ColoradoBennett

Hossam Al Mazrowe. I stood in the airport on Saturday night for almost two hours, holding a sign with this name on it. I actually did get a few dirty looks, one from a security guard. Mostly people smiled at me because I had Tristan with me. The happy bouncy boy that he is attracted a lot of attention. Anyway, Hossam is our latest exchange student from Saudi Arabia. He was arriving on Saturday, very nervous because this is his first time to travel abroad. So when he didn't show up I really started to worry. I did laps through baggage claim, had his name paged 4 times (I'm not sure that they ever really got it right). Left my information at information and took off. I was bummed because I had to pay for a babysitter to watch the girls while I did this. My plan was to pick up Hossam at 4:35, drop him off at home, catch a "girls camp meeting" at 6, Stake Conference at 7, then dinner with two of our home/visiting teaching families until 10:45. But walking around the airport for two hours really messed up that plan. So I left. Feeling slightly guilty that maybe the poor guy was going to have to spend the night there. But then this morning I got an email from him in broken English saying that he had his friend pick him up and he was in a hotel near his school. So he took a taxi to our house. The kids and I took him to the bank to set up a bank account. The sweet girl from Columbia wouldn't let him open a bank account. It was very awkward. First she asked him a while bunch of questions really fast with her heavy accent. Then when he looked at me because he didn't know what to say she said she couldn't open an account for someone who couldn't understand English. If he spoke Spanish, that would be OK. The reason being that he could come back and sue them because he didn't understand all the bank rules or something. Then she went to her manager to see if she could even open an account for someone from Saudi Arabia. I wrote down the questions on an envelope and Hossam could answer them just fine. But that wasn't good enough for her. So we had to leave. Then we went to the phone store and they didn't care that he couldn't speak English or Spanish, just as long as he had the cash. Then we went to the food store and he tried to buy every kind of candy in sight for Sierra and Kaia, even the diabetic chocolate, which I talked him out of somehow. Then we got home and realized that we somehow we didn't make it home with the very important phone charger. It was an adventure.

Seattle Bennett living in Colorado

So Darla was that you that posted the math I never know because sometimes its Geof. and other times its just because you are the default system admin or whatever that title is. the answer to #3 is 5 and any one who works construction knows that one it is how you tell if something is square its the Pythagorean theorem if the building is big you just multiply everything (3x5=15)+(4x5=20)=(5x5=25) as long and it stays 3, 4, 5. it will always tell you if you have a square corner (3squared+4squared=5squared)
9+16=25
OK that's all i got out of math but that one theorem i use a lot.

and the other question about the cruise ship and robbing thermal energy from the ocean is now starting to be used in green building quite a bit I sure Cory knows how all I know is you drill a hole and you can warm and cool your house with it its called thermal heating.

so as for the comments thing being cool I'm against it although it is nice to read a half-a-blog (comment) from Cory because he uses it all the time i can never remember if the comments number has changed from the last time I viewed it. for a second I was very excited to comment because when i accessed the blog on my phone it appeared to let me comment from my phone and I haven't been able to do that in the past, but low and behold, i type out the message and it would let me post. so i am even more anti comment than before because of its trickery and essentially my lost half-a-blog

love you all
Adam

Meagan i hope you start to feel better and i met another Meagan a while back so that should make you feel better, i think, does it?

math again

i figured these were good for the family since we are all amazing in the field of mathematics.

math

happy birthday to the very best older brother ever!

happy birthday little adam.  sweet if your now older than brooke, that pushes me back a few years as well.  i'm sure your beautiful doting wife has been spoiling you like you deserve.  i hope you have had and continue to have a spectacular day.   i love you!! 

sorry to kind of steal your day

AAAAADAM!!! WE LOOOOVE you!! Happy big 28th bday! (; love, geof., darla, cole, dayne and boy.

It's For Sure!!!

I do not have salmonella. By the way, has anyone found it peculiar that none of the cousins are writing? Are we sure they're alive and what is happening with Jess? Aunt Jack, I know you see this.

Speaking of which, Dad, I've been meaning to mention that now that we have comments you could add your two cents every once in a while. I know your blogs would probably go something like "Worked my butt off all day, came back to my apartment and ate some left over pizza, called your mother in ______ to find that the house still isn't on the market. Did more work on the computer, sat down in my recliner, turned on the tv and fell asleep." But we really would love to hear from you. In fact, I might just call and discuss this with you now.

I love you all. Love, Brooke

Happy Birthday Ad!!! and happy anniversary to Geof and Darla and Jess and Tony

Isn't that right? You all share the glorious day. Adam, you are 31, that's amazing. I don't know when you got older than me. It must be the Colorado air. I hope you have a wonderful birthday and I will call you tonight.

Today is a pretty good day, just a little sick. SOOOO much better than the past few days. I know it is because our family and Barb and Tracey are praying that I won't be sick-if you aren't already, begin now. Mike left for the field today and now I have two weeks to look forward to entertaining the girls with no energy and, if the prayers aren't strong enough, a return of constant debilitating nausea. The sun is shining today and yesterday too actually so at least I can send Jane and Sadie out to play. My poor kids, a month of chicken nuggets, taquitoes, campbell's soup and corn dogs. Makes me want to throw up just reading that list, but it is all bought and in the deep freeze. I have to take the kids over to the health clinic now so that they can give me the results of my pregnancy test that I finally took this morning. I'm either pregnant or my salmonella tainted Peter Pan peanut butter has thrown me for a doozy (yes we ate a whole jar of the stuff).

