Smiley Eyes + Spaghetti =

Craving Some Carving

It all started a week ago when we went out to Grandma and Grandpa Orr's house for dinner. They were kind enough to let the kids pick out some pumpkins from thier pumpkin patch. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

We bought a couple extras since the more pumpkins, the better, and carved them as a family tonight. Skeeto and Izzypop got right into it.

Skeeto and his twin smiley-eyes pumpkin.

The end result.

I think Skeeto had a great time...what do you think?

Halloween Preparation

As a kid, my mom would paint a spooky scene on our front room window for Halloween. It has always been the favorite holiday of the family. We haven't bought too many Halloween decorations and Brian was scolding me for it when I realized that our front room windows are perfect for Halloween painting. So Izzypop, Brian and I got some window paints and went to town.

Here are the results:




And here's what an unsuspecting passerby might see on a spooky Halloween night.


Next up...Pumpkins.

Yellowstone 2011

Our yearly trip to Yellowstone with my family was great this year because Brian was actually able to go. It was great being there with the whole fam.

We got to see some beautiful scenery.


Some fun at the pool.





Some fun with the fam.


Some much needed rest and relaxation. (And a lot of driving.)




And ice cream at the Old Faithful Lodge. What could be better?

Kindergarten Baby, Borned In the Gravy!

It is official! Izzypop is now a Kindergartener! Today was her first day in elementary school. She was so excited.

First thing's first: Back To School Wardrobe
Izzypop is dressed in a purple, knee-length cotton T-Shirt dress from the Grandma Sandi Super Cute Grandaughter Collection. Pink and white sparkles spell out "KINDERGARTEN ROCKS" and the ruffles detailing the bottom highlight the healing summer scabs and shin bruises. Pink and white tennishoes add extra comfort for recess. A giant pink flower in her newly cut hair, because, well, why not? And last but not least, a brand new Dora Enchanted Explorers backpack for carrying the mounds and mounds of homework home with ease.

Once we were properly dressed for the event, we sped up to school a little early to allow for some playground time before school started.

At last, we were ready. She strapped on her backpack, lined up with the other kids against the wall and followed her teacher, Mrs. Adams, into her new classroom for which is sure to be the most exciting school day of her young life.


Congrats Izzypop on becoming a Kindergarten baby, borned in the gravy!!! I am so proud of you!

Camping Out

The last few years have been rough. We rarely have had time to do things as a family. So, with Brian out of school, we decided to try taking the kiddos camping. We bought all new camping gear, I took work off, we borrowed Grandpa Bennion's truck and we took to the mountains. We went to a little campground just past Kamas and immediately set up the tent. The kids instantly made it their home away from home.

Shortly after we got there, a nice older couple at the next campground gave us a little popup tent that we put up as a "game room". Connect4 was a hit with Skeeto.

Thanks to the extra room in Grandpa's truck, I was able to bring my guitar -- truthfully, one of the only things that makes camping bearable for me. There's nothing like singing with your family next to a campfire. After this, we had an awesome dutch oven meatloaf from Chef Brian and finished off the night with the all-too-important smores with the biggest marshmallows I have ever seen. It was great.

Here's where it gets less great. Okay, it gets horrible. Worst-day-of-your-life horrible. Before we went to bed, I noticed Skeeto's voice was getting a little funny. Izzypop had had a cold last week so we were preparing for a fairly sleepless night with another kid with a cough. What we were not prepared for was having to throw everything in the truck as fast as we could at first light in order to get Skeeto to Primary Children's Hospital before he stopped breathing. Brian took Izzypop and I home before rushing Skeeto to the hospital. After Grandpa B came to take Iz to his house, I went up to the hospital and found my sweet little guy in the ICU looking like this:

The doctors diagnosed a nasty case of croup. His airway had almost closed up completely and he was having a really hard time getting any air at all. They pumped him full of steroids and were giving him epinephrine every hour. We spent all day and all night Friday in the ICU trying to get Skeeto's body to respond to something....anything.

Finally around midnight Friday, he started to come through. He slept really well and Saturday morning he was doing much better. One thing I know for sure is that I will never underestimate the medicinal powers of popsicles again.

Later Saturday afternoon, they moved us out of the ICU and into a private room where we could watch cartoons in peace. He did so well on Saturday that they let us go home right after breakfast Sunday morning.

We are so grateful that Skeeto was able to get through this (shout out to the big guy upstairs!), but needless to say that by the end of this weekend, no one was a happy camper........you can thank Brian for that lame joke ;)

And She Made Her Mother Cry

Izzypop took it upon herself to cut her own hair. Right in the front. I cry. Only you mothers out there know how big of a deal this is. Thankfully, it is a little off to the side, so I think I can hide it and not have to cut all her hair off. She will have the same hairdo every day for years, though.
It will grow back...It will grow back...It will grow back.

Congrats Brian

As of this weekend, Brian has officially graduated from the University of Utah with a second bachelors degree (in nursing). It has been a crazy year and I am so proud of him for all his hard work. Not only did he do it in 15 months, but he did it while still being the best dad and husband ever! Congratulations, Brian. I love you.

Bennion Fun²

That's right, the Boston Bennions are in the house!!! And no one could be happier than Izzypop and her Boston counterpart, cousin Abizella. We have had the greatest time over the last couple weeks playing with our most-missed family members. BBQs, Lagoon, Heritage Park, wedding showers, family pictures....it should be like this all the time!




"Nice to meet you Uncle Brad...you look strangely familiar."


First things, first....MAKEOVER!!!


Aunt Missy likes the blocks even more than Skeeto.


Actual box-car racing with Little Chief. 6 weeks younger than Skeeto...but you'd never know it!


Had to throw in the 4th of July view from the balcony, it was so fun watching all the fireworks from our front lawn with the fam...especially now that arials are legal...YIPEE!!!


Twin time!²


We are so excited Izzypop's first sleepover was also squared...Two nights in a row these girls got to giggle until they fell asleep.


"We wanna ride the ponies!!!"


"We wanna ride the ponies again!!!"


"Look at me Dad!"



Face Dolphins²

Seriously, we could not have had more fun with the cuzzes. We will cry when you leave. Thank heavens for Skype.