Anyone who knows me would know I haven't gone to bed that early since junior high. I love the job...I really do. I like what I am doing I just hate getting up, hate going to bed, I hate the traffic and I hate hate hate being away from the family. I guess I will get used to it.

I finally got caught up on the blogs. I hadn't read since Oct. 4th...pathetic. The blogs were great. The "Ethan" thing was great. Tony and I watched the first season of LOST in about 7 days. This season is pretty good although it is getting very confusing. Brooke and Mike, I am sooooo excited about Italy. I told mom and dad that we all have to visit. Wouldn't that be a miracle?

Tony and I have been staying at his grandparents for the past week and have to do it for another week. We have been dogsitting. This crotchity old thing is a handful. He is going blind and is diabetic so he has to have two shots a day. He is losing all of his fur so he has to wear a sweater and when he went to the bathroom the other day he peed all over his sweater. Tony washed it out and the next morning I went to put it back on him and I got it over his head and he started growling so then I just decided to take it off and he totally snapped at me. I was like that's it...you're going without your sweater today. He will only let Tony put the stupid sweater on him.

Alicia and I took Chlo, Mad and Con to a pumpkin patch harvest festival thing yesterday. It was so fun. I emailed some pics so check 'em out. It was a fun way to spend the, oh so precious weekend.

Adam I loved the part about Sister Sperry knowing about my thumbs...oh how I miss my Elly. Well that is all for now. I will write more later and more often. I love you all. Love Jess

I was blogging bricks...sorry... blogging rocks.

The Bitter Blog Nazi

Darla, thanks for the no-mention in your blog. Very nice to be thought of:)

I wish I could say it was a fun trip to the coast but frankly, dealing with these people, combined with cold and wet weather, BITES!

Meagan was in one of her "moods". That isn't so rad.

Adam wouldn't stop teasing me.

Mindi complained about the food the whole time. And she always tries to act so NICE!

Cory left with Meagan for some "snuggle time" breaks (who knows where) so often that I felt like was watching both our families kids the whole weekend.

The worst part was Mike wasn't here, and I could not call him. I am nothing without him. I just stared across the ocean the whole time thinking about him (When I wasn't chasing kids!)

I'm not even going to mention Mom. Even Dad was being a punk.

Anyway, thought I'd share!

Loves and bloggses,

The Blog Nazi

...beautiful day

It's been a wonderful day. Probably the first in many weeks since we've had Geof. to ourselves for a whole day (not including Sundays)!! It's been so nice. This morning we trekked the kids up to BYU to watch the homecoming parade (a rigorous 2 miles or so). It was great. We screamed and shouted for candy and t-shirts and Geof. actually did get a shirt...however, he gave it to my cousin Jordan 'cuz it had the BYU logo on it. Then after that we went to the Wilk bldg. to get yummy bread and soup and then onto an on campus museum to see a photography exhibit. fun fun...except for Cole's constant whining and Dayne's blow out. We tiredly walked back home and put the kids down and we've been doing homework ever since and watching the SCU-Notre Dame game ever since. Yeah...maybe doesn't sound too fun at all to most of you but it's been so nice to relax with Geofy. And he's loving this game by the way which makes him happy. Happy Geof., happy Darla...equals happy kids. So maybe we'll go bowling or something tonight. Last night we hiked to the Y. It was funny. I'll let Geof. make fun of it on his blog though. Okay..Leash, we feel bad 'cuz we got your call about the cancellation of the blessing and realized we'd completely forgotten! Good thing it didn't happen right? But wait...isn't she almost 2 now? bad joke. um..and to all the WA. vacationers, we're so jealous! How was camping on the coast? SO rad I'm sure. I love that word. Meagan kind of re-introduced me to rad. So let us know what you're doing and if there's something we can bring okay Leash? Hope all is well for the rest of you. happy saturday! darla

Jealous

I wish with all my little girl heart that I was up there with you guys. It sounds like so much fun. I especially like the part about running the children so hard that they sleep for 14 hours at night. Lovely.

