The Bennett Bunch

Family Pics

2011-08-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

Finally got some new family pics. Here are a few random selections. (The one of Brady and I is unedited...obviously!)

Growing Up

2011-05-31T21:07:00.000-07:00

I was in Rexburg today. I don't go there often because I don't care for it. I realized why today. I really never did know why before. I saw college students walking down the road to and from grocery stores and restaurants, in groups and alone. I saw them driving around and having fun. Walking around the park and talking. I was not happy as a single person in a college town dating and hanging out with roommates. Having been forced to grow up at such a young age, it all seemed uninteresting to me. I was unhappy for many of those years, until I met Brady. I am happier now than I have ever been. I am where I want to be. I didn't like being single or dating. Don't get me wrong, those things are good and appropriate and fun. It just wasn't my cup of tea. I am a different breed of cat altogether and I am willing to admit it. Those times are for learning and growing and exploring. I was pretty world weary by the time I graduated from high school, and the inherent instability that comes with being a young single adult was not fun for me. I needed stability. And finality. And I really just wanted to get on with life. I had learned what I needed to learn about life and relationships when I was in junior high. I don't regret this since it has made me who I am, and I am happy with me. I am so grateful for a husband who is a rock. Who is the least selfish person I know. Who is a worthy priesthood holder. Who works hard to support and take care of us. I am so thankful for my beautiful babies, who make me work harder and give me a greater reward than anything else could. So, while those college days are great for most, for me, not so much. So, just one more reason to be thankful that we are all different and get to make our own way in this life.

2011-04-01T14:50:00.000-07:00

This is the best love song. At least, I think it is! It sums up how much I love my hubby and my babies and how blessed I am to have them!

"I Got You" by Craig Morgan

I've had big dreams come true and I believe in
Angels although I can't see them
They're watching over everything I do

Ain't no easy street around the bend on my road
No pot of gold at the end of my rainbow
But I don't mind 'cause baby I got you

The rain keeps the flowers from dying
The sun lights the world when it shines
The midnight sky has a blanket
Of stars and the moon, and
Baby I got you

I can't imagine one day without you in it
Life alone just wouldn't be worth living
Love would be a wish that never came true

Lord knows I got more than I deserve
But I don't question the prayers I've been answered
I did something right 'cause Baby I got you

The rain keeps the flowers from dying
The sun lights the world when it shines
The midnight sky has a blanket
Of stars and the moon, and
Baby I got you

Keeps the flowers from dying
The sun lights the world when it shines
The midnight sky has a blanket
Of stars and the moon, and
Baby I got you, yeah

Baby I got you
Baby I got you

2011-02-25T21:02:00.000-08:00

I have been overwhelmed lately by the goodness of the people that are around us. My kids have been sick for weeks and I have been stressed and worried and worn out. Not to mention that my poor babies are miserable. One particular day in the middle of this mess, I had no less than 5 people call me and offer to help me with my kids, my errands, and various other things. I have had people offer to watch my kids so I could nap or go get groceries. I have had people offer to go get groceries for me and to take the child who was well so I could take the other one to the doctor. I have had people offer to bring in meals and teach my Sunday School class for me. I have flaked out on people because my kids were sick and the reaction was only kindness and love and concern. I have had doctors in my neighborhood come to my house to check one of my kids because both of them were sick and I just couldn't face dragging them both out the door to the doctor...again. At the end of all of this, I am left feeling only love and gratitude for the people around me, and I am humbled by the outpouring of compassion for us. I only hope that I can do the same when someone needs me.

My Babies

2011-02-18T15:06:00.000-08:00

Caleb is the sweetest little man. He smiles constantly and is completely content. After his traumatic entrance to the world and his illness so early in his life, he has pleased us with his progress. He is a little eater and is growing like a weed. He weighs almost 20 lbs. He started at just over 6 lbs when he was born a month early. He is 8 months old now and I don't know what we would do without him. He loves to play on the floor and will just roll and roll and roll. He is up on his knees ocassionally, and I think he will crawl any day. He has absolutely no interest in sitting, because that would mean he wasn't moving! He is a little mama's boy and I don't mind one bit. He is nice and chubby, so he is squishy and cuddly. He weighs 3/4 of what Katie weighs, so he is definitely a handful! I love his big grin and his big green eyes. We just love our sweet boy and are so thankful he is part of our family.

Katie will be 3 in April and she is more like 3 going on 16. She is way too big for her britches. She is always telling me how funny she is and how silly she is, and she is right. She is constantly cracking us up. She is so smart and she can recognize all of her numbers and most of her letters. She loves to tell us what color everything is. She is a super-sweet big sister and she adores her baby brother. She talks baby talk to him that is just hilarious and smothers him with love and kisses. She loves to read and do puzzles and she is a little bit of a tomboy. She loves Cars and Toy Story more than princesses and loves to play with balls. She does, however, have to make sure her socks match and that she has a bow in her hair. She is a nice mix of tomboy and girlie-girl, which I love. She is a major daddy's girl and the adoration is mutual. We are so thankful for our sweet Katie and don't know what we would do without her.

REJOICE!

2010-12-12T15:47:00.000-08:00

"He whose birth we commemorate this season is more than the symbol of a holiday. He is the Son of God, the Creator of the earth, the Jehovah of the Old Testament, the fulfillment of the Law of Moses, the Redeemer of mankind, the King of Kings, the Prince of Peace. . . .

"And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!

"For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father--

"That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God."(D&C 76:22-24).

"And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." (2 Nephi 25:26)

We are thankful for our Savior and for what he has done for us. He has provided a way for us to return to him, if we will take advantage of his Atonement and improve ourselves and repent. We are thankful for the opportunity to be an eternal family. We are thankful for the gospel in our life and for the happiness it brings to our home. We hope you all feel the love of the Savior this Christmas season, and that you can also know that he is the source that we look to for everything we have that is good.

Family Pictures

2010-09-25T14:40:00.000-07:00

Some random pics from our photo shoot today.

2010-07-28T17:14:00.000-07:00

My handsome little man

Kate and Maddie at the spray park

Brady let Kate run through our sprinklers one night. It was hilarious!

This is a typical scene at our house these days. Kate has decided that she has to have all of these blankets all the time. I love dragging them around everywhere. Caleb is a little piglet and can't wait more that about one minute for food once he is ready for it. At least I am sitting down!

Tender Mercies

2010-07-15T16:39:00.000-07:00

We were very blessed in the days leading up to Caleb being born. The Saturday before we had him my mom and sisters held a baby shower for us. We were given lots of fun gifts, and all of them were things we needed. The next day, on Sunday, I woke up and had a strong feeling that I needed to get all of my laundry done that day. I never do housework on Sunday, but I knew that I was being prompted, so I did it. On Monday I got some things from Amanda that I needed and bought the last few things I needed for him at Wal-Mart. That night I cut Brady's hair and got my hair cut the next night. All of these things were done because I felt an urgent prompting to do them. We had Caleb on Tuesday night at 11:29pm. It was so nice to come home after being in the hospital with a new baby being fully prepared. I didn't even have to worry about getting anyone's hair cut. I recognize that I was prompted to do all of these things. Had they gone undone it wouldn't have been the end of the world. It really wouldn't have mattered much at all. They were all things that could have been done after the baby was born. However, I am so thankful that Heavenly Father knew that I would feel more peace of mind with those things taken care of. It was truly a tender mercy that he extended to us so that we wouldn't have anything to worry about besides taking care of our new baby. It was his way of showing us he loves us and wants us to be happy. I am very thankful for a loving Father in Heaven who takes care of us.

