First Day of School

School started August 18th! Here are out little 2nd and 1st graders.

Hi, family!

Just posted about our fun camping trip that would have been even better had you all been there! Too lazy to re-post it on here. Check it out. http://eastcoastbennetts.blogspot.com/2010/08/i-could-live-in-tent.html

Blueberry

Well family, we've done it again. Brinders and I are expecting baby #2 in late April or early May. I don't want to say it was a surprise because I was no longer on birth control and we were talking about another baby... but it took us 8 months to get pregnant with Violet and we foolishly assumed it would take awhile this time around. We didn't think we would be pregnant the NEXT MONTH! We found out a week after moving to Kansas. (WOO-HOO! Our baby was made in Washington!) So needless to say, I've been feeling very overwhelmed (and violently ill like I could never imaging a human could be). SO SICK... even waking up in the night having to throw up. I was sick with Violet, but nothing like this. Brind gave me a blessing and I've been taking B6 and Ginger pills and am feeling better and even ate solid food today! But feeling wimpy I had to called my mommy and say, "I need help!" Violet and I flew back "home" and are loving being pampered by Grandma :) We miss Brind fiercely and are planing on flying back to Kansas next week. Well, thats the low down on the babe. I don't have any better info because I still have yet to make an appointment with an OB, they don't even care to see you till like 12 weeks anyway so I feel no rush. Apparently, this is how big our baby is this week. (I think, I'm not totally sure how many weeks I am.)

Thanks!

Thank you for all the bday wishes. You are all way too kind and a little crazy. I'm not that nice, really. I had a great bday though, despite the fact that I am getting OLD!!!!

Ashley, Joanie, and fam, I wish I could have been there for the wedding. I thought of you all weekend and Monday and I was extremely jealous that Jane got to go. Ashley, (I'm sure you are on your honeymoon right now and could care less what I say) you looked absolutely gorgeous.

I love you all and miss you tons.
Love,
Brooke


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father's blessingss

The kids all lined up chairs tonight for their Father's Blessings. School starts Wednesday. I'm really excited.

This picture looks like it could have been taken in 1978. I'm sure the curtains that are in the background have been there for at least 31.5 years.

Link to My Blog

I have made a photo blog of the pictures that I take. This is the link  www.lifeoncamera-jane.blogspot.com

Oh my gosh I LOVE my sister!!! I don't think there is a girl alive who admires there older sister more than I do. All of you know her. All of you know why. There are people sent into this world to make it a better place, to inspire and encourage. Brooke is one of those special spirit on loan to us from our Heavenly Father. I love you, and I strive to be like you!! And then to top it off you have one of the cutest, sweetest, most loving girl alive (Janie bear). Happy birthday to you both! I love you!!!!


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14!!!

HAPPY Birthday, pensive Jane. (; And just so you know, "pensive" doesn't ALWAYS mean thoughtful when sad, as better described in this dictionary.com definition: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pensive/. However, you and Uncle Geof. both seem a bit 'sadly' pensive in first pic. Haha!

Happy birthday!

To the best auntie in the world! We love you, Brookie!

The U.S.A.

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Lori/Bennett/Brooke Bars

Happy Birthday, Brooke! For your birthday I'm going to give you a recipe you already have :) I thought I'd post the Lori Bars (homemade powerbar) recipe and then include all my optional add-ins. Then you can do it your own way and call them Brooke Bars (sounds more edible than Stinchfield Bars).

Lori Bars (Lori is the spin teacher/physical therapist from our gym, btw)

1 TB butter

1 c pecans, chopped

1 c almonds, chopped

2/3 c coconut, shredded

1 1/4 c rolled oats

1 1/2 c rice crispies

1 c honey

1/4 c sugar

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 TB cocoa

1 tsp vanilla

Grease 13x9 with butter. On rimmed baking sheet toast pecan, almonds and coconut for 10 min or until coconut is browned. Toss a few times along the way. In large bowl, mix toasted nuts, coconut, oats & cereal. Combine honey, sugar, salt, cocoa & vanilla in small saucepan over med. heat & stir constantly until it comes to a boil & thickens ~ 4 min. Pour syrup mix over dry mix and stir, spread into pan and cool. Cut with pizza cutter.

