Happy Birthday Meagie Jean

It occured to me after I texted you that there was a chance you wouldn't get it (if your plan sucks as bad as mine does, each text costs 20 cents. Sending and receiving). Anywho I just wanted to say again how much I love you and hope you had a really great day. Also I never got to tell you how great you looked in those Hood to Coast pictures. I really was jealous of how pretty you've gotten as you've grown up. Your hair, your hollow cheeks. Fantastic. Ok, love you, Leash.

Happy Birthday Meags!

To my sexy Bond Girl sister on her birthday. Meagan you are one of the sweetest, most caring people I know. As I'm sure you all know, Meags will do anything for you and it will be without any qualms and with her big gorgeous smile. She is an example to me in so many ways. Without Meags and Mike I never would have run that marathon.
I love that you are always ready for an adventure, it makes life so much fun. As I've said ever since mom declared you her oldest daughter- you are the best big sister ever. I love you Meagan. We loved having you all come down and play with us. Hope you had a great day! Sorry this is so rambling and all over the place. It's late and I'm sleep deprived!

Here we have Jackson eating a hot dog at Five Guys Burger & Fries while wearing an In N Out t-shirt. The ColoradoBennett clan survived the drive and are now in BG.

All in one

Happy late birthday Mike. And Happy early birthday to you, Meagan. These images both fit you perfectly (other than the cigar, Mike). (;

Wish we were in beautiful CA to celebrate. Geof. is flying back to us tomorrow morning and I can't wait (either can the kids, let me just tell you!). Geof. has been all mushy over the phone and I'm sure just thinks the world of us being so far away. Isn't it funny how the heart really DOES grow fonder from a distance? I, on the other hand, do miss Geof., but am mostly missing having another adult around here to balance things out. 4 days with out him! How'd I EVER do it when he was flying?!

The kids, however crazy they have driven me this past weekend, are as funny and cute as ever. I have to remind myself of that at least 100 times a day. Cole has a thing with numbers. He's always calling up to me in the van (yes, we bought a Toyota Sienna), "Mom, 8+5 is 13, 8+6 is 14...", and so on. He's also showing more interest in reading, and while driving I can hear him in the back seat reading the signs as we drive. It's so fun to see him actually figuring the whole reading thing out and feeling more confident. We do flashcards every night and I just started reading "Mrs. Piggle Wiggle" to him and he LOVES it. I think he mostly loves the undivided attention of mom. (;

Dayne..., oh Dayne. I'm the primary pianist in the ward, so fortunately for me (or not so fortunate?) I get to watch and observe everything this funny girl does during Primary. She's still in her own world, completely!! As much as she loves to sing, she's not singing in Primary! Like me, she notices everything about people. She's always commenting on hairdo's, clothing, the way people talk, or walk. I almost strangled her the other day when we were walking into a Walmart and a midget, who was quite overweight walked past us. Dayne yells out to me, "Mom.., why is that fa..." to which I promptly covered her mouth and pushed her forward. As soon as I saw the lady I knew she'd say something. Oh...

Dayne loves music, especially the pop stuff that all the teenagers are listening to. Dang it. As soon as she sees the station in the car, she stops me and yells out, "I love it!!" and then dances or flicks her hair all the way to our destination. I'm really in for it, I know.

Junie! What a terrible two! She's talking a ton more and can go from a complete psycho to the sweetest thing in the world. I can't keep her clothes on, and she loves her "Once upon a Dream" song. Just today in Sac. Mtg., she was looking at her new Disney Princess folder that I got her, and kept pointing out, "Indaweya" (Cinderella) over and over again! And soon after, I couldn't get her to stop singing her beloved Sleeping Beauty song. We don't sit through Sac. Mtg. much, anymore.

Alright. Gotta run. Bored you all, I'm sure. Happy late Thanksgiving! Ours was good. Ate with some new friends in the ward who had a house just like the Pennyslvania house in "Marley and Me". I couldn't stop drooling..

Happy Birthday Mikey!

Happy Birthday Mikey!

I love you Mike and I'm really very glad you were born. You are my very best friend and I am so thrilled to have you home with me- one year!

Happy Birthday, Mike & Meagan!