Priceless

2010-07-09T09:16:00.001-07:00

3 Months Fertility Drugs: $300
6 IUI's: $600
4 Ultrasounds: $550
Emergency C-Section: $11,000
12-Hour NICU Stay: $3000
OB/GYN Fee: $3000

Our little man: PRICELESS

Caleb Brady

2010-07-01T14:15:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday night I started hemmoraghing at 10:45. We rushed to the hospital and had an emergency c-section. Caleb was born 45 minutes after I started bleeding at 11:29 pm. He weighed in at 6lbs 3oz and he was 18 1/2 long. He only had to be in the NICU for 12 hours and was given a clean bill of health. He is eating like a champ and is just gorgeous. I think he looks like Jake. We are so thankful for our doctors and nurses who worked so fast and hard to take care of us. We were in a lot of danger while they were working to get him out. Since I had eaten not long before the c-section we just had a spinal block. I threw up the entire time they were working on me. Dr. Hall asked me if I could, "Try to stop barfing so he could put my guts back in." In the end, all of my guts got put back in and I got all stapled up. I am feeling fairly well now and I am ready to go home with my new little man.

Baby Time...

2010-06-25T11:24:00.000-07:00

Our c-section is scheduled for July 14th at 11am. I am hoping we make it until then and don't have to to it emergency style.

Easter...and Daddy's Girl

2010-04-16T15:13:00.000-07:00

We had a really fun Easter. It was a nice day to spend with the family. Katie was fun this year because she actually had a reaction to her Easter basket, so we got some cute video. On a more serious note, we are so thankful for our Savior and for the opportunity he has given us to repent and to be resurrected and to live with him again. It gives us such a wonderful goal to work toward. We are thankful for an eternal family and are so glad we get to see them often.This girl LOVES her dad. She is his little shadow and just adores him. This is a favorite activity for both of them.
We are super excited to meet our baby boy this summer. I have complete placenta previa, so we are taking it easy right now and waiting to see if I will have to have a c-section. As long as the baby is fine and healthy, I am fine with however he has to get here. As Brady so eloquently put it, "He has to get out of there somehow." Easy for him to say when it isn't his belly getting sliced open! :0) We will know more on that about the middle of May.

It's a Boy!

2010-03-05T20:04:00.001-08:00

Achilles Heel

2010-01-21T07:42:00.000-08:00

"And then there was Achilles. Now there was a guy who had it all; the build, the foot-speed. He could jab! He could take a hit! He could keep on comin'! BUT THAT FORSLUGGINER HEEL OF HIS! He barely gets nicked there once and kaboom! He's history." Phil-Walt Disney's "Hercules"

On Thursday Jan 14th Brady got hurt playing basketball at the church with his friends. He thought someone had landed on his leg. He limped around until Saturday when we finally decided he had better go to the doctor. The doctor thought his Achilles was torn either partially or completely. We had an ultrasound on Mon and determined that it was torn. On Wed the 20th we saw the orthopedist who immediately opened him up and discovered that it was in fact completely severed. He was able to repair it well. He is in a lot of pain and is very nauseated, but we are glad it is fixed and he should make a full recovery. No basketball or snowmobiling for now, but he will be able to again. I was completely overwhelmed by the offers of help I received from our family and neighbors. I probably won't have to do anything but sit around. Seriously though, we really appreciate all the support and are glad he is okay. We are excited that he should be back on his feet (literally) by the time the baby comes.

New Year

2010-01-06T13:16:00.000-08:00

It is a new year again, and once again I am trying to improve myself. Why, oh why, am I constantly having to do that?? My own fault, of course! I am looking forward to this year. It should be great. We are excited to have another baby and be done having babies. My first baby will be 2 and that happened in a blink. We still love our ward and our neighborhood and are just enjoying life. We feel like we are very blessed and are so thankful for our families. We are pretty lucky to live so close to all of our siblings and our parents. Our Katie is getting big and getting the funniest, cutest personality. She is a teaser like her dad and it constantly cracks up. She likes to tell us, "I funny." And she is, for sure!

Santa!

2009-12-22T12:29:00.003-08:00

Santa came to our family Christmas party last night. It was lots of fun for all of the kids. This is all of my nieces and nephews with him at Amanda's house.

We're Expecting!

2009-12-18T14:31:00.000-08:00

We are happy to announce that we are expecting baby #2 the end of July. We had our first appointment today and they heard the heartbeat and everything looks good. We are super excited!

Fall...

2009-10-17T18:22:00.000-07:00

I love the fall. It is my favorite time of year. I love the colors and the smells and the activities. I love Halloween and Thanksgiving, and, of course, my birthday. It is so fun to see the leaves change and look forward to the holidays. It is also a time that I reflect more on what I have and am thankful for. I am so thankful for my family, both immediate and extended. We are very fortunate to have awesome siblings, parents, aunt, uncles...you get the picture. This is the time of year that I lost my Grandma Radford and Grandma Shumway and my Grandpa Radford. I think of them now, when it is cool outside and the season is changing and think how grateful I am that the made it possible for me to have the life I have. I am so thankful for my wonderful husband and beautiful daughter. They are the light of my life and make every day wonderful for me. This year we are cutting back on gifts and stepping up the Christ-centered activities for Christmas and I am looking forward to it. We are so fortunate to live in a time and place that we have the freedom to choose how to worship and celebrate and live. I have set a goal to be less worldly and more Christ-like. I am far from where I need to be, but the journey has been good for me.
Katie watching BYU football with daddy

Katie being silly

Summer Fun...

2009-07-02T12:13:00.000-07:00

We are having fun so far this summer. Kate is getting so big and just talking all the time. She can say lots of words and she is starting to develop her own opinion and a little bit of an attitude. Right now it is more funny than anything, but I am willing to guarantee that the day will come that the attitude will no longer be funny. She is such a sweet baby and is so easy-going (mostly) and easy.

Fourth of July fun with cousins Hannah, Andrew, and Aaron Reading. Aaron is only 10 days old! We love cousins!

Cousin Kyle just home from his mission. Katie was born while he was gone so this is her first time meeting him.

Katie enjoying a radish.

Katie at Hogle Zoo with Daddy, Uncle Marty, and Grandma Dixie. Apparently all of the animals there say "moo" because that's what she told us!

Katie loves to swing!

Summer

2009-05-13T15:23:00.000-07:00

We are waiting impatiently for summer around here. Not much has been going on. We are enjoying our baby girl and she is getting so big. We are still struggling with her reflux and trying to find a safe and effective treatment, but in the meantime, she is eating really well and getting big. She is thirteen months old now, and I don't know where the time has gone. We have no news, really, and we consider that a good thing!

Frankenstein

2009-04-17T16:04:00.000-07:00

I am so excited. For those of you Harry Potter fans or Edward fans (I would be in both categories) compare this to waiting for the newest book to come out. You just can't wait for the next book and read it within the first day of buying it. Well, for me, this book is the same. It is the third and final in the trilogy. It was originally supposed to come out in December of 2007 and has been delayed...until now! WOO HOO! It will be out in July and I CAN'T WAIT!!! If you are not a Dean Koontz fan, I apologize for wasting your time. I have to say, though, you should try him out. He is AWESOME! If any of you out there want to read his books, I own every single one. Come on over...I promise it will be worth your time!!! Don't expect any conversation from me until I am done!

Birthday Girl!

2009-04-13T13:04:00.000-07:00

Our baby girl turned one! She had a birthday yesterday, on Easter Sunday. I cannot believe she is a year old. It doesn't seem like it was that long ago that we were trying so hard to get pregnant and having no success, and now she is a year old! We had a fun birthday party for her on Saturday and another one on Sunday. Between the two sides of our family there are so many people, we decided to break it up. We had a ball with her. The day I had her, my nephew Mathew wanted to get in the bed with us. I have a picture that is so sweet of him and Katie (not so sweet of me...) I decided to make it a tradition to get a picture of the three of us on her birthday.