Ya, so we didn't end up blessing Mad on Sunday. I could never get a hold of the bishop or the executive secretary so I didn't dare invite everyone. I know it's not like they'd call me back and be like, no, you may not bless your baby tomorrow, but I didn't want to have 40 relatives standing around if they did. Oh, and I've been overruled as far as the dinner goes. Actually, we're compromising with a dessert party. When I was talking to Monnie about it she was surprised that Kev actually wanted to have a party when I didn't. I want to have a party, I just don't want to HAVE a party. I'd like to acquire a party.

Anywho, Kev's in Reno, so it's just me and the girls for a few days. J'Lynne offered to take them for a couple of hours so I could go and spend my month-old birthday money. I used to sit and analyze whether or not people offered to take the girls because they wanted to, or because they were afraid I was on the verge of a nuclear meltdown. Now the offers are so few and far between that I just ask what time I should drop them off. However, it's a frustratingly (I made that word up) confusing emotion to just want five minutes to myself, for the love of Nancy, and then I'll see another mom with her kids and wonder why I'm so selfish and why didn't I just bring the little angels with me? Then I just go and buy a Cheese on a Stick and do my best to eat those cares away. Just kidding. I did want one though.

Ok, that's it. Love Leash

Seattle Bennett living in Colorado vacationing

so as the Bennettt home resoniates with the sound of little children crying i have stoped trying to guess if one of them is mine however the push is on 15 minutes till lost is on and while i have been enjoying lost i still can't wait for 24 to start. we had a great day today starting with sleeping in for the first time since i've been here followed by soaking up all the good vibes that radiate from the family everyone of my little nieces and nephews make me feel like im the greatest man alive. its to bad that when the time finally comes to move back up to washington i may actually loose super hero status. however the stories about me killing bears with my own hands and swimming with sharks should keep me at least in side kick status. so ellynn old comp sis. sperry came to visit today wow amazing she knows all of you so if some blond haired girl tackels you on the street and starts telling you how excited she is to see you just say hello sperry. or jess in your case if she compares thumbs she has thumbs identicle thumbs and of course she knew that too. it is ammazing though how tiring it can get up here, night before last Sierra went to bed at 6pm and woke up at 8 the next morning. peace out adam
its all blog bearings these days

I am not a Blog Nazi, just a loving, concerned motivator

Okay, I know Cory was Ethan (if you would watch Lost you would know what I was talking about. We pretty much live on the island around here). What I do not know is who was dorky enough to draw the red box around the archives. Leash, hope that is finally cleared up for ya. If you don't know where they are now we should probably take your children from you for their own safety. Anyway, Meagan and I thought only Mike and and Cory were nerdy enough to know how to draw the box but evidently we have a closet dork we weren't previously aware of. Come forward, don't be ashamed. We love dorks, Meagan and I even married a couple of them.

Enough of that. Okay, you were wondering what could be more chaotic than Meagan and me trying to take our kids to all sorts of activities. Just add a couple of Colorado Bennett kids. We went to the Outlet Mall yesterday with all nine children. The retail engineers were crossing themselves as we entered. Relatively no harm done. Jane managed to find something to beg for in every store and Jackson knocked down a rack of 50 oxfords at Eddie Bauer, but beyond that we were okay. We just couldn't get that shopping bug out of our system and headed over to Costco for another 2 fun filled hours of shopping in bulk. I bought Ellyn and Sadie rain jackets in preparation for our camping trip to the coast this weekend. I've been trying to help Adam see the folly in taking nine children under the age of 9 to the windswept, rainy, chilly, Oregon Coast on a camping trip but I have lost. So I am anticipating a fun filled weekend of trying to keep my chilled, soggy children happy in a tent for the 14 hours a day it is too cold and wet to be on the beach. I'm sorry, just call me Eyeore (sp?). Don't worry, we are having great fun. We love each other and love spending time together and that's what makes every activity fun no matter the chaos.

