Wednesday, August 24, 2011

So this has been an interesting week. First surgery, as you all know.



Then on Saturday at about mile 7 of a 15 mile run my face acted as a windshield. A bee hit my face so hard. It got stuck right under my right eye. I scarped it off and finished my run. But by Sunday morning when I did sharing time this is what I looked like....



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Saturday, August 20, 2011

Va Bennett family newsletter

Well hello fellow Bennett family members. It seems like only last year I was not attending the family
reunion with all of you. Of course we wish we could be with you, but we’ll hope for next year. Since last
we didn’t speak we’ve been same old, same old. I’ll give you the quick rundown.

June: Age, 4; Height, short; Voice, beautiful. We can sit and listen to her sing and watch her show us
ballet moves all day long. The girl was born to perform and so that’s what she does. We don’t even
need a radio or television, just a June. The girl is sunlight in the flesh, I believe that there couldn’t be a
cuter little caboose to our family.

Dayne: Age, 6; Height, middleish; Voice, husky. Dayne is continually coloring pictures for us and making
up stories that keep us all entertained. Her mother and I are concerned that most her stories already
center around boys. We’re looking into local convents she could live in until 20 or so. Her hugs and
smiles keep our family going. Dayne enjoyed her first year of school and is looking forward to 1st grade
to start shortly.

Cole : Age, 8; Height, shorter than Marilyn’s kids; Voice, boyish. Cole has had a year of playing and
responsibility, intermingled. He has been a good big brother and has been a big help to his mother and
me. This year he pretty much dominated soccer where most weeks he performed a hat trick. Some
weeks his coach would have to pull him out so that he would stop scoring. He was also baptized, and
was glad to have his grandma/pa Bennett and Uncle Adam and Aunt Mindi come out for the event. The
kid IS energy and we do our best to keep up with him.

Darla: Age, 29ish; Height, ish; Voice, wonderful. Darla has had a busy year. We bought a little house in
Richmond and she has been beautifying it in between trips. Recently she was able to go visit New York
with a friend and returned home in time to re pack and head off for the west coast with the kids, for a
month. In that time she has stayed in Utah, Oregon, and Washington. I really didn’t think I had married
my mom but there are some things that just stay with you. This year she completed the final classes to
receive her associates’ degree. She has directed a stake youth choir and helped feed/entertain the city.
I’m kind of overwhelmed by what she is able to do.

Geof.: Age, ailing; Height, shorter than Marilyn; Voice, dry. It’s been a good year. I was able to run my
first half marathon. I also have been able to go on vacation by proxy with my family. I feel like each
time I pay the bills it’s as though I was actually in that distant fun city, or eating that food. We were
able to take a trip down south in May to meander through the lovely street of Charleston S.C., and
stroll down the lazy streets of Savannah, GA.. This past month I was able to go with our stake youth to
Kirtland, OH. which was a life enhancing experience. I am blessed to have a family that I feel is perfect.

We’re sad we couldn’t get to the reunion to see you all and I am hoping that we can make it next year.
Please, please if you have an inkling of visiting the east come out and stay with us. I hope you are all
well.

Much love,

The Geoffrey, Darla, Cole, Dayne, and June Bennett family.

Friday, August 05, 2011

Glacier, MT

I have a coin collecting obsession. I'm in love with the "America the Beautiful Quarters" and I'm determined to find a way to visit all 56 sites, with a quarter in hand. Dorky, I know. Our first trip was to Glacier NP:


We met up there with Adam's mission buddies, Chad Bernards and Kevin Fairhurst & their families. We used to hang out with them in the pre-children era, and now we have 10 kids between us. We rented a house outside the park and it all worked out perfectly. Kevin's wife, Heidi, is a very good photographer with a great camera and she generously shared all the pics with us. Some of my favorites:





Then from our camera:






Next on the Quarters list: Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas; Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming; Yosemite National Park, California; Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona; Mt. Hood National Forest, Oregon; Gettysburg National Military Park, Pennsylvania; Olympic National Park, Washington; Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi and Chickasaw National Recreation Area, Oklahoma.

Thursday, August 04, 2011

A few random shots

Les Mis...


A twilight swim with The cousins.





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