Don't get me wrong, I really love cake, but I couldn't be making a cake for Mike today and another for Meagan on Monday...so I just had to combine both of you together. It was really yummy too, Devil's Food with a chocolate-orange buttercream filling. Too bad none of you are in Colorado or I would have shared. Hope all your wildest dreams are coming true out there in California.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

My First Race

My running buddies (one of which has a two month old son) decided to run the Gobble Wobble in Denver. It was so much fun. I'm so grateful that Adam and the kids made it in time to cheer me on to the finish line!



There was face painting and a bounce castle and plenty of swag. Sierra is the queen of scoping out free things, like water bottles, and she gets enough for the whole family.

We elfed our selves..

Hope this works!! Happy early Christmas!
http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/G5P4clejznpWgTap?cmpid=ey_fb_self

A Quarter of a Century!

What a dreamboat! :)

Happy BURTday to my sweet 25 year old boy! This has been a big year for us, and I couldn't have survived it without Brind! I love him so much!

Happy Birthday, Brind!

I, um, totally made this cake for you. Then I ate it.
Happy Birthday
<3 Adam, Mindi, Sierra, Kaia, Tristan & Ruby
p.s. To celebrate your birthday I'm going to Twilight and New Moon tonight.

25 years wow-wee

happy birthday little brother.  thanks for being a great brother, uncle and friend!  i love you little guy!

Our New Addition...

For a happy birthday present to my sweet hubby, we got a kitty last night. Brind has wanted one as long as I've known him, while I could pass on having a pet for the time being. (I just gave him a baby to play with, isn't that enough!?)

But I gotta say... she is a doll! I love her already. Brind named her Cleopatra because of her pretty black "eyeliner", and we've been calling her - "CLEO!"

We went to the Humane Society and tried out 3 kitties and loved them all but were *torn* between Cleo and a little orange kitten named Hailey. We couldn't decided, they were both awesome so Burt flipped a coin and thats how Cleo came home with us! The people at the Humane Society had named her "Fancy Free" - isn't that lame? Yeah, so we changed her name before we even owned her.

Jane's Poem-she didn't want me to post this, but I did

A Storm, by Jane Stinchield

The wind shakes the trees
and howls in the night
Birds fly across a huge blue blanket of sky
that is turning dark with clouds
Water splashes as it cuts
through hills and mountains
An ocean crashes
on the sand
roaring like thunder
Rain pours down
making mud of dirt
The waves become rough
and wildly toss themselves to and fro
Thunder booms
and lightning lights the almost black sky
It rains all night.

And all day
It smells of moist earth
And salty sea air
Roses are dripping with water
Grass grows taller,
more green
After the storm

bennett Christmas exchange

sorry to do this on the family blog but it is the easiest way…….

i have done the name draw for Christmas we would like to do it like we did last year.  a reuse/gift or homemade gift

so here it goes………

-brothers and sisters-

mike—brind

brooke—julia

adam—geof.

mindi—me

meagan—ellynn

cory—adam

geof.—jason

darla—brooke

ellynn—mike

jason—darla

brind—cory

julia—mindi

-now for the cousins-

jane—june

sadie—violet

ellyn—hazel

sawyer—tristan

sierra—sadie

kaia—wil

tristan—dayne

ruby—finn

jackson—cole

bennett—sierre

wilohm—ruby

hazel—sawyer

cole—kaia

dayne—bennett

june—jane

finn—jackson

violet—ellyn

i hope this works for everyone.  let me know if it doesn’t we can totally work something out!

Pumpkin Patch...

Ellynn and Finn came to hang out with us for the day a few weeks ago. We made a trip to ol' Packs Farm pumpkin patch.

I'm afraid this is becoming a trend. Can you tell Indie doesn't want her picture taken?!?

Elly and Finny

Cashy, Maddie and Chlo. Cutest. picture. ever.

Alicia and the girls.

I thought this picture was hilarious with Madison's little head poking up.

Ind actually liked the hay maze.

Look at those eyes.

My babies.

The whole crew minus dad, who was taking the picture. Indie freaking again. Cash couldn't pull his gaze away from the creepy robotic farmer named Tumbleweed who actually talks to the kids.

After the patch we enjoyed a walk in the nice autumn weather, chili and cornbread for dinner and then a rousing game of Ticket to Ride with Cort and Rodgie. It made for a great day.