Okay, I have to go e-mail the man I adore. Hope you all have a blogulous day.

P.S. Jess? New job I take it. Please enlighten us. Chels, hope the hair works this time around. Cameron, thanks for the site. I love Pres. Hinckley, I love the wisdom in all of his answers. He is so amazing, I know he is a living prophet of God. He is fully aware of what is going on in the world and stands firm in a way that is not offensive and yet unwavering. It reminds me of the poem that Mindi blogged. It has been very inspiring to me the past few months. It said something to the effect that we need to be as agreeable and kind as possible but we still need to keep what we know to be true and not be afraid to say it. Okay, that is kind of my own take on it. Alright, that's it for now. I love you all. Love, Brooke

bg me

our faithful leader and now blog nazi informed me last night that it has been too long since my last blog. so what to talk about. lets see.... mom got a new car, very cute santa fe; adam and mindi are here, very fun workout buddies (and all around good time); jane and jackson fight nonstop, quite annoying; i fit into a new pair of jeans, whawhoo; brooke can never leave, it's too fun having a friend; all my kids are sick, totally snotty; i love my cory, he's way too good to me. i think that is all, oh i died my hair, dark brown.

i love to read all about your lives. we did a family home evening about applying the scriptures to our lives. and in 1 nephi 1 he talks a lot about keeping a record. and i think this is one of the best records out there. i really do believe this little blog here is priceless

blog to all........meags

povo

Well Brooke I'll be honest all the kids wondered why you were a part of our lives. Now having heard that Mike is going to be stationed in Italy we realize all though slow and dangerous behind the wheel you too can serve a purpose. I'm ecstatic. Mike thanks for making sacrifices for us. I would love to go to the Orient and play with you. Things here are cool. I flew with a student to the grand canyon on Saturday. He had two tickets to the oregon vs. arizona game in scottsdale but the weather started to deteriorate on the way down so we decided just after leaving grand canyon airport to turn around. Well the weather continued to worsen so we landed at Bryce Canyon. Luckily my students had some relations there so we got picked up and they loaned us a car so we could visit the park. It was beautiful Utah has some many natural wonders. Then it was a nice evening of college football. Luckily we were able to get back early the next morning so I could play with my family. We have had a lot of fun together. Dayne is the cutest whiner in the world and cole is learning how to talk rapidly now. He loves to sing fragments of primary songs. Darla and I are really working out as you might of read. next week we may take a two mile bike ride but we don't wanna pull a hammy. Peace out. maylaykaleekeimaka

Newsweek

I thought this was really interesting to see how the world is veiwing the church. We made the front page of Newsweek. There is a fairly lengthy article in there and a Question/Answer with President Hinckley.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9630255/site/newsweek/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9630256/site/newsweek/


If you have a few minutes you should take a look.

Cameron

ColoradoBennett--

Wow, Mike, what a post. The longest one in blogger history, I think. It was so wonderful to hear from you and read all the details of the goings on in Korea. I'm sure excited to visit you guys in Italy. I overheard Jane saying that in her room in Italy she plans to have paintings on the wall by some Italian artists plus she'd like to have her own art stand (specifically called an esiel, but I can't spell that right) set up so she can paint too. Great plan, I say.
We are having a wonderful time here in BG. Quick story: Brooke, Sadie, and Ellyn picked us up at the airport in the Allen's Montero. Brooke and I were loading some things while Adam and Sierra went back in to pick up the rest of our luggage. I was putting the middle row seats back into position and there was a can of Fix-a-Flat under the seats. That nice little voice of logic in my head told me to move the can before dropping the seat, but I ignored it. Consequently, the can was punctured and slippery white foam exploded all over the car. After the explosion, foam kept spraying out of the can at an unbelievable rate. I pulled it out of the car and held it down by the road until Brooke directed me to a trash can. I ran to the trash, a spueing can leaving a trail behind me, and disposed of the terrible mess. The many onlookers were aghast at what they just beheld. It took Brooke and I a few minutes and more than a few baby wipes to clean out the car. Just as we were finishing up, Adam arrived with the luggage and we loaded up and got the heck out of there, leaving a very slippery mess behind. Well, I guess Brooke did tell a traffic guard what happened and he said they'd get a clean-up crew on it right away. There was a terrible chemical smell in the car, so we froze Brooke all the way home by having a window down. So now you know, listen to that little voice and don't put Fix-a-flat under the seat.
I better go, apparently Sierra just jumped into the tub with Brooke's kids and I've got to go get her out.
love to the blog and Christmas Vacation