2009-04-07T16:58:00.000-07:00

Brady's father passed away on Wednesday after a long battle with cancer. It has been a hard couple of days, and we are trying to settle in to being without him. He was such a great man, and I am eternally grateful to him for his son. I am also grateful for our knowledge of the Plan of Salvation.

With Katie the day she was born.

Teeth

2009-03-30T12:51:00.000-07:00

My daughter thinks she is a beaver.

Big Girl!

2009-03-24T14:40:00.000-07:00

This is my baby girl finally able to eat regular food. I know this may not seem like a big deal to some, but we have struggled with her eating since she was born. She never nursed or took a bottle very well and she spit-up constantly. She would eat solids, but the slighest things would make her gag and that would make her throw-up. We struggled with this since she was born and we kept being told that she was fine and would grow out of it. So, on we pushed. After a struggle with antiobiotics for a throat infection, and many visits to the doctor when she was about ten months old, she got to the point that she would only take one bottle a day over the course of a couple of days. We decided to take her in the next day. We prayed that night to know what to do for her and that the doctor would also know what to do. In the night, Brady woke up and kept getting the thought that she had reflux. He also got a strong feeling that he needed to write it down. He got up and did it. The next morning, we did some research on it and discovered that she had 12 of the 15 most common symptoms of reflux, and the previous illness was incidental to it. It was just a virus. Because she had never acted like she was in pain when she ate, and because she would still eat solids well up until that point, no one ever thought of it. We pressed the doctor on it and he agreed to give her a prescription for it. I am thrilled to say, that it has helped her immensely. I can barely feed her enough or fast enough. She can eat real food without gagging, so therefore no throwing up, either! This is a big deal for us. I am so thankful for a husband who listens to the spirit and for a doctor who will listen to us and takes good care of our baby.

Still Here....

2009-03-16T14:49:00.000-07:00

We are still here. I have been a slacker about my blog. We really don't get out much and there is not much news.

Brady's dad has gone downhill very quickly in the last couple of weeks. He has been in the hospital and they are sending him home today with Hospice care. He is so miserable, I just hope it doesn't get so prolonged that he has to live like this for a long time.

Kate is getting big and into everything. She has 8 teeth now. It was so funny, she just got them all at once. She is sure wanting to stand up. It is funny to watch her try to figure out how to stand without holding onto something. She usually ends up on her butt, but I imagine she will figure it out before too long.

We are looking forward to spring and some nicer weather. Kate's birthday is on Easter this year, so that will be fun (at least for me!!) Our snow is almost gone and it has been raining. I feel spring in the air! Yeah!

We are looking forward to a couple of trips this summer and fall. My old work gave us a travel gift certificate for my five years of work there. When we got it I was hugely pregnant so we hadn't used it yet. We booked a couple of three day trips and we are really excited about it. We would never have gotten to go if we had had to pay for it ourselves! Brady said I could buy a new camera to take, so I am hoping for some fun pictures to share!

Gratitude

2009-01-23T15:52:00.000-08:00

I have been feeling very grateful lately. It has been on my mind a lot that we are really very blessed. I was listening to Good Morning America this morning while I was in my big chair reading and watching Katie play with her little kitchen set. It was 8:30am and I was still in my pj's and not feeling too bad about it, either. I was hearing them talk about childcare costs and how people are struggling with that more than ever right now and it struck me how blessed we are. I get to stay home with my sweet baby every day and just enjoy her. I have a wonderful husband, a beautiful daughter, a home to live in, a reliable vehicle, food, clothes, the best family anyone could ever want, and I get to buy a new purse now and then when I have some extra dollars. I belong to a church full of wonderful happiness and purpose alongside some of the most awesome people ever. I cannot believe how blessed I am. I am overwhelmed by the feeling that I have this abundance of blessings in my life and that I have done absolutely nothing to deserve them. I guess that is my goal now. To try to deserve them.

New Year...

2009-01-15T15:31:00.000-08:00

We had a nice holiday and a fun New Year's and are now settling in to our routine again and getting along nicely. Things are usually quiet and slow and that is how we like them. We had a New Year's Eve party here and it was really fun. Kate was pretty sick before Christmas. We even made a trip to the Emergency Room. It was pretty scary, but she came out all right. After waking up all night with a high fever and needing more medicine, she forgot how to sleep all night and nap in her crib. After about a week of that after she was fully recovered, we had to remind her how it was done. I am glad to say it took only one night of letting her cry herself to sleep for her to remember and she is falling asleep on her own in her bed at night and for both of her naps. Needless to say, it is much better! She sure is a sweet little thing. I can't believe how mild-mannered and even-tempered she is. She just doesn't get upset easily. We are being spoiled and when we have another baby, we will get the full taste of that, I am sure. For now, though, we are enjoying her and watching her grow. She is getting teeth #3 and #4 now. She is getting a third one on the bottom, and of all random teeth, one of her top teeth - on the side! Not even a middle one. I have to say, it looks pretty dang funny. I keep trying to get a picture and will post it as soon as I can get her to stop trying to chew on the camera long enough for me to take it!

She has also finally decided she will sit and play instead of just rolling everywhere. And, just like everyone predicted, she decided to sit, crawl, and pull herself up to kneel and stand all within a matter of days of each other. She sure keeps me on my toes!

Christmas!

2008-12-28T14:15:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas. We spent Tuesday evening with my whole family at Amanda's house. Santa came and Katie sat on his lap. It was so fun to see her with him. We got totally spoiled by everyone and had a yummy dinner.

On Christmas Eve, we went to my parent's house. Josh was there and we had a spaghetti dinner and just hung out. That was also really fun.

Christmas Day was so nice. We got up and had all of Katie's Santa stuff there for her to find. She seemed to like it and she loved opening the presents and ripping the paper. It was fun to get it all set up. The weather was horrible, but we braved it and got to Brady's parent's house with his whole family, where we got spoiled again!

All in all, we had a wonderful holiday. I just with it would have lasted longer!

Thanksgiving

2008-12-03T16:34:00.000-08:00

Our Thanksgiving was really nice. We went to Brady's sister's house with Brady's whole family. We had good food and good company. Tammy (sil) and I went shopping on Friday. We got to Home Depot at 6am and I got home at 6pm. It was a lot of fun and we got lots of good deals! Needless to say, I was exhausted, but got what I needed!

Twilight...

2008-11-21T16:31:00.000-08:00

So, we went to Twilight last night at 12:30. It was so good. I went with Amanda, Amy, Amy, Kristy, Rachel, & Becca. We went and had pie first and then jetted over to the theater. We have had our tickets for ages, so we busted right in there and got our seats. We had a wonderful time. I forgot to take pictures, but I did get one of the marquis for today's showings. If you haven't seen it: GO!!

If Life Were Easy, It Wouldn't Be Hard

2008-11-17T15:03:00.000-08:00

I recently had a birthday. I can't believe that I am going to be in my twenties for only 50 more weeks! I turned 29 on November 1st. I got up to a beautiful package from Brady. He got me a CD I have been wanting and some perfume I have been wanting. He does a good job. We also got to go pickup shopping and out to dinner while our TOTALLY AWESOME neighbors had Katie. They are so great. It was a fun day. My "girls" took me to dinner at Garcia's and I got to wear a ridiculous sombrero and they sang to me. What fun! They all gave me some fun gifts, shirts, jewelry, a Scentsy warmer, a DVD, socks, all kinds of fun!