Later gaters- inspired by Sadie, who really enjoys those phrases these days! Brooke

pappy pirthday padam!

hey man! figured i'd steal your 'p' talkin for your birthday and wish you a good one. hope you are treated like the king you are.
luvs n kisses
cordog

darla

Cory, I guess I could of just posted this as a "comment", but i wasn't sure if you'd read it. I'm in tears right now laughing from your retarded comment (i hope no one is offended I used the word "retarded"). I still remember the time we all sat around talking about our favorite Christmas memory. And you went off on some long tangent (spelling) and ended with something about Velveeta cheese. For anyone who has a better memory than me (which would be EVERYONE), can you please repeat exactly what it was that Cory said. It was HILARIOUS. Cory, I love you. Meags, don't take that the wrong way. But doesn't he just keep you up at night laughing?

ColoradoBennett

Comments are sure fun. Have we ever seen so much of cory on this here blog? That video mike posted was funny. It was even funnier watching Adam and Geof. laugh their heads off as they watched the video.
I was in charge of the Joy School field trip today. It was a free day at the Denver Botanical Gardens, so we went there. The gardens were dead, and ugly, and mostly covered in snow. I was sure glad I didn't pay to get in there. But they had a tropical room indoors and the girls got to plant peanuts in little planters to bring home. When I woke up this morning a thought came in my mind that I needed to call one of the 12 year-old YW who has a crappy home life and see if she wanted to join us for the day. When I called she was still asleep and the way her grandmother screamed at her to wake up and answer the phone was terrifying. Of course she eagerly accepted the invitation and we had a great time with her. Poor girl, she doesn't even know to use deodorant, even though Sister Snyder tried to talk to her about it. At one point in the car, Kaia (who has a very sensitive nose and gag reflex) started saying "Lourdes smells bad." Hopefully I was successful in distracting Lourdes before she heard that rude little mumble.

povo to virginia?

well team thanks for the support. I have been in St. Louis off and on for the past two and a half months. i can't fully describe the emotions i've flowed through on a daily basis. I really had a terrible dual with my mind. the training was overwhelming and vague. i often courted self doubt as there were a lot of people who weren't making it through the program. perhaps I went through this flight program to teach me faith, humility, what's important, and how to pray. I had a check ride on saturday. if i didn't pass it i was out. i went to the check ride and the examiner asked me if i was going to throw up. i said maybe. we went into the sim and i flew the plane did some landings. we landed the last time and parked. he said well geof. you passed. what's funny is that night i flew to denver and adam and i went to see the pursuit of happiness. well the end of that show is how i felt. i really don't know what will happen with this job but just to be able to say i passed felt very good. i hated the experience but also recognize that it was a oportunity for darla and me to grow. i really hate being away from my family i'm sure you all do. hopefully i'll get a specific schedule soon. anyway i'm tired and am glad that it's over. i really don't know how i would have gotten through this without the prayers and support of family. thank you. thank you.

ColoradoBennett

Yippeee. Adam is on his way to the airport right now to pick up Geof. We are so excited to have him visit. With the good news and all it should be an extra joyous occasion. Sierra and I are whipping up lasagna, parmesan potatoes, and salad for dinner and "Big Mindi's" for dessert (if you don't know what a "Big Mindi" is, you'll just have to come visit). The kids and I took Ocean (our student from China) to the grocery store the other night. He is going to make us dumplings for Chinese New Year. He's a sweet guy. The grocery store was crazy and by the end I'm sure he was thinking, "Wow, I'm sure glad they only let us have one kid in China."

Congratulations Geoffrey George!!!!

Geof., I am so proud of you and excited for you and your little family. I knew you could do it. Just think, our Geof. flying the friendly (not so really) skies. Please keep us posted as to when you move and where and all that good stuff. You are awesome and I love you- and Darla and Cole and Dayne and baby too! Good job!

For Leanne and every other computer challenged person out there

.

someone please blog!

Comments

Family, I think it is time we branch out and use the comment option on our blog. The Stinchfields started using it quite some time ago and at first I was against it. I would always forget to check but it is a nice way to answer little questions, make a comment without committing to a full blog. You can have little mini discussions on the side and then you aren't trying to remember everything that you wanted to address in the blog. So all you do is click on the comments thing down below the posting and a little box appears, you write, and then publish.

Meagan, I'm holding you fully responsible for the first comment. Just because I can and you know I love you more than my luggage.

So let me tell you. I feel TERRIBLE. I'm not really starting on the nausea stuff yet, just the hollow empty stomach yucky feeling, a cold, and three hours of sleep two nights in a row. Mike goes to the field for two weeks next week and I'm pretty sure I'm going to die. I have been completely useless today. Okay, at least for the past three hours.

Funny stories. Ellyn can turn door handles now. I laid her down for a nap this afternoon and about ten minutes later she was coming down the stairs happy as a clam. We traded Mike's office and Ellyn's and Sadie's room this weekend and moved Ellyn out of her crib. She absolutely loves her bed, last night after scriptures she took my hand and led me up to her room. She is totally happy staying there once she wakes up during the night, as long as I'm there. She is staying very happy on half doses of her meds and it is helping her fall asleep. Now that she is starting to get used to it I'm going to try to give her the other half again when she wakes up and maybe she won't be so groggy. Supposedly a certain amount of tolerance is built up. What a roller coaster and I am so sure you are all bored to death hearing about it. This is kind of my vent and you all have to suffer.

