One year older and wiser too! Happy birthday...

...to you! Bryson's birthday is actually tomorrow but we had our little family party tonight. The weekend festivities I had planned had to be postponed because all our kids have been sick, including Hunter who spent the day in the ER on Friday. Still, it was fun to take some time tonight and celebrate the man who blesses our little family so much each and every day.

The traditional Bennett birthday cake picture. It was a blazing inferno by the time we got all the kids in place. Yellow cake with chocolate frosting-in case you were wondering.

So glad Hunter was home to celebrate his daddy's birthday.

Presents: Skull candy headphones, new socks, iTunes card

A little update from Arizona

So, I've been thinking about reviving the ol' blog for a while now. For one thing, Bryson gave me his old work laptop so I'll be able to sit and blog on the couch in the evenings. I almost never use the computer in my little office because I check my email and do other internet stuff (can't really use it to blog though) on my iPhone. Plus, once I sit down on the couch after everyone is tucked into bed, any activity that requires me to move from said spot is just too darn exhausting. I guess the other reason I've taken such a long hiatus from blogging is because I've sort of been turned off by the whole concept of it. After reading various posts that involved sharing with absolutely no filter whatsoever mistaken as candor, it soured things for me for a bit. (And made me worry about if I've ever been guilty of doing it!) Still, I've decided to give blogging a try again. Especially now that we live in a different state than most of our family and friends I can't deny that blogging is a great way to stay connected. So here's a little update on us, but mostly on my cute kidlets.

Happy Hunter.

When we moved to Arizona we decided to put Hunter in school. (He's never attended consistently in the past.) I wanted him to get to experience more of life outside the walls of his bedroom. To have the opportunity to interact with people outside of his immediate family. To give other people the chance to get to know him and feel of his sweet spirit. Facilitating his school experience has not been easy. Months have passed during which he was either too sick to attend or unable to because of conflicts with the district over Hunter's care at school. Still, when he was able to go it was really neat to watch him get on the bus in the morning and head off to school for some adventures. I think the best way to describe the past year with Hunter is that it's been really hard to see the forest for the trees. But I know the Lord has been there every step of the way, just waiting on me while I try and find my way. And I think I am.

Picking up Leynie at preschool. Here she is with her friends-little cuties!

My sweet Eleyna is growing and learning so quickly. It took her a while to settle in at her new preschool after we moved, but she's really blossomed the last couple of months. She's learning how to read right now and it's amazing. She's so fun to hang out with. When we run errands together we talk and laugh and have a great time. Today she asked me what a miscreant was (she heard the word on Ice Age) so we hashed that out over our muffins at Paradise. She's my bestie.

This kiddo makes me smile everyday.

Rock makes me scratch his back whenever I put him down for a nap or bed. He says, "Scratch back me mama." He loves going to the QuikTrip with his daddy for donuts. He tells Bryson when he walks in the door after work to go lay down so they can "fight". He routinely body slams Bria when they're playing which is so cute and frustrating. He gives the sweetest kisses and the way he says I love you is too precious. He loves hippos and "tick-tocks" (alligators). He is Eleyna's little shadow and wants to do everything that she does. I can't get enough of this kid.

Is this a tired face or what?

This little girl is my blessing from heaven. She is the sweetest, happiest little person. She has been a balm for soul during a really trying time. She's in to everything right now and on the verge of walking. She crawls as fast as her little arms and legs will carry her chasing her big brother and sister around the house. Trying to keep up with those two is exhausting work. Love this picture with her little tongue hanging out!

Life is good here in Arizona. We are very blessed. I love my babies and I sure feel lucky to hang out with these tiny people every day and to be married to their daddy. He's the best. Seriously. Whelp, until next time.

Hunter's 7th birthday video at OneTrueMedia.com

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

6th birthday video

Well, I tried posting Hunter's birthday video to my blog like I do every year, but for some reason this time it kept posting it too big so you could only view half the picture as it played. Anyway, I'm finally giving up and just offering the link to the video (here) for your viewing pleasure.