Also, my Katie girl has two little teeth peeking out the bottom and I have been trying to get a picture of them. They are so cute! She is a little eater now and will eat anything you put in her mouth! Hallelujah! I was so hoping I wouldn't have to deal with a picky eater. My problem is going to be keeping stuff OUT of her mouth! That kid will put anything in there. I experienced last night just what can happen. She loves tags and is always chewing on the ones on her toys. Last night she was playing on the floor and Brady and I were in the kitchen. We heard her gagging and coughing so I dashed in to check on her. She had a tag clear down her throat (it was still attached to the toy!) and couldn't get it out. I grabbed it out and picked her up to pound her on the back so she could catch her breath. I guess the gagging was too much for her and she puked all over me. Carrots, people. Needless to say there is now a white t-shirt and onesie in the garbage and a nursing bra (argh!) and pj's soaking in Spray 'n Wash. Oh, what fun!!!

And, last but certainly not least, Brady's dad is not doing well. I am afraid we will probably lose him before the year is out. He is arranging with Brady and his brothers what needs to be done for their mom in the spring. When I had Katie down there on Halloween he looked at her and just cried and cried and told me and my mil Dixie how he knew he didn't have much time left with her. I have never seen him absolutely break down like that. It was all I could do to maintain my composure. It was just me and Katie and my in-laws there, and it was a very bitterweet moment for me. He is such a sweet, wonderful man and just the best father to my hubby and his siblings. Brady is the only one of the siblings who will be speaking at the funeral. It is an assignment he is taking very seriously and wants to do well at. I am so thankful to this wonderful man for raising such a wonderful husband and father for me and Katie. He is one of the least selfish people I know and Brady is the same way. I have been so blessed to know him for the short time I have. I just wish that Katie could know him. She will have to delay that for a while, but she will have that chance someday, and I am so thankful for that knowledge.

Halloween

2008-11-03T09:09:00.001-08:00

We had a wonderful Halloween! We had tons of trick-or-treaters. I think our subdivision is the place to go in Shelley these days. I had to run to the store for more candy. I loved it, though, and we had a great time handing out candy.

Katie was our cute little chicken. She was a really good sport about the costume. I love this picture of her and Brady. They are a cute pair!

We went to see Grandma and Grandpa Bennett on Halloween so they could see Katie in her costume. They thought she was pretty cute. Katie's Grandpa Bennett raises chickens, so we had to have a picture of him with his cutest chicken!

Tag...Longest Post Ever!!

2008-10-23T16:19:00.000-07:00

I have been tagged by my cousins Melissa and Laura. I really didn't ignore you! I just needed to find a minute to get it done.

I: Meggan Lu Bennett
I am: Happy
I think: I need a nap
I know: I am a child of God
I want: To get a pedicure
I wish: I could lose 50 pounds without any effort
I hate: Mopping the floor
I miss: My grandparents
I fear: Losing the people close to me
I feel: Very thankful
I hear: Silence...ahhh
I smell: Cucumber Lotion on my hands
I crave: Pepsi with fresh Lime
I search: For my lost brain...has anyone seen it?
I wonder: When I will get to have a good night's sleep again
I regret: Too many things and they are too personal for me to be sharing here!
I love: My beautiful daughter and my sweet husband
I care about: What happens to my family
I always: Love to read
I am not: Skinny!
I believe: We are all equals and Heavenly Father loves us all the same
I dance: ...Never
I sing: Okayish
I don't always: Shave my legs
I write: Not nearly enough
I win: Unless I am playing Brady, then I always lose, and usually everyone else does, too. What is with that guy?
I lose: Way more stuff than I used to.
I never: Exercise (obviously)
I listen: Carefully
I can usually be found: Reading a book.
I am scared of: My children dying before me.
I need: A nap
I am happy about: All of the wonderful blessings I have

1. What time did you get up this morning? 6:35
2. Diamonds or pearls? Did you ever hear "Pearls are a girl's best friend??"
3.What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Hancock
4. What is your favorite TV show? CSI...the original, not that knock-off crap
5. What do you usually have for breakfast? toast
6. What is your middle name? Lu
7. What food do you dislike? mushrooms...who eats fungus??
8. What is your favorite CD at moment? Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
9. What kind of car do you drive? Toyota Camry
10. Favorite sandwich? Turkey w/ bacon and provolone
11. What characteristics do you despise? No Manners!!
12. Favorite item of clothing? Shoes, of course (they always fit!)
13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Anywhere in Europe, England, France, Italy
14. Favorite brand of clothing? No favorites, anything that fits and doesn't make me look fat
15. Where would you retire to? Idaho in the mountains
16. What was your most memorable birthday? Nothing specific, Brady always does a good job
17. Favorite sport to watch? Baseball
18. When is your birthday? 11/1/79
19. Are you a morning person or a night person? night...for sure
20. What is your shoe size? 8..used to be 7 1/2 until I had a baby
21. Pets? none and not getting one
22. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us? Not so much. I shaved my legs today
23. What did you want to be when you were little? Lawyer
24. What is your favorite candy? Almond Joy
25. What is your favorite flower? Lilacs
26. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? Thanksgiving and Christmas right now
27. What are you listening to right now? Nothing... Katie is asleep
28. What was the last thing you ate? Almond Joy
29. Do you wish upon stars? always
30. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Yellow, it is happy
31. How is the weather right now? Very chilly and clear
32. The first person you spoke to on the phone today? my friend Amy
33. Favorite soft drink? Pepsi with fresh lime
34. Favorite restaurant? Texas Roadhouse
35. What was your favorite toy as a child? Probably Barbies
36. Summer or winter? Winter...I hate to sweat
37. Hugs or kisses? either, I am very physically affectionate, although I could do without the old ladies kissing me on the lips
38. Chocolate or Vanilla? Either!
39. Coffee or tea? Neither
40. Do you want your friends to answer these questions on their blogs? yes
41. When was the last time you cried? Day before yesterday, I tend to overdramatize when I am extremely tired
42. What is under your bed? nothing
43. What did you do last night? Helped my friend Amy paint her little boy's bedroom in her new house
44. What are you afraid of? losing my family
45. Salty or sweet? either!
46. How many keys on your key ring? four
47. How many years at your current job? Just 6 months, but 5 years at my previous job!
48. Favorite day of the week? Friday
49. How many towns have you lived in? 10
50. Do you make friends easily? most of the time

I tag Mom and Amanda...and anyone else who wants to play along!

Bliss...

2008-10-22T13:58:00.000-07:00

So, the last three nights have been absolute bliss. Why, you might ask?

Because of this: Thanks to Denver Mattress, I actually wake up without my hips and back hurting every couple of hours at night. Amanda and Dave bought this mattress in a Queen, after deciding to downsize from their King. They decided they wanted a King after all, so they returned the Queen and got a King in the same model. I was the fortunate recipient of the returned mattress and got it for a song and a dance. It was the best money I have spent in a long time. Merry Christmas to me! Woo hoo!

2008-10-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!

You are thoughtful and care very deeply for your family. A loving home is of great importance to you and you always try to make people feel welcome. Although you have a great capacity to love, you also have a great capacity to hurt, so at times you can be sensitive. You're firm when you need to be, but people trust your judgment and appreciate the kind way you always handle things.

Win a Free Handbag!