Okay the other funny story, as implied by "stories" before I went off on my sleep tangent. The other night we had one of the families Mike home teaches over for dinner and she brought little no-bake cheesecakes. Well after dessert I cleared all the plates and noticed that Sadie had barely touched hers and thought that was just as well. When the family left they wanted me to keep some and I said I would eat them all but I would save one for Jane's lunch. Later I was upstairs getting Ellyn ready for bed and I could hear both girls arguing over the remaining cheesecake. Mike quickly interjected and Jane's precious cheesecake was set aside. The next morning as Jane was eating breakfast I explained to her that Sadie had not been trying to steal her cheesecake but that I had cleared hers from very near that same spot and thrown it away. After Jane left for school I noticed the cheesecake on the counter with a note saying "For Sadie, Love Jane." It was so cute. I gave Sadie the cheesecake lunch and told her the same story I had told Jane, that I had thrown away her cheesecake and Jane felt badly and had left it home for Sadie. Sadie was darling, she said "Oh, I thought she had eaten the fruit off (plain vs.cherry topping)." Pretty soon Sadie comes to the table with a piece of paper and asks me how to spell "for" and then she writes a "J" and asks how to spell the rest of Jane's name and then she writes her own. She puts the paper in the center of the table and goes and gets the cheesecake and places it next to the paper. When Jane got home from school Sadie happily took her to the table. There were big hugs and then Jane suggested they split the cheesecake and it was quickly devoured. Such a "precious moment" for a mom. I thought I'd write it down so that later in life they will know what good kids they were.

Okay I have to go make dinner. I just tried to heat up my crockpot on the stove because we ended up going out to dinner last night and it shattered. I really did think it was a bit more sturdy than that, it was just reheating some BBQ chicken. I'm an idiot. So now I'm going to try the Meagan method for dinner. Wish me luck.

Brooke

Bavaria

Darla, it was incredibly cryptic. I mentioned that the dr asked me if I was "carrying child" and then I said good thing it wasn't two days later. The "carrying child" phrase came from my husband, he made me write it. He said everything else was too obvious. So I know it sounded totally bizarre and dorky. I cringed every time I read it and Mike laughed.

Yes, it's true. Mid October we should have a little U.S./ German citizen in a very cool Euro stroller. Yes, I am so excited for a cool pram I can hardly stand it. As I've already said they have the coolest strollers here and I don't care if it is brand new for our last child. I'll save it for Ellynn, if she ever remembers she has a sister and calls. Hey, at this rate, I can save it for my grand kids.

It did make me feel better to know why I had been feeling like a slug. I have been SO tired. I'm sure Ellyn has something to do with that. I've already had little mini waves of nausea- yuck.
It still feels so surreal to me I feel like I should retake the test. I can tell you I was more than a bit shocked when I saw that thin blue line.

Ellyn turns three today. She is so excited. It's all she can talk about, at least I think that's what she was giggling about at 3 this morning. Sadie and Ellyn and I are going to the pool today for Ellyn's big day. I bought a few V day things in the dollar section at Target during Christmas and some V day shirts as well and the girls were thrilled. We decorated their doors with heart notes last night and it took Jane three times going in and out of her room to notice.

Sadie just took advantage of me blogging to turn on Bride and Prejudice. She and Jane love dancing along to "No Life Without Wife." Hopefully there are a few things that go over Sadie's head. Her new favorite movie is Emma, the one with Gwyneth Paltrow. Weird kid.

Mindi, I don't know how you have done dinner for everyone for so long. You are amazing, but I think we all know that. You would be even more amazing if you kept all the stray dogs you find. I really think you should consider it: ).

Meags, my kids also have very strong opinions about this baby. Yes, they already know. My plan was to not tell ANYONE for a month or so but my very excited husband can't keep a secret. Sadie says we have enough girls and that she needs a baby brother, that is when she believes I'm pregnant. She asks about 10 times a day if I really am. She says my tummy is too tiny. That will all change soon. Jane wants a girl and Mike keeps telling the girls that Henry will be the boss of all his sisters by sheer virtue of his maleness. You can only imagine how that goes over with Jane. I tell him I can't wait to raise a kind, sensitive man that does dishes.

Okay, I better get moving. Geof. and Darla our prayers are with you. Meags is exactly right, this whole thing has been too bizarre. If it doesn't work it is just not supposed to. I love you all. Happy Valentine's Day!

bg life

wow mindi that dog story was just a little more than i can handle.  first of all if my kids had walked in and a seen a dog they would have been screaming and crying, (they got my love of dogs) then i would have walked in and joined them, then grabbed them all and ran.  the dog would have probably stayed their until cory could have come home and done something about it.    as for v-day plans, cory's mom is watching the kids tonight so we can just hang out.  saturday night we went to the stake v-day dance and it was about as fun as it sounds, although we did get to talk to a few of our friends for a minute and see darla's hottie aunt who was wearing a dress from when she was sixteen, 7 children and how many years later.  those eriksson/sellers have some pretty hot jeans.  we left the dance in the middle and went parking, oh wait cory's truck is way too small for that, so we just went and got smoothies at burgerville.  tomorrow night cory doesn't have mutual, so we are making a romantic dinner for the kids.  cory did it for them last year with candles, their favorite food, candy all over the table and sparkling cider.  they loved it and have talked about it all year so of course jackson being his father's sentimental son has to have the same thing this year.  it's pretty cute.  we are making sugar cookies this afternoon for the kids to take to their classmates tomorrow.  that is if they make it to school.  jack went today, but very late and benny stayed home again.  all the kids have been sick f-o-r-e-v-e-r!!  i am worn out just taking care of them.  but hopefully they will be back to their crazy selves soon enough. 

darla and geof. you are in our prayers.  it is in times like these that you see where you need to place your confidence.  geoffrey is the smartest hardest working boy i know and i tell everyone, just ask.  so we know that God has a plan and that is where the confidence must lie.  not in ourselves but in Him and His plans.  i know you will be happy with whatever the outcome because you are just that kind of people. 

