Halloween Cards

It might be a little early, but since our family has been celebrating Halloween since August I'm a little anxious for the holiday to really get going! Here are some bewitching cards I made. Wait till you see the picture of Chloe that will go along with the cards - soooo cute!

Love it!

This is my latest obsession:

And here's why:

Fat free and no sugar but it really tastes the same!!! You can taste All 23 delicious flavors.

A Rose By Any Other Name

When I was pregnant trying to decide what to name my baby girl, I always liked the name Chloe. But I thought, "What will her nickname be?" I finally realized that nicknames come naturally, and that they did! Somehow, we've always called her Little Missy. Her cousin Isabella, just a few months older than Chloe, calls her Chlo-Chlo. How cute is that!?!? Then, out of nowhere, I just started calling her Sugar Plum, or Sug. I don't even know what a sugar plum is, but somehow.... it fits!

Is it too soon....

To listen to Christmas music???

Well, if so, then I'm breaking the rules.

I can't help myself.

I'm jonesin' jolly tunes.

St George

As you can see, we had a really great weekend getaway to St. George. But I can't believe we're already back! Time flies, eh?

her future's so bright....

she's gotta wear shades!

Chloe and I are enjoying a little vay-cay in St George with Tami, Aisha, Jamie, Tonio & Izz. A giant thank you to my friends, the Durham fam, for letting us stay in their condo. We are having a fab time!

Welcome to Holland

by Emily Perl Kingsley

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this...

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome To Holland".

"Holland?!?" you say, "What do you mean "Holland"??? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around…and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills...Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy...and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away...because the loss of that dream is a very significant loss.But...if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things...about Holland.

The applicability of this analogy was so significant to my life with Chloe, that I had to share it with all of you. Please do not misunderstand the message. Holland is beautiful, but it is unexpected. There is a period of adjustment. Sometimes there are stings of pain that I'm not in Italy. But if I had gone to Italy, I would have missed the beauty of Holland. It is bittersweet. I am so grateful to have come across the message of Ms Kingsley, because it put my feelings into the words I could not find.

baby jensen

My Molly's baby girl was born on Wednesday

Smile

Smile. It makes you feel good, and it has a bigger impact on other people than you probably imagine.

Out of Towners

Mandy, one of my most cherished friends, lives far away in California. Her little girl, Ryan, was born just hours before Chloe. On the rare occassion they come to visit Utah, it is a joyous occassion for Chloe and I to get to see our friends! This visit was short but sweet, a lunch at Chili's, and then we had to run.

Chloe and Ryan

Ryan and Mandy

Me and the girls

It was sooo good to see you girlies! Next time let's get together at your stompin' grounds... the beaches of San Diego! Love you!

Ode to Arrested Development

Fall TV started again and I'm glad. I was getting sick of lame summer shows (except Project Runway which I love, love, love). But it also makes me realize, nothing compares to Arrested Development. It was the most quirky, dry, hilarious show of all-time. I miss it. I need to deal and heal so I decided to put my feelings about it on my blog.

Arrested Development, Oh how I love thee; let me count the ways.

I love how Buster dated his mom's arch nemesis to make her jealous. Oh, and when he had a hook for a hand.

I loved when George Michael and Maeby had crushes on each other even though they were cousins and worked at the banana stand.

I loved Lindsay's tactics to get her husband back, plus Portia is Ellen's GF/wife.

I love that Michael Bluth teaches the importance of family in George Michael's life.

I love Lucille Bluth's not-so-subtle winks.

I love that Tobias is a 'never-nude' and a talented actor, he thinks.

I love George Oscar Bluth (GOB) on his segway and how 'The Final Countdown' plays whenever he starts a magic trick.

I love that the family vehicle is a stair truck, it's exactly what I would pick.

I love the talented Ron Howard.

And Jeffrey Tambor's the best.

Jason Bateman is hilarious.

So is Michael Cera and all the rest....