2008-10-14T13:27:00.001-07:00

Handbagplanet.com is giving away 24 bags in 24 hours. Go to their website to sign up for free! They have tons of gorgeous bags!

www.handbagplanet.com

Not a good day to have teeth...and some random tidbits

2008-10-12T14:41:00.000-07:00

It is not a good day to have teeth around our house. Brady got one of his wisdom teeth pulled on Thursday. It took the dentist over an hour to get the one tooth out. While he was doing it, his tool slipped and he sliced the back of Brady's throat and had to stitch it up! Whoops! It looks really bad and is hurting him a lot. Today we are pretty sure that it has a dry socket in it. He is in a lot of pain. I have not been impressed with this dentist up until now, and this just cements it. Hopefully he can get in tomorrow and have someone look at it, since the on-call dentist told him to take ibuprofen and call in the morning. (What is an on-call dentist for then? I could have told him that!!)

Also, Katie is cutting two teeth. She has two tiny little teeth peeking through on the bottom. She has been a little cranky bum and won't eat very well or nap much. I finally rubbed some Orajel on them and she got some relief. I am excited to have them come through so she can feel better.

These are my two sickies, comiserating over a Dallas Cowboys game and trying to get some rest! All in all, we could do without the teeth today!

Katie enjoying some green beans in her high chair. She looks so tiny in it!

What the SNOW?? She got teeth and snow for her six-month birthday. Who could ask for anything more?!

Returning to Virtue

2008-10-06T11:36:00.000-07:00

I loved Sister Elaine Dalton's talk in Conference on Sunday. She spoke about "Returning to Virtue." She spoke of being "Poisoned by Degrees" and becoming slowly desensitized to the evil things of the world. She says that we slowly begin to tolerate, then accept, and then embrace the evil things of the world through false role models and persuasive media and we are slowly losing our divine identity in all of the worldly influences. She talks about the need for strict training to return to virtue and live a righteous life and prepare to attend the temple and be worthy of a temple recommend. I have often lamented the fact that it is now okay to curse in public and in front of young children. It is okay to be promiscuous, and it is okay to ignore God and the Savior in favor of something easier and more worldly. I made a decision after hearing her speak, and we will be "Returning to Virtue" in our house. I am making a concerted effort to make good new habits and get rid of bad habits. I am going to try to be better at church and temple attendance and be better at regularly reading my scriptures. I am going to pay my tithing when I get paid, not forget about the check I wrote out two weeks ago and finally give it to the Bishop. I am putting myself through "Strict Training" and I am going to do better. I don't want my daughter to think the habits I have now are okay. I want her to have good habits and she won't unless I do. I remember when swearing on TV and sex being frankly discussed in graphic detail were taboo. They are normal now. But, not in my house anymore. My sister-in-law, Tammy, made a comment to me that the Sacrament is the most important part of Sunday and that staying home because you are too tired is not a good enough excuse. She is right. And as of right now, I am trying to be less lazy and more committed. Join me, won't you, in Returning to Vitue?

Listen to her talk here: http://www.lds.org/conference/sessions/display/0,5239,23-1-947,00.html

The Day is Finally Here...

2008-09-27T20:03:00.000-07:00

We have reached the day when I have to officially child-proof my house. I found her up on the stereo, under my bed, and at the top of the stairs (no picture...I was too freaked out trying to grab her....I need a gate.) When she was under my bed, it was funny; the stairs, not so much! We are up to two solids a day now and she is doing great with it. Next week we are trying some veggies for dinner, so we will see how that goes.

We had a fun craft day at Amy's house with all the girls and kids today. It was really fun. Of course, I forgot my camera and didn't get any pictures, but I am sure Amy will post some, so check out her blog. I am sure I look hefty, like always, but my mom and sisters will look cute, to be sure.

I also got her costume for Halloween this year. I will save the surprise for when I get a picture, but suffice it to say, she looked stinking cute in it! (Thanks, Jo!)

I had a bit of a traumatic moment this evening. I was looking at pictures on my camera, and I only had about 10 on there. This morning, there had been over 200! I FREAKED!! I was sobbing hysterically and yelling at Brady (???like it was his fault???) and basically having a meltdown. In my defense, I had pictures of the first time Katie rolled over, eating cereal, etc, etc. Needless to say, it was really bad....but cooler heads finally prevailed and I found them on my card. Apparently my camera automatically creates a new folder after there are so many pictures on there and you can only see them on the computer. I hastily put them all on my computer AND on a disc, so we are doubly covered. WHEW!!

Here is a cute picture of Katie with her cousin Isaac in their matching pj's. Neither one of them were overly thrilled with the photo shoot. Isn't Isaac adorable??!!

Baby Girl...

2008-09-24T10:28:00.000-07:00

Our baby girl is getting so big. I wanted to share these cute pictures of her. She LOVES her dad and always smiles at him. She is just such a sweet baby...and she has gone from sleeping 8 hours a night (like she did since she was 4 wks) to sleeping 10 hours a night! LOVE IT!!

We have had fun the last couple of weeks. We had a girls night out for dinner for Amanda's birthday and it was really fun. We also went to Utah and I got to spend time with Aunt Julie and Ali. That was really fun also. And, finally, I had lunch yesterday with Amanda, Amy, mom, Bonny, and all the babies. It was really fun. I am glad we are all close enough that we can do stuff like this. I love having my family and Brady's family all close by.

Autumn

2008-09-10T11:51:00.000-07:00

I love the fall! It is my absolute favorite time of the year. I love everything about it. I love the changing leaves and the bite in the air. There is nothing I love more than a sunny fall day and it is chilly outside. It just lifts my spirits. I loved going back to school as a kid. I love Haloween. I love the leaves changing. I love Thanksgiving. I love the anticipation of the first snow and Christmas! I love, love, love it. Since these are some of the many firsts for Kate, I am excited to dress her up for Haloween and to feed her turkey at Thanksgiving and to let her rip the paper on her Christmas presents. I feel more excited about things (if that is possible) this holiday season now that we have her. I thought I would share a picture of my favority holiday decoration - Pumpkins!!! My kitchen is decorated all in pumpkins now. I am actually going to be changing it soon, but the pumpkins will still come out every fall!

Labor Day!

2008-09-02T14:08:00.000-07:00

This weekend we stayed with Brady's parents. We had a nice time with them. Dixie and I made bread and donuts and they were yummy! It is always fun to spend time with them. They are wonderful in-laws to have. I can honestly say that I wouldn't change a thing about them. I have been very lucky in my in-laws! A couple of times I looked over at Wayne (my fil) and was just overwhelmed with sadness at the way he looks and feels. He has lost so much weight and looks so sick. He doesn't have much energy and doesn't eat much anymore. He can barely swallow one pill without getting it caught in the opening to his stomach where the tumor is growing. I don't think he has a lot more time left. It just breaks my heart to think of Dixie and Brady and all of them losing him. I am also sad that Katie won't get to know him. Please keep him and Dixie in your prayers. It is especially hard on her. I just hope and pray that he won't suffer.

4-Months Old!

2008-08-26T15:46:00.000-07:00

Kate had her 4-month checkup last Wednesday. She went from 50% in her height to 70% and from 45% in her weight to 17%! She is getting to be tall and skinny! Hopefully for her sake she keeps up the trend. I wish I had grown up and not out! Her head went from 26% to a whopping 7%! What a tiny little noggin!! Ha ha. She got her shots and she did really well. She just cried for a second and then she was fine. The doctor wants her to put on some more weight, so we started her on cereal and a little formula. She takes the formula fine and she is getting used to the cereal. She is liking it a little bit better each time she has some. I can't believe our baby girl is getting so big. Things sure can change a lot in just a little bit of time!

Kate has also learned a new trick lately. She will get half her foot in there and just suck away. At least they are clean!

I just liked this picture of her. I thought she had a cute little smile on her face.

Big Girl!