scarry story...last night we got our new fridge.  oh so pretty and huge.  too bad we are too poor to ever fill it.  anyway they pull out the old fridge and don't tell my mom because she would be so ashamed, but there was a ton of crap under there.  a million magnets, pen, papers, dust, etc, etc.  and after we clear all that away and i'm mopping the floor and wall (like my mom does once a month) we see a HUGE burn mark on the floor, and it's still hot.  um yeah with my neglect of cleaning and my huge old fridge putting off that much heat we are lucky we didn't die in some horrific house fire.  so i expect all of you slackers who don't clean out from under your fridge (obliviously not you jesse, not because you are so pregnant, but because i'm sure you already do) to take a look and make sure you are not a fire hazard as we were. 

my kids are so excited that aunt brookie is having a baby, they are already fighting over if it will be a boy or girl.  jack says he is sick of all these girl cousins, but wil says he doesn't care he will love it no matter which it is.  bennett of course wants a girl and hazel hasn't said much about it.  really all she cares about is who is going to hold her 24/7.  yes and seeing's how daddy is the only one who will do this (when he is home) he is her #1.  she just goes around all day saying, "daddy, daddy" and snuggling him to death as soon as he walks in the door. 

so was this long and boring enough for you all?  chels i had almost given up hope that we would ever hear from you again.  i'm so happy you are still hanging on to the blog.  life sounds busy, but good, say hi to all the girls including the mama girl.

                                blog on......me 

Povo....err Logan

Brooke, congrats congrats!! This is so exciting. How are you feeling? I read over your blog twice and I guess I'm just too dense to understand exactly where you told us you were pregnant. I hope all is well (other than being exhausted and sick). Mindi, your stories ALWAYS crack me up. You have a lot more patience than me. The idea of having a dog sounds nice, but so does owning a ranch and a dozen horses and cattle. Too much work for me. And since I know Geof. won't be cleaning up after any animals, it doesn't look like we'll be having a dog in the near future. Except, maybe if we have a great big yard. Cole would love a dog. Chels, I think it's great how you keep us all updated on your fam. your sisters are lucky to have you. Meagan, I told Geof. about the date Cory took you on (I'm aware quite some time has passed), and started crying while telling him. Geez, i guess I need a little romance in my life (: Geof. leaves sometime tomorrow to re-test. 2 days of SIM and then he'll re-test on Sat. Our confidence is pretty shot at this point. Not that Geof. isn't incredibly smart and capable, but we're realizing it's really not up to us at all. We really want to move to the east coast though, and we're praying that that's where we'll be. Well, time to go. I love the 2nd trimester. I feel great and I'm packing on the food (and lbs.) daily. love to all. darla p.s. Jess, are you dilated at all? (spelling?)

ColoradoBennett

Brooke, how are you feeling? I barely caught the little hint you dropped in your last blog, then Adam told me the great news. Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ColoradoBennett

Yep, it was pretty exciting today when we got home. I let the girls out of the car and told them to go into the laundry room and take off their shoes. I was unloading T when the girls came running back saying "we have a new dog!" I didn't really believe it was a real dog until I got into the laundry room and saw it standing on a box looking longingly out the window. It evidently was curious and pushed right through the door but couldn't get out because the dog door is sealed up. The trash was everywhere, ripped into a million pieces, along with some of our shoes. I opened the door into the house, sent the girls in (kicking and screaming because they wanted to pet "our new dog"), then opened the other door to let the dog out. Sierra tried to chase after it, yelling in an oscar winning, heart-broken sob "I want that dog". I must admit there is very little love in my heart for dogs these days.
Tony, how was your birthday?
I'm trying to make stuffed red peppers for dinner tonight. I had all the stuff I needed for one recipe, but I forgot it was a crock-pot one. So I get ready to make it at 4:45 hoping to have dinner at 6 and realized I should have started 8 hours ago. So I hurry and look up a recipe online and it calls for different things but I just decide to meld both together, using what I have and hope for the best. I've been on craigslist today responding to those in need of housing. We want to rent our upstairs to someone other than students who need dinner everynight. We've been doing that for over a year and we just can't take it anymore. There are a lot of sob stories on craigslist, I feel so bad for some of those people. It'll be interesting to see what works out. Well, our FHE buddies just canceled because they are sick. My mom just called and said her whole family is sick. We were there last night for dinner, so I just took another Airborne for good measure. What's everybody's plan for V-day? I get to help the YW have a "Mormon Tea Party" for our combined activity. One of the YW saw an article in Teen Magazine about hosting a tea party where everybody dresses up really fancy and talks in snobby acents, etc. Fun, eh?

Seattle Bennett Living in Colorado

Congradulations Brooke, Mike, and the girls that is fantastic news. I don't know, Brooke, if you have seen the news but upstate New York has about 10 feet of snow so you can be happy you are not living there still. How you shovel 10 feet of snow is beyond me and all this crazy weather makes me want to get more and more food storage, I hate this global warming stuff.

So Siearra thinks she knows how to speak a foriegn language maybe spanish so every once in a while Mindi or I will be telling Kaia something and she will stop us and say let me tell her. She then procedes to shout out orders like "a quenta a quienta" and point at different things. Kaia apparently having the gift of the interpritation of tonges then goes around picks up things and moves stuff around. It is hillarious and cracks up Miguel, my spanish speaking friend who lives with us, and framing crew more than it does me and Mindi.