Thanks for coming to visit Elly. Please come back soon.

va

I'm using our old computer today. It's WAY slow..almost not worth it. Geof.'s been taking the laptop to work leaving me computerless. Let's just say, it's WONDERFUL!! I get so much done. However, there's days like today where I have a ton to do and need to computer. Look at this sweet pic of Cole and Dayners. We're already missing summer around here. Shirtless days, bleached hair, and sunkissed skin free of cold sores (Geof., Cole, Dayne, and I have all been cursed with this nasty virus).

It's rainy and cold out and I'm really wishing it wasn't so the girls and I could be playing outside. I just got called to be the Stake Youth Choir Director and I'm terrified! We're singing for Christmas at the Richmond Metro Zoo (owned by members) and at a few other things throughout the year. I've never been a choir director before!! ....I'm excited, though. I also told the RS Pres. I would be happy to do "Women at the Well" in March. What was I thinking?! No, I do wanna do it.., but am a little scared. We'll be doing it in March, just like Le Anne did it, for the Relief Society birthday party. It's the perfect time of year to do it-close to easter.

As for our family, the kids are good. We're signing Cole up for soccer and basketball through YMCA and possibly dance for Dayne. We'll see. June's in and out of potty training. Not fun. Geof.'s been working very steadily which makes us happy. We've been minivan shopping and maybe house hunting soon. Who knows? We miss all of you-especially at this time of year. Come visit!

to our lovely Minders

Mindi, mindi, MINDI!!! We love you, LOVE YOU! Why can't we all be together celebrating...at Disneyland?!! Miss you..

xoxoxo

Geof., Darla, Cole, Dayne and Junie

p.s. so sorry we're a day late!!

one more

oh and one of me and cory.  sorry now i’m done.

more……….

and this one of adam and mindi

bglife

just found this cute picture of cory 

to the beautiful birthday girl

remember when…………

we were young and had much less responsibility?  now we are not so young, but i am all over ditching all responsibility so just say the word and we could be back in europe playing the way should be!  when we get super rich i will whisk us off on another dream vacation, but until then i send you a (belated) birthday wish that all your dreams will come true!  i love you, thanks for being born!  you are my bff!!!

love……….me

A name and a blessing...

Sunday, November 1st, 2009

Eden's Blessing Day

We finally got around to blessing our sweet Eden. Never you mind the fact she is almost four months old. Had we waited much longer she would've just walked up there with Tony.

Tony gave Eden the most beautiful blessing. One of my favorite parts was when he blessed her to be a joy and a light to those around her.

When Indie was about a year old I was reading a random blog and saw the name Eden, right then I fell in love. I promptly called Tony and told him I had found the name of our next daughter...and he loved it too. Grace was my great grandma's name and I have always loved it. And that is how we came up with Eden Grace.

A few months ago, I googled the name Eden and found that it means "delight." She truly is a delight and a special part of our family.

Eden was blessed in a beautiful dress that is over 30 years old. It is the same dress I was blessed in as well as my sisters Alicia and Lydia, my niece Chloe and Indie too. My niece Maddie is the only girl in our family that didn't wear it, only because she was too chubby for it.

Edie wore these little lovelies that were hand made by my great aunt Iva Lou for my girls to wear on their blessing days.

It was a great meeting. Afterwards we had a luncheon at our/my parents home. It was great to have family and friends there. I am truly overwhelmed by how blessed I am to have an amazing husband, two beautiful daughters and supportive family and friends.

A great day indeed.

The last of Halloween

I know we're past it.., but I wanted to post pics mostly of Cole's rockin' costume. It was NOT an easy costume to pull off, but he got lots of compliments. (;

Ellynn and Jason, our prayers and thoughts are with you and the Willmores. We love you and are so sorry for this tragic loss.

Mike's Pinning On Ceremony

Here it is. I'm so proud of my husband. He is amazing in more ways than I can count. The Army is dang lucky to have him and so am I.

First I get to take off Mike's Captain Rank and replace it with Major Rank. I've just done this and now we are listening to Mike's new responsibilities.

I get to give him a hug and kiss.

Oath of Office
Our good friend, Vince, standing between Mike and myself. Our other good friend, Jason, on the very end. The kids? Sitting in the van two parking spots away. We kept the sickies out of the pics. They will all thank us later.