Good news - Mike

Yes, my turn. I don't know how much Brooke has shared with you. Breaking news is that we are going to Italy next September for a 3-year tour. My assignment officer is cutting the RFO (Request for Orders) next week. The one obligation I have is to serve as a battalion or brigade personnel officer (S-1) for one year before I would be eligible to take command of a company. Of course, when I get there the boss (read: BDE or BN Commander) could say no to the S-1 and stick me straight into command. We will see. But, as far as going to Italy, that is as locked into stone as you can get in the Army (Which means 93.33333 percent chance by the way). Vicenza, Italy is between Venice and Milan and is the home of the Army's 173d Airborne Brigade. So I will get to be a paratrooper company commander. They do jumps in Tunisia, Morocco, Czech and many other places in the region, not to mention the annual Normandy jumps. So we are pretty dang excited.

It is funny that the day I heard that I was locked in to Italia, 8th US Army e-mailed me to tell me I had been nominated to compete for the UN Honor Guard Company Command slot in Seoul based on my record. So... that was also good news and I felt honored to be considered but Brooke and I are much too excited about the Italy thing. The one nice thing about the Honor Guard Command is that it is a Command Sponsored assignment, so the family would have been able to come over in December to live in Seoul. That is, if I were to beat out the other 4-5 guys competing from the region for the job. So... not a lock, and Italy pretty much is...Winner=Italy. I am telling the 8th Army guy Wednesday to take me out of consideration.(93.33333 percent chance)

Life is getting better on the job here. It is a true desk job, I ain't gonna lie to you all. And, I really am not fond of it. Shootin' guuunnns is way more fun;) But, after having received no initial counseling as to what I was supposed to do (crappy leadership behavior, that), I am finally figuring it out on my own. And I have started to assert myself a lot this week (Not easy for a Captain in a division headquarters because Captain is pretty low on the totem pole at this level, just a bunch of Majors and LT Colonels that think they are geniuses)...BTW, for the less military literate, Divisions are very big, tens of thousands of soldiers...Anyway, it is going better.

More good news is that after 30 days of committing myself to 2-a-days and a moderate diet, I am finally losing some significant weight. I read an article in Runner's World on the plane over here on how to lose weight and keep it off and I just said "Dangn't, it is time to do it right!" so I am doing it and I feel great. My goal is 210 by the end of October and 190 by the end of the year. I will be happy to stay at 190. I am 218 right now, and left SEATAC around 235 so yes, it is working.

It is a simple diet for those that care: Cardio MTWF with an emphasis on sprints/ intervals/ fast runs....Heavy weight, low reps, alternating push and pull muscles every other night M-Sat...and eat three scheduled, moderate meals a day with no meal after 7:00PM and I have added in a bike ride on Saturday now. I also do some Cardio every night on the elliptical or stationary bike, just to get my heart rate up before lifting.

Did my first bike ride today. Rode to Seoul along the river. They have a really nice path built all the way from Uejongbu, where I live, to Seoul. It was 20 miles to the gate of Yongsan. I was pretty proud of myself, because using Google Earth as planning, I was able to navigate to Yongsan garrison in the middle of Seoul without a wrong turn. Patting myself on the back right now:) Korean bikers are hilarious. They must spend hundreds of dollars on looking like Lance Armstrong and then they bike about 5 miles per hour. So many people everywhere, so it was an interesting ride. Only ran into one guy. I took the bus back to here. I wasn't up to the whole 40 mile trip yet. Maybe next week. It isn't the physical strain as much as the mental stress of dodging everyone on the path, not to mention the part where I have to cut through downtown Seoul and dodge everything moving. To give you an idea of traffic here, I rode my bike to Yongsan 30 minutes faster than the bus made the same trip back.