So all is well on the home front between the girls/bubs, church and work it seems as though we will never have time to ourselvse just to hangout gone are my leasurely work days, as I have a couple of new projects moving forward and here are the days that keep me busy from sun up to sun down, yet not allowing me to cross off half as many items on the to do list as I have to put on.

I did get a chance to go snowboarding last weekend, first time in a long time, I miss snowboarding so much I can't wait for the days when will own a season pass again and be able to use it. That is far and away my drug of choice.

So I just got a call from Mindi and she came home for the 4th time 2 months to a stray dog in our back yard this time however the dog had managed to make it in our laundry room with Max's food and water chewed up 3 different shoes and scattered the laundry garbage all over the place. So all in all our stray dog refuge has cost us 4 pairs of shoes 1 pairs of gloves and messed up doggie door. Diesel our almost pet Pitbull was put to sleep the other day she apparently bit one of the dog catchers, so that was too bad and I know all you "I told you so-ers" are saying see but she was a cool dog.

well I will talk to you later

Love Adam

Bavaria

Well we are all officially healthy. I found out that Ellyn won't be able to start her pre-school until after Feb.21. Kind of a bummer, but at least by then we should know where we will have a house and she won't have to switch pre-schools if we are in the other housing area. We turn in all of our final paperwork for a medical move on Monday. We already know for sure that we can move, we are waiting to find out if the Army will move us (if the medical is approved) or we'll have to move ourselves. When I talked to the Dr. he asked if I was carrying child because he didn't want me to move if I was. Good thing that was two days ago. Ellyn slept through the night last night, what a relief. I hope it's the same tonight. Well Mike and I are going to go hang out. So great to hear from you Chels, and everybody else. Love, me

ColoradoBennett

Brooke, I'm so sorry to hear about your sickness. I really think there are few things worse than indiscriminate vomiters (I don't know how to spell either of those words). Geof. and Darla, congrats on the boy. I'm so sorry for this awful rollercoaster of a time you've been having the last three months or so. We certainly are praying that it all works out and ends soon. Chelsea, thanks for posting. It's great to have an update on your family. So as of late, the only time I can blog is if Kaia and Tristan are sleeping and Sierra is watching tv. And since I really try to limit tv time during this time, blogging time is scarce. Sierra got this game for Christmas and I was hoping to set her up with it and sneek off to blog, but it didn't work out that way. The cover of this game reads: "Super Mind. Makes kids very smart and keeps them busy for hours! Builds the skills every child needs." It cracks me up. What parent wouldn't rush out the door to buy that one. But alas, it doen't work like the tube, I can't put her in front of it and rush off to fold laundry, put dinner in the crock pot, make two loaves of whole wheat bread for book club tonight, vac/mop/dust, etc. I'm sure you'all are rolling your eyes about the whole wheat bread. Truth be known, I never make bread anymore. But our book club is reading "Tip-A-Day Guide for Healthy Living: 365 Simple Ways to Improve Your Health One Day At A Time" and tip #11 is "Baking for Busy Moms: Wholesome Whole-Wheat Bread". And my tip to you is: Don't Try It. You'll probably get a tummy ache from the whole wheat and you'll waste three hours of your day when you could just buy the stupid bread. Just buy a nice loaf of multi-grain and save yourself a few stress wrinkles.
Speaking of stress wrinkles, I think we are gong to not put Sierra in preschool (because of the cost) and keep doing the home school thing for another year. The afternoons are tough because Kaia usually sleeps for 3 hours and Sierra and I have totally different ideas about how to spend that time. There is a new charter school opening up this fall that I was looking into. They are only accepting kindergardeners and 1st graders. Sierra misses the cut off in all the school districts by 12 days and so she'll be the oldest in her class. But this charter school said they could work around that and start her in K this fall. This school has an intense Spanish program (in fact most of the kids will be Spanish speakers). They'll teach tennis and chess. This kicker is that the school day goes from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Can you believe that? They also have a longer school year. I can only imagine the kind of teachers they have in this place. Probably much worse than poor Jackson's schoolmarm. In fact, Adam was so outraged by Meagan's blog about the teacher giving her trouble about Jack missing school. He said something to the effect of, "If any teacher ever talks to me like that they'll be walking away with their head between their @#$#%$^". Or something like that. So no charter school for us. Although I do think it would be sad if our kids left this area without having picked up Spanish. Denver has schools that teach half the day in Spanish and the other English. Critics say kids leave these schools being underlearned in both languages. Anyway, that's my story. Brooke, you mentioned kid #4 for us and I must tell another story. We've been going through a lot of trouble trying to find insurance that works for us. Currently we have good insurance, but they've dropped maternity coverage. I was looking into a health share account (advertized in LDSLiving Magazine) but they only cover maternity upto $4000. Which is ok unless you end up like my friend whose baby came six weeks early, spent two weeks in the NIC unit, and the bill came to $140,000. They fortunetly had good coverage. Our current insurance charges $150 for a vastectomy and my grandpa said (only half jokingly) that he'd pay for that. Tempting sometimes, like now when Sierra is pulling my hands off the keyboard and telling me to stop blogging and Kaia is crying from pure insanity. But I know in my heart that we have at least one more little bundle of joy waiting for us. Speaking of LBOJ, Tristan is wet and hungry and being carried by Sierra in a dangerous situation. gotta go,.....

Chelsea

Well, it's definately been too long. Work has been really slow today so I figured I'd give you an update.

My Mom has started quite the adventure. The dentist she has worked for decided to persue another career and sale the practice. So, my Mom and another lady she works with are in the process of buying it. It is keeping her busy and happy. She is so excited! She has been interviewing plenty of dentists, making offers and getting ready to own her own Dental Office. It should be great.