2008-08-18T14:03:00.000-07:00

She did finally figure out how to get her arm out from under her. She can actually roll to her back now as well. She is getting so big! She has her four-month appointment on Wednesday, so we will see what they say. She will be getting shots again, and I hope she does as well as she did last time. She was a trooper. Having a little bacon for breakfast this morning...

Roll-Over!

2008-08-10T15:42:00.000-07:00

I walked into the kitchen to get myself some toast the other morning and when I came back into the family room, I discovered this! She is growing up too fast.

Katie's grandma Dixie made this cute dress for her! Definitely a keepsake!

Jefferson Darren

2008-08-05T17:44:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went to visit my cousin and her family. They are moving to Memphis later this month and I wanted to see her cute baby before they left. He is sure a doll. He looks just like his dad. I am sad to see her go, but I hope she loves it there!

Happy Camper!

2008-07-27T11:19:00.000-07:00

We took Katie camping this past weekend. It was really fun. She did really well and had a good time. She really can't tolerate the heat, so she was naked most of the time. It was fun to see some of Brady's family and spend time with them. On the way home last night, we were driving through from Preston to Downey to get on I-15. We were just talking and all of a sudden Brady braked really hard because he saw a deer in the road. It wasn't just any deer. It was a HUGE buck. We watched him cross the road and go off into the sagebrush on the other side and kept going. Brady told me that about a minute before we saw him he had a thought to turn on his brights because he knew there were a lot of deer through there. He also had an impression to look for little flickering eyes so he would see one. About a minute later he spotted that deer and we didn't hit it and were fine. He told me it is interesting how the Holy Ghost works. I am so thankful for the spirit and for the protection it gave us last night. I know it might have just been a fender bender, but it also could have been a lot worse, too. We don't know. I am also thankful for a husband who is in tune to the spirit and recognizes a prompting and listens to it. I know this wasn't a mind-blowing incident of the Spirit at work, but it reaffirmed my testimony that Heavenly Father loves us and watches out for us and that if we listen to the Spirit, we will be taken care of.

Happy Anniversary!

2008-07-21T07:23:00.000-07:00

My 5-year anniversary was on Saturday, July 19th. It is hard to believe that we have been married for five years! It has been a wonderful five years for us. We have a lot of fun and laughs together and have managed to struggle through some very difficult challenges and come out closer to each and to our Heavenly Father in the end. We are very thankful for all we have, especially our beautiful daughter and the chance to be sealed as a family. We are really very blessed and thank Heavenly Father every day for all we have.

Cute Baby!

2008-07-17T15:42:00.000-07:00

This is the cutest baby on the block! She is such a delight to us. We are still doing well and are enjoying our sweet baby girl. I love to be home with her. We are looking forward to each new stage for her. She is such a good baby and she sleeps through the night and rarely cries. I have thrown in a few cute pictures of her. Enjoy! We have been very blessed!

Las Vegas...

2008-07-01T18:54:00.000-07:00

We had a great time in Las Vegas. Pretty much all we did was eat and talk, usually at the same time. We spent a little time in the pool and shopping and very little sleeping, and the rest was talking and stuffing our faces! Katie didn't do too bad on the airplane and she was so good while we were there. We had a long delay on our flight coming home and spent 6 hours in the Las Vegas airport, but we made it. My beautiful and talented cousin let us stay in her gorgeous house and took some awesome pictures of us. It was so fun and I can't wait to do it again! I will post more later.

Katie at the poolKatie with my cousin's husband, Ron

My Husband...

2008-06-22T13:30:00.001-07:00

I have been tagged by my friend Britnee... here goes!

1. What is his name?
Brady Lance Bennett

2. How long have you been married?
5 Years this July

3. How long did you date?
We knew each other for five months, then started dating and dated for four months and then were engaged for five months.

4. How old is he?
He will be 34 in July

5. Who eats more sweets?
Definitely me. Have you seen me lately??

6. Who said I love you first?
He did. It was very sweet.

7. Who is smarter?
He definitely is.

8. Whose temper is worse?
Definitely mine. He never gets mad.

9. Who does the laundry?
I do. He got fired from it.

10. Who does the dishes?
We both do.

11. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?
Brady does.

12. Who pays the bills?
We both do. Brady is an accountant, so he is all over it.

13. Who cooks dinner?
I do. Brady hates to cook and I enjoy it.

14. Who drives when you are together?
Brady does. I would just as soon not drive at all.

15. Who is more stubborn?
I definitely am. He is just much nicer than I am in general.

16. Whose parents do you see the most?
Both. We are about halfway between our parents, and we see them all frequently.

17. Who proposed?
Brady did. It was so sweet.

18. Besides you, who is his best friend?
His brother, Marty. He lives right down the road.

19. Who has more siblings?
Brady does. He has five and I have four.

20. Who wears the pants in the family?
We share them. They are big pants. They have to be for me to fit in them. See question #5.

21. Do you have nicknames for each other?
I call him all sorts of other names, like Pete, Frank, Fred, Steve, etc. I just like to make them up as I go along. He just calls me Meggan or uses and endearment like Sweetie or Honey or something.

I tag Amanda, Nicole, Amy, Jenn!

Summer...

2008-06-22T13:04:00.000-07:00

We are enjoying the summer weather...finally. It is so nice outside and we have been enjoying taking walks and playing outside. Katie and I are heading to Las Vegas on Friday. It will be her first plane ride. I hope she does well! We are going to a Radford Girls Reunion with my mom and sisters and aunts and cousins. It will be a blast!

Katie...

2008-06-03T16:01:00.000-07:00

Katie on her blessing day. Her dad gave her a beautiful blessing and it was so fun to have all of our family there. She was really good during the blessing, too! Good girl. This is the dress that I was blessed in. My Grandma Shumway crocheted it for me. There is a little pink slip under it. I liked that it wasn't all white, and it has a touch of pink. My friend gave me the bracelet for her to wear!

I just love this sweet look on her face. This outfit subsequently got pooped on and had to be changed about ten minutes after it was put on her. Good job!

This baby loves her daddy and he loves her. They are so cute together. This is going to be a major daddy's girl!

Update...

2008-05-27T17:25:00.000-07:00

We are still here. I haven't taken the time to post anything in a while, so I thought I had better get some pictures on here. I have had lots of people asking for them, so here they are. Katie is doing great. She is a great baby. She will sleep for 6 or 7 hours each night, so we really like that. She is getting too big too fast!

Dad...

2008-05-05T14:09:00.001-07:00

Brady is the best dad I have ever seen. He loves his baby girl so much. He loves to sit and cuddle her and talk to her and tell her how much we love her. He loves to feed her and burp her and dress her and everything. It makes it easy for me to leave her with him for a hour because I know she is in the best possible hands. She is so incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful father. I am so grateful that my child has such a wonderful man for a father. Someone who is so unselfish and is a worthy priesthood holder. We are lucky to have him!

Introducing...

2008-04-17T01:39:00.000-07:00

We are excited to introduce Katie Rae Bennett. She was born on April 12 at 5:28 pm. She was 7lbs 9oz and 20" long. We are so excited to have her here! The doctor broke my water at 8am and started me on Pitocin. That really got the contractions going. I got my epidural about an hour later. They had to try it twice. The first time hurt like you wouldn't believe and apparently that isn't supposed to happen! He tried it again and it was fine the second time. However, it did stop working on my right side by the time I was fully dilated. That was a treat. Katie was caught on my pelvis and her head got pretty banged up. I also got banged up and ended up with almost 30 stitches to prove it! All that aside, though, it went faster than I thought it would and we are home now. I actually feel better than I thought I would after all that. We think we will keep her.

Oh Baby!