You better head on over and check it out because I'm counting this as my one post for 2012. Seriously.

Rainy day thoughts

I woke up feeling pretty depressed this morning. After a long night the last things I wanted to see were gray rain clouds, snow on the mountains, or feel cold tile on my bare feet. Heavenly Father, in all of his glorious, eternal majesty and power, must have noticed though, because the next thing I know I'm watching this (try not to cry, I balled like a baby!)

http://youtu.be/3qQApICCALo

and reading this

http://www.womenofchristianity.com/?p=5325

and I got goosebumps when I read this part in particular:

"Christian mothers carry their children in hostile territory. When you are in public with them, you are standing with, and defending, the objects of cultural dislike. You are publicly testifying that you value what God values, and that you refuse to value what the world values. You stand with the defenseless and in front of the needy. You represent everything that our culture hates, because you represent laying down your life for another—and laying down your life for another represents the gospel.

Our culture is simply afraid of death. Laying down your own life, in any way, is terrifying. Strangely, it is that fear that drives the abortion industry: fear that your dreams will die, that your future will die, that your freedom will die—and trying to escape that death by running into the arms of death.

But a Christian should have a different paradigm. We should run to to the cross. To death. So lay down your hopes. Lay down your future. Lay down your petty annoyances. Lay down your desire to be recognized. Lay down your fussiness at your children. Lay down your perfectly clean house. Lay down your grievances about the life you are living. Lay down the imaginary life you could have had by yourself. Let it go."

Because I just knew that HE knew the words I needed to read and the feelings I needed to feel.

And I couldn't stop smiling as I fed the kiddos lunch.

Because, really, could you resist this face?

I feel humbled.

Jocey and Chris get married!

We kicked it off with... the wedding dinner the night before at Carrabba's.
Bry and Jocey after the ceremony. She looked stunning! Leynie and Celeste, our babysitter. (I've nicknamed her "Celestial".)
Waiting for the bride.
Love this one of Eleyna and her two favorite peeps, Kyser and Nash.
I always get a little nostalgic at weddings and drive Bry crazy by making him take "couple" photos with me-like it's our wedding day! It will be seven years in November. Love you babe.
A little vision of the future perhaps?
The brothers with Joce. What a good group!
We have had a LOT of weddings over the past few summers! But I'm happy to say that after last weekend Bryson's side of the family is complete. Jocelyn, Bry's little sister, married Chris Ferguson in the Mt. Timpanogos temple on Saturday. It was extra special for me because my cute Grandpa Durrant was their sealer. I've seen my grandpa perform several weddings but this one was really spiritual for me. I'm so grateful for the things I felt while I was there. After some pictures outside the temple we got to go to lunch with Brad and Jeanette. It was great to sneak a few minutes in with them during all the wedding craziness. The reception was Saturday evening and we had a fun time visiting with family and friends. We are so happy for the new couple!

Catch with Daddy

This clip is mostly for my parents down in Texas. Looks like we may have a baseball player on our hands. :)

This week was pretty chill. I took Eleyna to swim lessons every day out in Springville. I got to go to lunch with Grandma C, Uncle Oscar and my two cute cousins, Megan and Mindy, at El Bandito. I went to a shower for some Bennett cousins on Saturday. The kids and I went and visited with April and Caleb. We organized the kids' room downstairs and hung pictures--finally! And I dyed my hair red. Two hilarious moments were when Eleyna told me, "Mom, you look sylish!" and when she put up her hand and told Bry, "Dad, stop talking!" (Sometimes there are moments when she seems sixteen instead of three.)

Hunter has been suffering from an ear infection this week so his seizures have been out of control. Also, we had to put him back on the breathing treatment we were trying to wean him off of because he wasn't doing well enough without it. He should be feeling better soon!