Cortney is going to Weber State and working about 25 hours a week at Zions Bank. She loves it. Her and Rodger are still together. She has been looking into the pros and cons of owning/operation a daycare/preschool. She seems pretty serious and asked if I would be interested in joining her. I had to decline...I like kids...but not that much. :)

Ashley is doing well also. She is still working at Gary's Cleaners and sorta liking it. She has decided to try out for cheerleading. She did it in 8th and 9th grade, but never tried out in High School. She'll be a Senior next year, so it's now or never. I love watching her cheer. She does a great job. Tryouts are in a few months, I will let you know how they go.

Lindsey has started conditioning for softball. I believe tryouts are in a few weeks. She has been working her butt off and she is in amazing shape. She has had weird problems with her shoulders and knees though..she goes to physical therapy for that. If she's gonna stay in this, I guess it's what comes with the territory..

Joey and I moved into a townhouse a few weeks ago. So much nicer than where we were. So much more room and it is only 3 years old. The boys will be here in the summer for 9 weeks. They will have their own rooms which is totally a big deal to them. We can't wait.

Joey has been super busy with work. (Ask poor Jess who had to work on a Saturday.) They are wrapping up their national sales conference this week. He also has a new title now "Director of Organizational Managment". The people he works with are really fun. I'll explain that in a minute..

I have a new position at work as well. I moved from the credit dept over to customer service. I basically manage all of the incoming orders. I assist my boss and occasionally some of the other managers. I help out in credit still as well. I am usually super busy (except today) and I love that.

Last night Joey and I went to the U of U Basketball game with my Mom and Omar. It was a great game. During half time we helped ourselves to some empty second row seats. It was much better than the upper bowl! :) It was a close game, but the U won by 4 points. On the way out from the game, we ran into Angela and the twins (my Dad's). They will be 1 year in April. Time flies!!!

Okay, like I was saying...the people Joey work with are really fun. We play on an indoor soccer league that they set up as a company team. We have a game once a week and I think our record is 2 - 2. I am so out of shape, but each game gets easier. It has been way fun. Don't worry, I have pink and black soccer shoes. Not to mention my matching pink socks and pink short! ha! :)

Okay, I have rambled on long enough. I love hearing from everyone and I will try to be better.

Love, Chels

darla

so I haven't written much because our life is so up in the air right now and I don't really want to explain what's going on because who knows? Tomorrow everything could change...well, at least that's how it's been. Geof.'s home with us right now (home being at my brother's house in Logan), and is actually going back to St. Louis yet again on Valentine's Day to take his 3rd and hopefully FINAL checkride. He flunked his re-test and we thought that was it. It was a bit scary (to say the least), but we also felt very comforted through it all, knowing that it was all in the Lord's hands. Anyway, so he comes home, this being monday, and starts applying for new jobs, ANY jobs. Then TSA (the airline he was training with) calls him and tells him they want to rehire him, which is a pretty big deal, because they felt he wasn't tested fairly. The lame thing about it though, is that he has to do the whole 2 months of training again. Yuck! So I'm thinking, are you kidding?? But the more Geof. looked at other jobs and possibilities, the more TSA looked like the best choice. So I was preparing myself for another 2 months w/out Geof. and not knowing really where we'd be living. And then yesterday Geof. gets a call from TSA telling him all he would have to do is 4 HOURS of re-training and then he could re-test. So he goes back on V-day and it should only be a 2 day thing out there and then we HOPE HOPE HOPE he does well and we can start our move (finally!!) to virginia. That's where we are right now. I'll type more when we know more and of course Geof. didn't even want me to type this much. But I felt you all wanted and needed to know. Thanks for your prayers! hope all is well. love-the bennetts p.s. we're having another boy!! no names yet.

Bavaria

Have I mentioned enough times lately how much I hate winter? Let me tell you again. I FEEL LIKE A SLUG. Today when we woke up the sun was shining. I told the girls that we would hurry and clean up and ride our scooters to the library. Guess what, within an hour it was gray and huge drops of snow/rain were plopping down from the sky.

At least I have been able to spend the entire day scrubbing and vacuuming and doing dishes and laundry. I know you are all jealous. Actually Jess might be. You see our whole family has taken turns having a stomach virus this past weekend. It started with Ellyn on Wednesday. She threw up three times in the morning and then was totally normal without a fever. We thought it was a side effect from the new sleeping meds. our Dr. had started her on so after speaking to our pediatrician we took her off those for a week. Next, Sadie threw up early, early Saturday morning, again I didn't know for sure if it was from all the crap she ate with the babysitters the night before, sickness, or if she had suffered a mild concussion when she fell off the slide at the pool on Friday (trying to help Ellyn sit and yes I do feel like the worst mom on the planet because I was letting her do it) and landed on the back of her head on the tile floor. So when she was totally fine after she threw up twice I figured "No" to the sickness option. Then...we were going to our friends house for dinner and games and Jane said she was getting car sick because they lived down these twisty country roads (she's gotten car sick quite a bit since we moved here). At their house she laid on the couch after dinner and then became progressively more sick until we thought it best to leave. She threw up on the way home. As we were driving home Mike and I both mentioned that our stomachs were queasy.
Yup, we were both awake all night but mine was gone by morning- without any unpleasant experiences and Mike was still toast. So he stayed home with Jane and Ellyn- who was now dealing with the other end issues and Sadie and I went to church. Really, until Jane I didn't think we had a bug and then it rapidly became apparent that we did. Sadie and Ellyn managed to soil huge amounts of clothing, blankets, sleeping bags, rugs, etc... because they were caught by surprise. You can only imagine my laundry room and the scent therein since all of those items have to be washed one at a time. I also feel terrible because we unknowingly exposed several people to a potentially lovely experience. I just try to remember that this is our first year here and we haven't built up our immunities to all the yuckies yet. It's making for way too much winter fun.