2008-04-11T13:44:00.000-07:00

Well, the day has finally arrived. I saw the doctor today and he agreed to induce me tomorrow. He will be out of the office all week next week (right when I am due!) so he will start me in the morning. He told me he wanted to be there himself instead of his on-call doctor to deliver me since he had so much time invested in getting me pregnant in the first place and he would be really disappointed to miss it! I thought that was very sweet of him. It is funny to think that it has been nearly four years of trying with lots of drugs, money, procedures, more money, more time and on and on. We are so excited to finally have her here. I will get some pics posted as soon as I have them! We are hoping for a quick and easy delivery (Doc thinks it will be) and hope to be home by Monday....but, never say never!

Update...

2008-04-07T18:44:00.000-07:00

Well, we are now 9 days away from our due date. I will tell you, it totally sucks to be this pregnant. I never really appreciated how miserable it is. However, it is nice that the end is in sight now. It might have been easier to make it through these last weeks if I had been working and had something to keep my mind off of it, but that would probably have been hard, too. Oh well. Enough complaining from me. We are just so excited to have our baby here and to get on with things! Brady has been playing with our new camcorder to be sure he knows how to use it when the time comes.

We really enjoyed Conference this weekend. It is nice to lounge on the couch and hear the words of our leaders. I especially enjoyed hearing President Monson speak to us for the first time as our new prophet. It made me think of all the comments I have heard since President Hinkley passed away. Many people felt a lot of genuine sadness at his passing. I, however, was happy for him that he finally gets to rest and be with his family. I was blessed with a strengthening of my testimony of the continuity of the church and was reassured in my heart that we would always have a prophet of God on the earth. My testimony of the reality of life after death and the sealing power of the temple was also renewed because I know that it is real. I will admit, President Monson has always been my favorite Apostle, and I know he will continue to be a wonderful leader for us.

We got to spend Sunday with Brady's family and then my family. It is so nice to be able to see them all and enjoy their company. I love that our parents and all of our siblings (11 including us!) live within just a short drive of each other. It makes holidays and birthdays more fun because we can actually see everyone in the family!

I suppose we aren't that exciting and we don't have much to tell. I will be sure to post some pictures of the baby when she gets here. For now, I am sitting around and reading and watching movies and trying to be patient!

Our Song...

2008-04-02T17:29:00.000-07:00

This song reminds me of how we feel about each other and our life. I wanted to share it with you!
Bucky Covington-It's Good to Be Us

Well baby, there ain't no maybe about it
I ain't made of money
So I know that you ain't hangin round for that
If it grew on trees
The branches on mine wouldn't have no leaves
On a shoe-string, saving every dime we made
No Cadillac cruising, no boat on a lake
Out in no-man's-land on an old two-lane
Yeah but we like it that way

It's good to be us,
good to be breathing
Day after night after day, this feeling
Feels the way it should
If this is as good as it gets, then good
It's good to be us

Aw, give me this air and give me this land
When I lay down at night girl, give me your hand
I can take any hurt this world has to give
As long as I got you, as long as I live
I'll make your life as sweet as I can
I'll move every mountain to be that man
That gives you space and a place to land
You wake up smiling, knowing that

It's good to be us,
good to be breathing
Day after night after day, this feeling
Feels the way it should
If this is as good as it gets, then good
It's better than best, yeah we got it made
In the shade, in the sun, in love this way - yeah
We got lucky baby, we've been blessed
Couldn't ask for more, wouldn't settle for less
It's good to be us, yeah, it's good to be us

The Best Husband Ever...

2008-03-30T21:55:00.000-07:00

I have to say that I really couldn't have asked for a better husband. He is so much more than I really deserve. He is much nicer than I am and far less selfish that I could ever wish to be. He works hard and takes good care of me (us!) Today after church, we got home and he insisted that I lay down and rest. He made lunch and then did all the dishes. Then later he made dinner and did all the dishes. I sat on the couch and rested all day and he did everything. He is always good to help around the house anyway, but today I really did NOTHING. And....this was all after he had scrubbed both of my bathrooms and vacuumed and swept and mopped all of the floors in my house and folded all the laundry yesterday. He is so wonderful and I can't wait for our baby to be here because I know he will be the best dad anyone could want.

Another Baby Shower!

2008-03-21T16:12:00.000-07:00

This is me and my cousins Austin and Brittany at a baby shower my Aunt Marianne had for us at her house in Utah. It was so fun. It was sweet of her to do it for us. We had a girl's weekend and went shopping and we had a blast. I did tumble down the concrete stairs, though, and scraped up my legs pretty good, but I have always been clumsy!

Baby Shower!

2008-03-05T09:05:00.000-08:00

I had my first baby shower on Saturday (March 1.) Amanda, Mom, Amy, and Bonny, along with my friend (and Amanda's!) Emmy planned it. It was so fun and they went to so much time and effort. This first picture is of me holding up the outfit my sil Bonny gave me. It was one of my favorite gifts. It is so cute and I can't wait to see her in it! The next one is of me with the quilt my mil made for us. She is so talented. It is all hand-pieced and quilted. I will definitely keep this in my cedar chest for her when she is done using it. I got lots of fun gifts and everyone was so thoughtful and brought us just what we needed.

First Haircut!

2008-02-28T16:05:00.000-08:00

This is Andrew getting his first haircut, and I am proud to say, that I (his favorite aunt!) got to do it for him. I am on his "s" list now, however, because he did not enjoy it. I was thinking he should be more mad at his mom, because she is the one who held him down, but there you go. He is a male after all, and they aren't always rational! Isn't he so stinkin' cute? (Notice my fat pregnant belly and my chubby face and hands...Ahhh, the joys of water weight! Of course, after nearly four years of trying and finally getting pregnant, I have a hard time mustering up any real complaints!)

Updates

2008-02-17T20:16:00.000-08:00

We are still doing fine here. We don't get out much, so there isn't anything new! We are still anticipating our baby in another 6 - 8 weeks. (I am hoping for the 6 weeks, but we will see!)

Brady goes snowmobiling every chance he gets and the snow has been great this year. He enjoys doing that with his brothers.

I have been enjoying being home during the day. I have really been spoiled. I am tired all the time, so it is really nice to have to be at work all day.

This past weekend we went to Provo with Brady's brother Marty to watch the BYU-UNLV basketball game. It was a great game and we had lots of fun.

I have three baby showers coming up. There have been lots of nice people who have offered to have one for us, and I really appreciate it. I love parties!

Brady's dad seems to be doing well for now. He is getting around and feeling pretty good. We are hoping for as much time as we can get. We especially want him to see our baby.

Finally Friday...

2008-02-01T11:24:00.000-08:00

Well, we have reached Friday relatively unscathed. This has been an unusual week for me. It is my last week of working here at this job. I will still be here on and off for a few hours at a time, but I will no longer be here everyday. I will be at home from now on. My bosses offered to pay me from now until the baby is born. They have already replaced me, but I will still get a paycheck and my benefits. It was a very nice offer and one I readily accepted. Since I will have the time now, I have lots of craft projects I am going to finish for Katie's room. I want to get it done well before she is born so I have it all ready for her.

I also had my friend's funeral yesterday. It was a little unnerving to be at a funeral service for someone who is my age. It was a nice service. I didn't make it to the gravesite because it was snowing and blowing and I am supposed to be on bed rest.

Isaac and Matthew are both being blessed on Sunday. Brady and I will have to split up so we can make it to both of them. It is too bad, I would really like to go to both of them! They are both getting big and they are both such cute babies.

My Friend...