I am very excited for Brooke to visit in 26 days (not counting:-) ) I picked up a webcam while I was in Seoul, so I was going to try to get that working with the girls tomorrow.

It is tough being away, that doesn't need to be said. We were actually seriously debating getting out of the Army, as some of you know. But we prayed about it, and received an answer which I will share sometime, or Brooke can. So we will drive on in the Army. The Lord will bless us.

By the way, they have a Korean ward in this city with a nice bulding, so although the English branch is small, we get to meet in nice circumstances.

One more story on that topic...the Military District rep (same as High Council I think) the first Sunday I attended looked very familiar. Long story short: He is an MD in the Air Force at Osan Airbase, he served in the Nagoya Mission and I was his Zone Leader when he was just getting to Japan as a "greeny", and he grew up with Brooke's friend Lisa from Fort Benning in Maryland and went to Medical School with her husband, as did another guy in the branch attending the same Sunday. I guess when you are military and LDS, the world gets very small.

Yes, for those that read the Sundry Seven, this is a copy of my post there. Too lazy to write basically the same thing twice. But, I wanted to feel included with my wacked half of the family too:) Love you guys, have fun.

Mike

"You couldn't

hear a dumptruck driving through a nitroglycerin plant." I understand your last post title, Alicia. And I think its funny. Griswalds forever.
cma

Crabb

Hello everyone. I thought I would just pop in for a minute and update you all on our goings on.
The girls are doing great. Monica started teaching Harley pre-school so they do lessons everyday. Harley's favorite thing to do is write her name and go around looking for letters and numbers throughout the house. She even points them out on billboards and street signs when we're in the car. Eliza is doing great also. Her vocabulary is constantly growing, however we try and keep her from saying "truck" too much because it comes out "fruck" and the "r" is nearly silent. She is quite a little monkey. We really can't keep her off of the counter or the back of the couch. Last week she was on my parents back deck and climbed up on the rail. She fell about 6' down off the back head first and her face landed on a big flat rock. She just scraped and bruised her cheek, cried for about 5 minutes and was trying to climb up on the counter again.
Monica is doing great and already starting to enjoy her new calling in the Young Womens as the Miamaids advisor. I am a bit nervous for my shot at being the 11 year old scout leader. I'm not sure what I'm doing since I quit going to scouts when I was 14, but I'm sure it will be great.
Joel sounds like he is doing well. A few of his investigators got baptized after he was transferred and he has a couple more scheduled in his new area. He has a Japanese companion that doesn't speak any english. There is a little frusteration going on there but he's good.

I'd better get back to work, blog yall later.

hilarious

Leash, I really thought I was going to die when I read the title of your last blog. That was a strike of pure genius. Christmas Vacation might be one of my top 5 favorite things about Christmas. Chels

I did it.

My name is Ethan, and I posted the screenshot on where to find the archives. Now quit asking questions, or I'll hunt you all down, and you, Brooke, will be the last to go.

"The Blessssinnnggg"

Well, we decided that we'd better bless Mad before she could walk up to the circle by herself. It will be this Sunday at 12:15 pm at the old Fairfield chapel (take the Kaysville exit and that puts you on second north. Head towards the mountains until you pass through the light. The next main road is Fairfield. Turn left. It's the first church on the left) and we'd like all within the sound of this blog to come. However, at the risk of losing my membership, we're not having the traditional after-party. I know it's risky but A. I don't like to cook B. I don't like stress C. who's the party really for? A two month old? D. We have no where to park anyone, and E. I don't like people. No, not the last one. But seriously the only food I'll have for you is that which will be in our Sunday diaper bag. I realize I might have lost a few of you with that fact, but I'll repent.

