Hey all you pervs out in blogger land. So I did it. I went blond. I decided to find out if blonds really do have more fun, and you know what? They don't. I didn't find anything more exciting than usual. Reading-same, doing dishes-same, cleaning the brown film out of the toilet-SAME!!! I was so looking forward to having a little extra oomph added to all of my daily goings on but honestly, it just left me with a dry scalp and the urge to put on a red "Baywatch" swim suit. "Myth...busted." Good thing I'm kidding since Grandpa would strike me with lightning if I actually changed my hair. Lesson learned "in the year two thousaaaannnnnd!" at the family reunion. But really, you can go to Instyle.com and change your hair for fun. I have pics of me with every hair color possible. Just a heads up if you have desire for change minus the huevos.

You know you want it. Here it is ladies, girl porn. Dirty guys like to look at smut, but for us...oh no...it's allllll about the manual labor. The vacuuming, the dishes, the yard work and can I say this?...Cleaning up after THEMSELVES!!!...Ohhhhhh yaaaaaaa...

Is it bad that this picture makes me smile? Okay it's a little beyond smiling. It makes me feel ALIVE! I almost break out in nose flaring, eyes watering, stomach aching laughter every time I see it. Maybe it's because Cinnamon actually half chewed out my eye with the kind of rage you see there on her face. I saw all like, 5 years flash before my eyes when she came at me that day. Was she justified? Sure. Did she smell? Absolutely! But no, that's not the reason it makes me so happy. It just is what it is. Matt gettin' all up in a rabid dog's face as she finally, FINALLY loses it after probably only about 2 seconds of adorable kid play time. Matt, the squirrely kid who by the look on his face, enjoyed a little too much bringing out this emotion in a dog, and Cinnamon, the devil in the smelly fur coat who lived next door. Yin and Yang coming together for a rare beautiful moment. Perfection. Now I only wish I could pan to the left and see the look on Dad's face. His hairy elbow is like the "Where's Waldo" in that picture. Maybe it's that awesome, scratchy, plaid couch that helps it? It's like camo for the hairy man. Anyway, I digest. Long story short, those were the days...

So basically this is how it went, I was changing a dirty diaper of his, once again, and I says to myself, I says, "Why the heck am I doing all the work around here?" So I takes off his footy pajamas and I says,"son from now on, you need to earn yo keep! I want you to mow that lawn so well that I can see my face in it!" And you know what? You know what? He did. And after I actually saw the part that had my face in it, I had to throw it back over the neighbors fence. It's their dog! Seriously, anyone ever hear of a "pooper scooper" ? Sheesh!

So we spent Easter weekend in Big Fork with Grandpa and Mimi and had, as always, an amazing time. We went to church, had fondue, played "Apples to Apples", and enjoyed the family time together that we don't get enough of. The Easter Mimi also visited and dropped off the coolest basket ever! Then we spent some time playing on the bottom of the lake where the water usually is in the summer and enjoyed the best views around! Bennett loved playing on the wet sand with Tanner and realized a little to late that the moisture and cold weather makes a baby's hands hurt when you play too hard. That's the pic where we're all hunching down with a painful look on our faces. So I helped Daddy zip Ben up inside his coat with him where he was happy and warm. Now we're just getting excited for the 4th of July parade so we can all dress up like freaks and shout weird phrases at the strangers on the street as we throw hard candy at their faces! YAYYYYY!!! We love going to Grandpa and Mimi's!

Our trip to Utah was really fun. We were there for Christina and Josh's wedding and they are so cute together by the way! Ben put up with the festivities and met some new cousins, aunts and uncles and got into just enough trouble to satisfy himself! It was beautiful and I almost forgot how bright the temple is when the sun is shining! I think I burned my corneas...seriously.

He hasn't truly gotten a chance to play outside-ever! He was born in the winter and too little to really play outside when it was nice enough that I had him outside so he ran wild! It was so sweet.