I change my Bennett Bars each time I make them. First, I always double the recipe. I cut out the sugar and reduced the honey, then added 1 c water to replace that liquid. I've replaced the rice crispies with brown rice flour and I add walnuts & cashews (mixed in the food processor until they become "butter"). I love chia seeds and ground flax seeds so I always add 1/2 c of each if I have them on hand. Someday I want to try a raisin/cinnamon version.

I found a great website, http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php , where you can just enter your ingred. and portion size and they'll tell you all the nutrition info. If anyone knows how I can figure out the cost of each portion please let me know. I'm feeding these to Ruby right now b/c the Dr. says I need to fatten her up. She hates the other "healthy fats" (that's for you Ellynn) that I try to feed her, but she loves Bennett Bars.

{this batch turned out great, if I didn't hate the post office so much I'd mail them to you, as you can see I'm really bad at making straight lines}

Double Trouble

And I wanted to make sure I got a pic of June in her jumpsuit from Grandma. With the short hair, she's sure to be mistaken for a boy.., but I think by the time she wears it (our current 100 degree plus high humidity isn't jump suit weather), I think she might be okay. (; Thanks, Gma!

10 Blissful Years

Forgiveness

Joan! What beautiful pics! I don't know if we would have added or taken away from the "good lookingness" of the family, but I'm sad we're not there (lookingness is a word, right?). So, just watched this video that I saw on another blog. Absolutely necessary that everyone watches it, and re-watches it and internalizes it. Wow, the atonement is real. Love you all.

Aren't Families the Best!

So this could be our new "sister's" picture. I'm sure one

of you will put it there.

I just wanted to thank everyone for all the help yesterday.

I can't tell you how overwhelmed I was, along with Ashley,

of all of you coming to support her. It was a great day!And I must say, we have the best looking family ever!

(More pictures are on my blog, I didn't want to waste space).

Typical Finn

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Bglife - handsome ransom

Look who just turned four months....


How how I love this sweet little angel who has come into my life!

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Happy Birthday Cuz!

Jessica, I hope you have a great birthday! I think I can safely represent the entire familia when I say that we LOVE you so much and we are so glad we have you!

I love you Jess.

Can we go back?

Oh, our time in WA wasn't enough! It never is! I'd forgotten I had these pics and had to post. Ellynn is so dang hysterical, I can't even handle it. Notice the before and after pose? She makes being without Geof. bearable. Hm..did that sound weird? Only because she's so much LIKE Geof., I meant..




And Mindi. Strong, spiritual, splendid, superior..any other S words that describe Mindi? She wouldn't let me get many pics of her, so here's some I found! So there! (;

And we can't forget little Ruby that I hope warms up to me a bit more next visit. Miss you all. Please make to the trek out to Nauvoo in Oct. so Geof. can see you..

p.s. Check out my blog in a few days for an update on our trip to Brooke's. It was too short. Enough said.

Star Wars

Cole loves starwars and found this funny jibjab video the other day. We put our faces in to make an even more hysterical version. Watch it! http://starwars.jibjab.com/view/CIwHOhDqRnhHyO3GlKqd

Schedule of upcoming events in Utah...

Hey everyone, I just wanted to post a schedule so that anyone who is in town can join us...

Sunday, August 1st:

Shelli, Madi and Olivia arrive at 2:30.

Volleyball and treats at Aunt Jack's home at 6:30.

Monday, August 2nd:

Swimming at Aunt Paula's or Cherry Hill.

Ashley's shower at Aunt Jack's from 6:30 to 8:30.

Tuesday, August 3rd:

Cherry Hill or Aunt Paula's, whatever we didn't do the day before.

Wednesday, August 4th:

Celebrate the day of my birth 29 years ago.

Shelli and the girls depart.

Thursday, August 5th:

Friday, August 6th:

Saturday, August 7th:

Bair Gutsman at 6:00 a.m. (I would really like to run it but I don't remember the trail. Does anyone want to do it with me?!?)

Jared Willmore 5k run/walk at 7:00 a.m.

Sunday, August 8th:

Monday, August 9th:

The big event!

If anyone would like to add something in please do!!!

Le Anne, Ellery, Meagan, Cory, Adam and Mindi, when are you guys coming into town? I think we need to fill in the blank days with amazingly fun things to do while you are here, ie... fondue party, Pineview, anything really, especially if it involves food and swimming.

Can't. Froggin'. Wait.