We bought Cinderella on DVD and I only wish you could hear how Clo pronounces it. Pretty funny. Every time she sees the cover to it she says "get married?" Ever since Missy's wedding she assumes that if you're wearing a dress like that, you must be getting married.

I had mom and dad over for dinner last night. We had homemade chicken pot pie. It was fun and yummy, but anything that takes an hour and a half to make, won't be made by me ever again.

Ok, that's all. Love Leash

chelsea - no go

Hello everyone. Just a quick update. I did get my done yesterday, however; it did not go that dark at all. I'm redoing it on the 19th. Lindsey's team won her softball game last night. It was freezing. Alicia, Jess, Lydia, Clo and Madison came to watch. It was fun. Chels

nasty

okay, so as always I should be studying for my Meteorology test while the kidlings are sleeping but here I am reading on AOL news about a python eating a live, 6 ft. long aligator. When the picture came up I seriously almost through up the cereal I was eating. That is sooo disgusting!! Ugh. Anyway, Leash...you have a way with words. you're so funny. I remember walking around UVSC campus when I was pregnant with Dayne thinking "Is it THAT obvious that I'm a mom?" I swear, not one guy even checked me out! And who knows why I need that-asks Geof. I don't know...just to know I still have it I guess. Whatever. my kids are the best and after hearing that talk in conference about how wrong it is to obsess over our body and nice clothing, etc. etc...I've really tried to take it to heart. Not so easy. Adam and Mindi. I'm so jealous I could die- Geof. and I both wish we were up there playing with you. I was laying in bed last night and almost had a panic attack when I remembered we still hadn't paid you for Geof.'s climbing stuff. SORRY!!! It will come. When we have money-says Geof. By the way, Geof. and I had a real fun last minute date last night. My cousin agreed to come b-sit and we went bikeriding. It was intense. We live behind Macey's grocery in Provo. So we rode our bikes to Cafe Rio (about a mile), ate, and then on to Cold Stone (about 100 ft) and then back home again. Whoa, we were winded. love you all. darla

Oh Meagie

Don't say things like that Meags, you'll scare the children. You've become the person you weren't expecting you'd be. That's what I tell myself anyway. I was trying to do my aerobics today as Clo ran around me in circles and I wondered what it will be like when I'm all old and alone. I'll wish for these days again I bet. I was at the gym the other morning and (I tell this story only because it's all I have to hold on to as Meagie can apparently attest) this guy comes and gets on the bike right next to me. Ok, whatever, there's a million other bikes, but whatever. I finish about five minutes later and go over to a weight machine. Another five minutes pass and he's like 6 feet away stretching out. Maybe a coincidence, or maybe, just maybe, I've still got it.

I can only assume that was Cory's magic with the showing of the archives area. Thank-you. Now I can start printing some of them off.

All of you suckers have a fun time up there in Battleground. I'm way jealous.

Chels, I love the brown idea. Kev is helping me to embrace my roots as well. It has taken about two months of him telling me that he loves my red for me to decide not to do highlights again. We'll see how long it lasts. I'm about one more day of my jeans still fitting too tight and a bad hair day away from bleaching the entire thing blonde. Wish me luck.
Later, Leash

Archives

Alicia, this is a picture of a page where you can find the archives. Click on a month and you can read past blogs.

they're coming

adam and mindi are almost here, which is so cool, but also sad. because as soon as they come then before i know it they will have to leave and there will be nothing to look forward to. right this very second i am getting the trim on my brand new windows. my house is so pretty now. i never want to sell.

leash your blog is so true. any time i see a guy smiling at me now it's because he feels sorry for me, even cory does it. chels i want to see the hair. just close your mouth for the pic.

ok i don't really have anything to say. my life is so crazy, but very uninteresting. i have become the person i never wanted to be. how sad is that.

............meags

Chelsea - I'm doin it.