Oh how time flies when you finally get your first car. It feels like only yesterday he was so young that he still used his pants as a toilet, and now he's driving. We got an amazing deal on the car. The company that manufactures it is call Mimi & My Toybox Inc. It's fully loaded (when he's actually in it and his diaper is at it's capacity). It's an automatic with a voice prompt system (much like On star), and as you can see, it's a convertible. So we'll have to see how it goes. He's not very fast in it but he definately has road rage that appears to be a new problem. He knows if he breaks the rules, we'll cut the string and keep the key. Wish us luck!

This pic is a little old, but I just saw it again and I had to add it. This was a great day. Matt and I having a brotherly, sisterly moment. Look how happy we are. There in front of the colorful windows with the old wooden cowboy looking on with approval. It looks like Matt has the meal worm and I have the cricket. They were delicious. Crispy, the good kind. We tried both and I think I remember liking the cricket better than the maggot-looking meal worm, although it had it's own zing! MMmmmm...

This pic is truly my days in a nut shell. "The Bennett" as Uncle Frank calls him, finds joy in the simple things. You know, ripping things, throwing things, opening, slamming, squishing, breaking, slapping, and I could go on, but I digest. He has a real talent for destruction. Which means, my back always hurts because of the time spent bending over to do damage control. And the weirdest part is, I love it. Even when he's throwing a tantrum while I'm changing a dirty diaper. And though that's a recipe for disaster, I don't care. I waited so long for this little destructo! I completely understand when people say it's like having your heart walking around outside your body. And it's the best feeling. :)

President Gordon B. Hinckley

June 23, 1910-January 27, 2008

"The way will be lighter, the worries will be fewer, the confrontations will be less difficult if we cultivate a spirit of happiness."
Gordon B. Hinckley - Oct. Conf 2002

Isn't it pretty? So "pretty" they had to cancel church! Richard loves it though and for being a desert boy, he drives really well in it. When I called Dad last night, he said their power was out and it was "starting to get cold" in the house. Ugh. SERENITY NOW!!!

Cute huh? You should feel his left hook...no joke but seriously though. Ben's talking more and more everyday. His current favorites are; thank you, GO!, and ah-buh-dee? Really he is actually saying way too many to list an it is so stinkin' exciting! The weather here is crazy, Richard and I went spinning across four lanes of traffic after hitting some black ice last night! Not fun. I had to eat a lot of junk food and candy to comfort myself after that! Then again I have to eat a lot of junk food and candy to "comfort" myself after...well...anything! P.S. Tetris, you know what om talkin' bout!!!

Here's a pic taken at the local waterin' hole. The wildlife there was amazing. Early on in the day, we stumbled upon this little forest dwelling water gnome. He was hilarious! He kept saying things like,"Dah-Dah" and "Goody"! We have no idea what he was trying to say. So we just took this picture and let the little guy go free again. Doesn't he look just like Olivia?! I love it!

Holy Cow we have a ONE YEAR old! This year has been so amazing with little Ben, we love him SO MUCH! He wasn't so into the traditional "baby with birthday cake" thing so I had to show him how much fun it was. Then, of course, Richard repaid me with my own cake in the face. He does love his new toys though :)

These are my favorite leggins. Totally edible.

The first snow and it was really beautiful. Richard was like a little school girl screeching with delight.

I swear it was about 2 minutes of silence and I knew. So this was his first encounter with the flour. He was using his one little pointer finger to sample.

He's walking! We can't believe it! And the absolute best is when he's in his diapey! He does the arms in the air Frankenstein walk and everything! It's amazing to watch your first baby take their first steps.

Richard was giving Dad a haircut with the Flo-Bee. The next day we were served papers.

Bennett was helping Uncle Brady (or "Dude" as Ben calls him) hook up some electronic stuff. Ya know, man stuff.

See! So this is what I'm saying. Whitney and I thought it would be fun to build a snowman like old times and it was so stinkin' cold that this is the result. I practically stood her there, shoved the carrot in her nose, two sticks in her hand, placed the hat and scarf and said, "I'm out"! Just look at her face! My little snowman was freezing!