Have you seen Arrested Development? If not, have I not piqued your interest? RUN don't walk to the nearest rental store and get every single episode on DVD. I cannot stress this enough. It is hands down the best show ever created, written, acted, etc, etc, etc.

Heaven Help Me

I think Oby looks a bit like Aaron Eckhart, who, by the way, is a total stud (does that term date me, or what?). It's not like you'd mistake one for the other or anything, but there's something reminisicent, ya know? It's the blue eyes, blonde hair, masculine hotness, goofy dimpled grin, and the dramatic jawline.

Do you see it????

Well, about this time of year, Oby starts getting the urge to grow his facial hair. Now don't get me wrong, I like facial hair, but he doesn't like the groomed kind, he's more into the completely out of control and non-maintained type. Much like Aaron Eckhart's character on Erin Brockovitch. Remember him?....

As lovable as this character was, this is not quite the look I'd like Oby to sport.

What about you, my blogging friends, do your spouses have any celebrity look-alikes? And, more importantly, what do you think about Oby's facial hair? He reads the blog and the comments. Maybe the rest of you can talk him out of this!

Definition of adorable:

FINALLY!

Okay, so nearly three months ago I posted that we had sold our home with a full price offer. I spoke a little soon. With the extreme changes in this complex economy, particularly the mortgage crisis, we had extra hoops to jump through. There was a lot of 'sign here' and 'initial here' meetings. There were extra inspections, multiple appraisals, bids, and signing papers (oh, did I already mention that? Sorry.) Shockingly the buyer hung in there, and, seriously this time, three months later, we really did sell our house! We had our final sign/initial fest with the realtor and title company and closed at 5:45 pm. Can I get a collective 'Woo Hoo!' from my people?!?!

Sightings

We've heard rumors that he still exists, but this weekend we actually saw ....

Chloe's Daddy-O!!!!

Here, they celebrate the RARE, precious time they have to be together during football season

They also celebrate Utah Football over Mexican food at Mara's Cafe (rated 'best of the best in yumminess satisfaction' by the Bennett Clan)

Take a Minute for KIDZ

FYI I've been udpating my KIDZ blog <----click here recently. It is due for a professional facelift in a few weeks, and many other additions are coming soon. But in the meantime, I wanted to share it with all of you. I know I have been uplifted by some of the stories I've added recently, so I thought I'd share the love. Plus, selfishly, I'd like any ideas or thoughts you guys have to help make it a site that may actually appeal to the blogosphere. Take a minute, if you have it, and visit KIDZ <----------or you can click here if you want. And please, please, if you have any ideas, or constructive criticism, I'm open and eager to hear it! And just in case you didn't pick up on my subtle link hints, click HERE to get to the KIDZ blog <---------last chance! click here.

WHS Homecoming

Oby strategizing with West High School's player #23.

Their strategy worked! West won the game against Olympus by one touchdown!

Chloe needs to work on her spirit and peppiness if she ever wants to become a cheerleader!

Giddy Up!

Nana, Grammy & Papa came to watch Chloe do her thang on the horse tonight. It's so exciting, it draws a crowd! And she did not disappoint. She was like a rockstar, er a rodeo queen rather. The therapist really worked her hard and wore her out. What does that mean?..... A good night's sleep for the Bennett family tonight!!!

Bubbles in the Bathtub

Today when Chloe was taking a bath, strange bubbles were coming from down below, creating a funny noise and a stinky scent. This was disconcerning to Chloe, and she became very serious trying to identify and correct the problem.
Mom helped her realize what was going on, and she thought it was funny - but only a little funny because it was kind of embarassing too!
The source of the bubbles, when outside of water, is much more common, so it isn't serious and even quite hysterical!

Pick me! Pick me!

Who's it gonna be, Chloe.....

Mommy????

OR Daddy????

ummmm..... let's think about that....

mommy!!!! (It was the obvious choice.)