I know you are so glad I shared that story with you. I didn't mean for it to be that long drawn out but now I'm not going to erase it.

Mindi, I share in your healthy eating issues. There are several things that I would be willing to eat but getting my meat and potatoes husband to eat it would be tricky. I'm sure you have the same issues with Ad. Not to mention the fact that to have enough flavor without the fat there are normally a million ingredients and time consuming preparation. Our dinner last night was a lovely Stouffer's lasagna.

Okay, as far as the house. We are, as you've read, having major sleeping issues with Ellyn. Part of the reason is because we live next to a main road with people driving by at all hours with stereos and loud engines etc...also the walking path is within ten feet of the side of our house and we are on a corner and every bedroom is exposed to the noise. It isn't bad for the rest of us until summer but for Ellyn, once she wakes up (which she does very easily) she is up for hours. Also, because we have such an open floor plan when she is screaming she keeps the whole family awake so we can't work on self soothing without waking everyone up in the middle of the night. Finally, probably the most important reason of all, our front door is very close to the road and she has already learned how to open the front door. It is a fairly busy road all day long and who knows when she is going to understand the danger of cars. I'm not so worried about it now but when summer comes and the girls are in and out all day and when we are here for three years and Ellyn becomes more independant I think it would be an unsafe situation. So I have almost all of the paperwork done. I just have to meet with the head of the health clinic tomorrow morning. Ellyn's pediatrician has already spoken with him. The trick is finding a house that will work. Everyone moved here at the same time so not many people are leaving (there are a few soldiers that were here earlier). There are several house plans that have a living room in the basement which is what I want because I can take Ellyn down when she's screaming and keep her from waking up the family. So that is the story.

Okay, I have taken my break and then some. Time to make dinner. I love you all. Mindi, the three kid thing does get easier, just in time for the fourth right?

Scrap that bad boy...

That's what Adam said in Europe every time I kept some random piece of paper. So yes, I do scrapbook but I don't do it with all the cutsie paper and stuff because A. I can't afford all that and 2. I don't have time to do it that in depth plus we take too many pictures. Why do you ask?

Meags I was laughing my head off at the moon question. Here are the lyrics to Somewhere Out There the song from An American Tale with Fifel to give you your answer.

Somewhere out there beneath the pale moonlight
Someone's thinking of me and loving me tonight
Somewhere out there someone's saying a prayer
That we'll find one another in that big somewhere out there
And even though I know how very far apart we are
It helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star
And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby
It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky
Somewhere out there if love can see us through
Then we'll be together somewhere out there
Out where dreams come true
And even though I know how very far apart we are
It helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star
And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby
It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky
Somewhere out there if love can see us through
Then we'll be together somewhere out there
Out where dreams come true

Anywho, because of the time change we don't see the moon at the exact same time as Brooke but we do see the same moon. Hope that helps. Also I love your way of cooking it sounds like something I do. You would think after 4 years of marriage that I would have more than 5 meals I make but oh no.

I have to tell you the funniest story that has to do with dinner. One time when we were little we got done eating dinner and dad got up from the table and said, "Good dinner honey" and then walked over to the sink and threw up. I am laughing as I type because we always used to say that when we were little. I am going to go ask dad what that was all about...I am back, he said he didn't know why maybe he was like a dog and kept eating and eating until he barfed. I think you have to be here to think this is as funny as us.

Meags, are you listening to Harry Potter books on tape? I just had Tony download books 3 and 4 onto my pod so I can listen at work. I listened to 100 pages today. I can't stop, I love it and I love the guys voice that reads it.

Brooke, I remember the good old days of skiing every Saturday...gone are those days tomorrow I have to work.

I went to the doctor the other day and baby only weighs 3 pounds. The doctor said she will gain 1/2 a pound per week for the next 5 to 6 weeks so she will probably weigh about 6 pounds. I was like, "Uh, is that okay? I was huge, tony was huge, my neices and sister were huge. I was expecting 9 to 10 pounds." She said everything is fine and it will just make for an easier birth. So I guess I'm having a lightweight. Who would've thought a Rigby could have a baby under 9 pounds?!?

We went to The Fray concert the other night. They are my favorite band right now and the concert was awesome. You should check them out. It was at UVSC and it brought back so many great memories. Elly and Geof, do you remember the dances we went to there? Good times.

Okay this is so long so I am going to wrap it up.

Love Jess

dinner planning

hey mindi. just plan dinner meagan style. its like this...
1. with your right hand, cover your eyes.
2. with your left hand, open the fridge, and just start grabbing some stuff.
3. now toss it all in a pan
4. add some (take your pick) a. barley b. noodles or c. rice
5. heat or fry for 5 minutes
6. bake for 30 minutes.

Viola! Dinner! no planning, but no time wasted either.
good luck, and let us know how it works.

-cor

ps. for a little variety, add some pretzels to the mix
pps. you may think this posting is mean, but i ALWAYS come away from the dinner table COMPLETELY satisfied. meags is an amazing cook. unless it involves chicken and rice, which somehow stumps her completely.

more bg life

mindi it will get easier, maybe not with the ward you are in.  but the kid part does get easier.  having three put everything over the top or just out of reach, but if anyone can work it out you can!  there is just one thing you can never let slip and that is your blogging, tee,hee.  i have always thought yoga in spandex was highly over-rated, jeans in my mind are the perfect attire.