2008-01-28T10:25:00.000-08:00

My good friend from High School, Kara Tanner, passed away on Saturday January 26 at her home in Idaho Falls. I had recently been back in contact with her after she moved back here from Alabama. I will miss her. This is the obituary that was in the Post Register yesterday:

Kara Ann Tanner (May 2, 1980 - January 26, 2008)

Kara Ann Tanner, 27, was born May 2, 1980 in Rexburg, Idaho to Karen Jean Passey and David Owen Tanner. Kara passed away peacefully at her home on January 26, 2008.
Kara attended high school at Austin High School in Decatur AL. She graduated in 1998 from Rigby High School in Rigby Idaho. She moved back to Decatur and lived there until 2006 when she moved back to Idaho Falls. She was employed at Chili's Restaurant and had many friends there.
Kara was preceded in death by her beloved grandparents Wallace and Laura Passey of Ucon, Idaho. She is loved and will be missed by her mother Karen Passey Steele of Idaho Falls, step-dad Patrick Steele of Decatur, Alabama, her father David Tanner and his wife Tammie of Longmont, Colorado; her sister and best friend Jill and brothers Weston, Brian, Brad and Sean and Grandparents Owen and Bonnie Tanner of Washington, Utah. Numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends will also miss her dearly.
Kara was loving and generous and loved by many, especially her family. She was a wonderful big sister and always took care of her younger sister and brothers. She was a true friend and many are lucky to have called her their friend. She brought happiness to many in her short time on this earth.
There are no words to describe our sorrow. Our loss is immense and she will be mourned for the rest of our lives.
Kara: For your strength of character and perseverance, resilience, and joi de vive I admire you, because you are my daughter, I love you, Mom.
Funeral Services will be held at 12 Noon on Thursday, January 31, 2008 at the LDS Church on 9th and South Boulevard in Idaho Falls.
The family will receive friends from 6:30-8p.m. on Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at Coltrin Mortuary, 2100 First St. Idaho Falls and one hour prior to the services at the church. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.coltrinmortuary.com.

I've Been Tagged! I tag Amanda & Britnee!

2008-01-14T13:46:00.000-08:00

1. Your Rock Star Name-- Odie Camry (first pet and current car)

2. Your Gangsta Name-- Neapolitan Butterscotch (fav. ice cream flavor, fav. cookie)

3. Your Detective Name: Yellow Zebra (favorite color, fav. animal)

4. Your Soap opera Name: Lu Rexburg (middle name, city where you were born)

5. Your Star Wars Name: Bennme (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)

Where's 6? he,he!!

7. SUPERHERO NAME: The Orange Pepsi (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink) -

8. NASCAR NAME: Wendell Ned (the first names of your grandfathers) -

9. STRIPPER NAME: Lucky Caramel ( the name of your favorite scent/perfume/cologne, favorite candy) -

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: Jo H. (mother’s & father’s middle names ) -

11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: Chergosky Chicago (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter) -

12. SPY NAME/BOND GIRL: Fall Lilac (your favorite season/holiday, flower) -

13. CARTOON NAME: Appley Cami (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”) -

14. HIPPY NAME: Yogurt Orange Linden (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree) -

15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: The Reading Rain Tour (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”) -

Matthew Wayne

2008-01-11T11:26:00.000-08:00

We got a new nephew last night, Matthew Wayne Bennett, who was 8lb 2oz and 20 1/2" long. He was born by Caesarian Section about 5:30 last night 01/10/08. He sure is a cute baby. He has tons of black hair and it is really curly!

Happy New Year

2008-01-02T10:17:00.000-08:00

I am going to try and do much better this year at keeping this updated!

Here goes:

Our Christmas was really nice this year. We gave Brady's dad a book for him to fill out answers to questions about him and his childhood. We started right in on it and seemed to enjoy it. I will be so glad to have it for our family.

We are still in the same callings we have had. Brady teaches the priests and I teach the 10-year olds. I have a new group next week, and they are much more well-behaved than my last group! That last group could be pretty rotten sometimes!

We have tons of snow this year. I think it will make the winter seem longer than it has in the past. We couldn't even get our car down the road and have been driving our pickup. They finally plowed the road on Monday (a full week after the storm!) and we drove the car finally. That pickup was getting expensive.

We got a crib ordered last night. We are excited to get it put together. We have been putting it off and finally decided we had better get it coming so it was here and ready before I was too big to do anything about it!

We are now done with the holidays and eagerly awaiting our new addition!

It's a Boy!...and other news.

2007-12-17T12:01:00.000-08:00

Jake and Bonny had their baby this morning about 6am. He was only 5lb 6oz. Tiny! They named him Isaac Aaron. He is such a doll!

Corey & Gloria were sealed on Saturday in the Idaho Falls Temple. The ceremony was in Spanish, but it was awesome to hear it and to feel the spirit there.

We are excited for Christmas and really excited for our week and a half off of work! Yeah!

We had our family party on the 11th. That is always a loud affair, but lots of fun.

It's a Girl!

2007-11-27T15:30:00.000-08:00

We are very excited to let everyone know that we are having a girl! She will be here in mid-April and we are very excited to meet her. Her name will be Katie Rae. She is named after her Grandma Dixie. She is healthy and growing just perfectly, only she is a little lazy...we couldn't get her to wake up during the ultrasound!

Family Update

2007-11-14T09:54:00.000-08:00

Brady's dad isn't doing very well now. He has been having a few bad days in a row and Brady's mom is pretty worried about it. Please keep him in your prayers. We really want to keep him around, but since we know he won't be here long, we mostly don't want him to suffer. We are having Thanksgiving with just Brady's family this year, instead of the big extended family affair. It should be nice to have just our family around for this last Thanksgiving.

We are very excited for the Radford Reunion. Amanda and I have found a place that would be awesome for our next reunion (summer 2009) and we thought we could take the next turn and plan it. We will have to talk more about it, but I think it would be a really awesome spot for everyone to come to. I will try to come up with more details before the reunion.

We had a baby shower for Brady's brother's wife last Saturday. It was sure fun and she got lots of stuff she needed. We are having a surprise shower for Bonny this weekend at Amanda's, so that should be fun also.

November Update

2007-11-06T08:32:00.000-08:00

My Grandma Shumway passed away on the 25th. She was the same age as Brady's dad. She had been sick for a long time. I feel bad that I didn't see her much before she died. Amanda, Dave, Josh, Brady, & I all went up to Auburn, WY (Star Valley) for her funeral on Halloween. We were able to see dad and grandpa and our aunt and uncles. My dad looks better than he has in years, so that was good to see. He has gained weight, and with the exception of his hair being completely gray, he looks just like I remember him. I have missed out on getting to know some cousins and aunts and uncles on that side, so I am making an end-of-the-year resolution to make sure I spend more time with that side of my family.

Brady's dad has been home for a couple of weeks now and he is doing so well. He is stronger and can get around and eat almost as well as he used to. He is putting on a little weight and he sounds great. I have also seen a change in Brady as his dad improves. We know that he doesn't have a lot of time left, so we are glad that he can actually enjoy the time he has now.

We are very excited for the reunion. I always love the Radford reunion since we have so many comedians in the family and always have good entertainment!

I recently had a birthday and I am feeling like I am finally an adult instead of a young adult since I am almost 30! About time, I suppose, since I have a mortgage and two car payments, but the older I get, the younger 30 and 40 seem to me.

Our New Blog

2007-10-29T10:12:00.000-07:00

I wanted to start a blog to keep the family updated on what is happening in our crazy, busy lives. Please check back for more to come with pictures, news, etc.

As most of you know, Brady's dad has been in the hospital for the last four weeks. He was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He is finally home now and resting well for now. He is getting more and more active and his strength is returning. We are hoping he will be able to enjoy all the time he has left without being too sick or in the hospital. Any prayers you could offer in his behalf would be appreciated.