Okay, so I'm totally retarded. I didn't mean to post the blank one. Anyways, how is everyone?! I've been checking the blog all day just hoping for a new one to pop up. No such luck. My blog is entitled I'm doin it, because I'm dying my hair brown today. I'm very excited and nervous all at the same time. I'll let you know how it goes. I would post a picture, but I still have braces, therefore I still don't allow myself to be displayed in public. I mean seriously, who has braces?

Work has been so incredibly busy that I don't even like to talk about it anymore. I am slowly beginning to get back on top of it, so that helps. Jess tried to talk me into working at her new place, but I don't know if I can. I get in my comfort zone and get too stobburn to leave it.

Lindsey has another softball game tonight. I love going to them. That's all I've got.

Blog out..chels

Archives?

Brooke, I can't find the archives thing. Am I totally retarded? Anyway, I'm over at moms on her computer. Mom and dad are out of town so me and the little ones came over here for our nap. Which is a perfect example of just how exciting my life is that the mere change in location of our nap is appealing. I was reading my old journal of when I lived in Provo and I finally just had to stop. It was depressing. I used to be skinny and people liked me. Now I'm not so skinny and people just want to know what I'm making for dinner. No, but I did have to stop reading it. Good times.

Anyway Tuco is licking Maddie's mouth and I've got to turn her head. Did I mention that when we went to the doctors that he said that I lay her on her right side too much? Her head is flat on that side. So now I have to make sure she's laying on her left side. We never had that problem with Clo because she never allowed us to lay her down. Maddie likes to eat, then she wants to be left alone. She's an absolute angel.

Mindi and Adam, I'm totally jealous of you going to Washington. When Brooke was talking about reading a book while it was raining it reminded me of when I "lived" there. We'd get up, run (I'd go back to bed) sit in the hot tub and then read on rainy days. It was great. Have fun. Love you, Leash

ColoradoBennett

I forgot to mention that we went on a great hike up to Cub lake and saw a momma moose with two baby cubs. The leaves were just perfect and the air was crisp and it was a great trial. We'll take you there someday.

ColoradoBennett-Elk bugle

Every year my family (the Gurrs) have a marvelous tradition of camping in Rocky Mountain National Park at the end of September/beginning of October to listen to the elk bugle. The town of Estes Park and the surrounded area is just swamped with elk and it really is a sight to behold. This year, the biggest elk in the bunch got mad at Pop (the biggest man in the bunch). Gram and Pop were innocently standing on the side of the road looking at the big elk and his herd when all of the sudden the big bull decided to charge at Pop. He looked Pop right in the eye and got about 10 yards away before changing his mind and turning around. During the charge Pop told Gram to dive behind a nearby rock for protection and she hurt her ankle in the process. Pop said it was really scary. The rest of us teased him and called him "elk bait" and said that's what he gets for going elk hunting all these years. Well Kaia is on my lap crying. She didn't want to play in Sierra's version of "London Bridges" and surprisingly got hurt in the process. It was nice to get back into the blog. Adam changed our internet provider and we were without the blog for about 3 days. Terrible suffering occurred. Now, I'm off to pack for WA. Whoooohoo.

povo

Well I've been out of the loop for a while but am determined to climb back on the wagon. Life has been a crazy roller coaster. For the past 2 months I really have been in limbo trying to juggle jobs and open up time in the event that I could one day instruct. Our family has been very blessed and things are starting to take on a semblance of equilibrium. I have four flight students and will hopefully pick up some more soon. This has enabled me to cut back on hours at two of my other jobs and hopefully I'll be able to quit at least one of them. It's been good reading up on everyone and it sounds like all is well. This weekend the family went up to Logan to visit Darla's family. Her parents came out from California and it was nice to see everyone. We wanted to stop by all the northern cousins but as usual got out the door late and it was either visit or get about 4 hours of sleep before a day of teaching. After polling my students 70% prefer I be awake for the flight. We do miss all the family and want to play with you. Life is good here. The weather is cool and perfect. Tonight we went for a long walk and enjoyed chasing cole all over the world. As mentioned we were giving him a cookie when he went poop on the toilet. I swear that kid has nearly burst veins trying to squeeze out the most minute log in an effort to get cookies. What an ambitious boy. Dayne is getting better all of the time. She loves to hear herself talk and is so beautiful it's kind of sick much like her mother. Brooke that was a sweet poem that you wrote. You're a tough kid. I'll write more frequently. Peace out dawgs.