ColoradoBennett

Maybe I blog less these days because it takes so much longer to type in my google password. Probably not, I'm sure it has to do with lack of sleep and how quickly each day slips away from me. I wanted to cry myself to sleep last night because I used up 45 precious minutes trying to plan meals for the month. I couldn't find very many recipes that I liked, that looked even remotely healthy, or that I thought I had time to pull off. I got a cookbook from Deseret Book called "Daily Meal Planner: A Busy Homemaker's Answer to Simplified Menu Planning". But it wasn't what I hoped for and I'm making poor Adam take it back. We get to go up to my aunt and uncle's condo this weekend. Adam is going snowboarding with my uncle tomorrow. Then my aunt, the kids and I will meet up with them so Sierra can try out the bunny hill on her snowboard. Even with the discount tickets these rotten resorts still charge an arm and a leg. Tristan is done nursing so my computer time has come to an end. I better get back to my yoga video. I'm working out in jeans and the yoga man and his back up crew are in fancy spandex.

bg life

brooke i am so sorry to disappoint you.  i just think everyone is pretty tired of hearing from me.  so i will give you just a bit more than yesterday, but not too much.  no i have not heard about your house, mom thinks because she does not see me everyday she can just ignore me.  so do tell. 

hazel is the funniest cutest little thing in the world, but we think the full moon has been affecting her, because she has turned into a maniac.  hey when we have a full moon here, is there a full moon in germany?   i don't want to think about it long enough to figure it out.  i just want an answer.  hazel snuggles with me every night but when she is really ready to go to sleep, she starts calling, dada, dada.  cory comes and gets her and asks if she is ready to rock, then she snuggles her head into his neck and puts her hand up the sleeve of his shirt.  she loves to feel skin, as patty found out yesterday when hazy put her hand down p's shirt.  also hazel grunts, but really its more like a snort in the back of her nose.  because she is still not really talking she just points and makes that little noise or answers your questions with that same little snort.  it is really quite amusing.

wil just walked into the kitchen wearing some of jackson's sparing gear (pads used for fighting in tek kwan do), namely the helmet, gloves and groin guard.  i wish i knew how to put  pictures onto the computer, you really need to see it.  maybe cory can help me tonight.  but he wasn't satisfied with the red gloves he wanted the white ones which he asked for and i told him he was fine with what he had.  then he said, "harry, please, please harry", in the funny way hemiony always says it on the tapes we are listening too.  i almost died laughing.  he has the most advanced sense of humor.  yesterday i took wil and haz to the library and wil got his very own library card.  he was very excited, he picked out books for all the kids.

bennett just started a new ballet school, which is far more advanced than her last one and she loves it.  her kindergarten teacher says that she has gone from never even answering questions in class to student teaching.  she came home from school and made flash cards for herself of words she can not yet read.  then after ballet last night she practiced her leaps for like a half an hour.  she is an overachiever to say the least.  i think she gets that from her grandma allen.  i can't believe she will be 6 at the end of the month.

like i said jack just got sparing gear and last night jake (his best friend) and he got to kick the crap out of each other.  he was totally sweaty and a scab on his knuckle broke open and got the inside of his glove all bloody, he liked showing that off.  the other day at school he asked this little boy if he wanted him to open the door for him.  the little kid just looked at him for a second, flung the door open himself and walked inside.  i was like, wow jack that was nice of you to offer to help.  he said yeah, i'm just trying to be more like Jesus.   i think i will keep him. 

ok now i have to jet, to pick up my "student teacher"

love you all and brooke i think about you only every other second.   i miss you more than you will ever know!!!!  you are my best friend!!!!

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

ps jane skiing is the most amazing sport, you are right.  keep it up as long as you can and remind you mom, if she retires in georgia she will never get to ski again. 

Really Meags?

I sit here way across the world checking the blog two or three times a day, anxiously awaiting news from ANYONE and all you can write is "Do you scrapbook?" If I could I would come across the ocean and strangle you. Instead I'm doing Ellynn's "You're dead" sign. You know the one.
I tried to call you, Meags, to talk about the race, no phone call back. I ask you, do have any love in your heart for me anymore at all?

Okay, to spare you the deep feelings of guilt that I know you as my sister will embrace with gusto, I am really just teasing. It was funny to see the new headline and get excited and see about five words.

Jane went skiing the last two days and absolutely loved it. She says it's her favorite sport and then keeps telling me all sorts of things like "the ski boots really make your shins sore because you're leaning into them. When you get off the lift..." I've tried to explain that once, oh so long ago I actually did ski on a weekly basis EVERY SINGLE SATURDAY!!! How sweet were those days? But I guess I have no choice but to let Jane think she discovered the sport for the family. I'm just so happy she liked it.

My poor husband, last night we both had stake meetings (the primary president was sick) and we didn't get home until right before midnight. Ellyn kept us up until about 1 and then he had to be up before 5 for an 8 mile run. He raced in the door when he got home, showered, changed clothes, gave everyone kisses, and was gone in less than 15 minutes. His job right now is incredibly stressful, oh yeah, and he hates it. He only has a few more months till he takes command. We just have to get him through.

Well Jane doesn't have school today so we are going to the pool. Tonight Mike and I are going on a date. We have a babysitter and everything.

Have I told you all we are most likely moving to a different house? I can't remember. I guess if I haven't and you want to hear about it you might just have to blog. Of course I did tell mom and so she's probably told my sibs at least. The rest of you now have a real cliffhanger.

Blog out, Brooke

question

jesse do you scrap book?  -meags