two things

Darla- you're welcome. I hope you find enough cute clothes. I never had tons of winter stuff because we were in Georgia.

Alicia, to the right of our blogs it says ARCHIVES and then lists each month. Just click on the month and the blogs come up. They are priceless.

Okay, off to put my little ones down for a nap. Brooke

before I forget...

I just wanna thank Brooke and Meagan for sending that package of clothes for Dayne so promptly. you guys are awesome. We were really needing it. And thanks to LeAnne and Ellery for the fun one from Hawaii. I can't wait 'til next summer so Dayne can wear that dang cute swimsuit. Okay, enough of the public thank you cards...sorry. Love Darla p.s. did anyone notice how similar the two talks on the Restoration (and many other things leading up to it) were?

Thank-you Brooke

I've been checking the blog every darn day since I last wrote and each day was met with disappointment. Which means that none of you experienced the terror that was mine when I tried to get on the site on Saturday. It said it was down for an hour for maintenance. I told Kev I felt like I was watching the stock market crash. What would we do without this?

Anywho Brookie I hope you don't think I like not having sugar. Not everyone has Julia Roberts body ok, who oddly enough I had a dream about last night. I dreamt that I was telling her how great she looked and didn't she love how nursing sucks the fat off of you? We were in the bathroom and she fell asleep mid-sentence on the toilet. Very weird. I attribute it to watching SportsBeat Sunday with Kev before we went to sleep. Grown men talking mindlessly and endlessly about sports. Spooky.

Well that's all. I hope Sadie gets feeling better. Talk to you later. Alicia
Oh, does anyone know how we can get back to the earliest blogs? You know like the first ones we ever wrote? I'd like to read them again. Anyway, let me know.

Sick sick Sadie

You know it's going to be a great week when it starts out with your three year old throwing up all over your mom's recliner and carpet. Hopefully things will get better from here. Ellyn is sporting very cute hair today in a little top/side growing out bangs piggytail and everytime I look at her I can't help but feel happy inside. She is so cute I could just eat her with a spoon.

Speaking of eating. I don't understand how any of you can even contemplate giving up sugar. To me that is like saying, "Hmmm, today I think I will try to live without breathing." Just not something I could ever do. Nor, like breathing, would I ever really want to for that matter.

I'm supposed to be getting my passport today but I am homebound with the sicky. Not that I am complaining too much. It is really fall here now. Gray and rainy and I LOVE it- for now. I don't know if I will be as fond of the plan of curling up with a good book and a pan of sugar filled brownies every day twenty pounds from now. But as of today, it is great.

I think in the past I have shared with all of you Sadie's obsession with her ballet slippers- the entire outfit for that matter. In her sleep the other night I heard her say "ballet slippers" no less than five times. It is crazy. Today I tried to put her in a nice warm and cozy outfit and no- it is her ballet soup (leotard) her dress (the skirt) and her slippers. They are going to be able to dance all on their own in another 5 minutes.

Adam and Mindi get here in another three days and I am very excited. We will have lots of fun.

So anybody that needs a baseball mitt or a fake mink blanket, or perhaps a rice bowl, now's your chance. In a month and one day (not that I'm counting down or anything) I will be in Korea. Eleven days with Mike without children. I've never done that before. Very excited, a little nervous. Well, that's all I can think of for now. I love you all. Oh, Jane did fabulously at her soccer game on Saturday. I am so proud of her. Blogs Rule Dudes!!!