Benson Family Blog

2012-02-05T08:48:00.000-07:00

1st Day of Pre-School

2010-09-17T15:19:00.000-06:00

For us this means coffee, hot cocoa, in our jammies, on the upstairs coach....

we put together corban's moonjar for our math lesson today. He is pretty excited about it...thanks auntie Joey!

we read the book as part of our lesson too...that was Peyton's favorite part as always.

Mommy's Little Helper...

2010-09-10T16:46:00.000-06:00

Took some photos of Peyton with my camera and sitting at my computer. I need an assistant so I thought I would get her started now.... just kidding, it is for a book I am making for her.

how do you turn this thing on....

Hey, I am suppose to be taking your photo...

cheese...

already taking her work very seriously...

Fall Photos with Nana

2010-09-10T11:37:00.000-06:00

1st Haircut!

2010-09-06T17:01:00.000-06:00

Peyton was super excited to get her 1st haircut; and it was definitely overdue. Her hair was so pretty but getting kind of unmanageable. She was such a good girl; did everything she was asked to, sat very still and even helped with styling ideas. In fact, when I was asked "Mom, would you like me to put some layers in the back", Peyton promptly answered "yes", on my behalf.

before:

Almost done:

Happy girl. Although it wasn't intended it does look a bit like my cut. I guess I get my mini me since Dave has Corban.

Breakfast with Becca!

2010-09-04T16:58:00.002-06:00

Got to spend some time with Becca today; it was great. Breakfast in downtown Bigfork at Pocketstone (really great food), a short drive to the other side of town, an unfortunate bee sting incident (completely my fault, I felt like such a jerk but Becca just laughed about it as usual. We always have something out of the ordinary happen when we are together; I guess it helps us remember), and a photo op in front of the playhouse.

Miss you Bec!

Corban's Birthday

2010-09-01T20:08:00.000-06:00

Corban was a lucky duck this year and ended up having 3 birthday parties! Just our family on his actual birthday, 1 with his friends and Nana and Grampa the weekend of his birthday, and a 3rd one with Aunt Joey and Grandy and Grampa. So, lots of photos!

Cake:

Friends:

Gifts:

Party #3:

In the studio with Mom...

2010-05-27T10:51:00.000-06:00

A Sunshine Day!

2010-04-21T21:50:00.000-06:00

We finally have a nice day so we can go outside! So the first thing the kids want to do is...play bubbles!

Brake time on the swing:

Corban Sharing

2010-04-17T16:54:00.006-06:00

Push the pause button on the music (bottom of right side bar) then click the play button below to see Corban "sharing" with Peyton.

Work Day at the Garage

2010-04-17T14:45:00.000-06:00

We were able to get some work done at our garage over the weekend, finally. Afterward, we started a fire and cooked some hot dogs. Add some chips, soda, rain, and lots of dirt; it doesn't get much better than that.

Pancake Palm Tree

2010-04-11T14:40:00.001-06:00

Still snowing and although I haven't complained at all Corban must sense how it makes me feel. So, we were playing play dough today and he made me a Palm Tree. He said "Mom, here is a pancake Palm Tree just for you; I hope it makes you happy."

Ya, I totally cried.

Tea Party

2010-04-09T21:32:00.000-06:00

Peyton got a couple of tea sets for her birthday so we have been having a lot of tea parties.

How to Train Your Dragon

2010-04-06T20:36:00.000-06:00

Dave and Shawna enjoying another cartoon, in 3D, without any kids.

more Easter fun...

2010-04-04T23:17:00.000-06:00

We made Resurrection eggs at MOPS so I was able to share the Easter story with the kids and they had fun opening the eggs and looking at all the "props".

Easter Buckets:

Easter Eggs - Round 2

2010-04-03T16:10:00.001-06:00

Painting more eggs but this time with Grandy!

Easter Cookies

2010-04-03T16:05:00.002-06:00

Kids had a good time making easter cookies.

Here is them having a good time eating Easter cookies.

Study Dave and I are doing

2010-04-01T22:02:00.000-06:00

My study for today:

Fear of Disappointing God

All-time high unemployment rate… Economic insecurity… Housing market crash… Political rivalry… No peace in the Middle East… Terrorism on the rise… Swine flu and global health scares abound… Fear, it seems, ...

We're Seeing Red

2010-03-27T22:10:00.002-06:00

March 27th, 2010 ~ Peyton's Birthday Celebration:

Age: 2

Theme: Ladybug

Little Friends: Corban, Lucie, Teagan, Scout

Big Friends: Mommy, Daddy, Nana, Grampa Wade, Joey, Jen, Ms Kathy, and Ashley

I made a slideshow of the photos and video from the day but it was too large to upload all as one so I divided it into 3 parts. Just scroll down to the bottom of this page, pause the music player and then click play on the video icon starting with part 1. They are super cute :)

Photos and Video:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

2009 Benson Family Yearbook Complete...

2010-03-15T15:58:00.001-06:00

I have finished our 2009 family yearbook...Click on the front cover below to check it out!

Project 365 - Day 24

2010-01-31T14:12:00.002-07:00

We had a jam packed day so I didn't have much time for a picture today. So, I decided to give the new camera phone a try. The girl at Verizon told me how great the quality is so I wanted to see for myself. Not very impressive if you ask me...hmmmm.

Project 365 - Day 23

2010-01-30T14:11:00.002-07:00

the morning after.... Michell and I looking pretty good considering our lack of sleep...

Project 365 - Day 22

2010-01-29T14:08:00.002-07:00

We did an overnighter with our High School girls...so much fun. Although I had pink hair and was very very tired when I got home I am already ready for the next one!

theCity That Never Sleeps leaders... April, Me, Michell, Violet

Project 365 - Day 21

2010-01-28T14:05:00.002-07:00

Corban and Peyton have this cool shape learning thing called shape shuffle. This is me trying to get an interesting shot of Corban while he was playing with it.

Project 365 - Day 20

2010-01-27T14:04:00.003-07:00

Corban did some water painting today....he did a great job!

Project 365 - Day 19

2010-01-26T13:57:00.002-07:00

My Mom and I at Avatar 3D! She had not been to a movie in 20 years; can you believe that?!?!

It was my second time seeing it so it was more fun for me to watch her actually. When they said to put our glasses on she leaned way back in her chair and says...wow! Then when Jake first visits the jungle and he swings his gun around she swatted at it (jokingly) and says "don't stick that gun in my face". LOL What an awesome experience to be there with my Mom!

Project 365 - Day 18

2010-01-25T13:54:00.002-07:00

Success! Peyton's officially done potty training and she was a rock star student!

This is her completed sticker chart:

Project 365 - Day 17

2010-01-24T14:18:00.002-07:00

Just some fun at home with the whole family. Not sure if you can tell but Dave has his hair up like Peytons.. hee hee and Corban is doing bunny ears behind them.

Project 365 - Day 16

2010-01-23T14:15:00.001-07:00

Corban playing play dough with his little sis. This was our first time having play dough fun at home actually; it was one of Peyton's potty prizes. She is great at sharing with her big brother though.

Bye Bye Diapers!

2010-01-22T14:20:00.000-07:00

Project 365 - Day 15

2010-01-22T14:13:00.002-07:00

Peyton's 1st day of potty training. Before we made the big switch from diapers to undies we went around the house to collect all the diapers and place them in this garbage bag so we can "throw them away".

Saying bye bye to the diapers...

Project 365 - Day 14

2010-01-21T14:10:00.001-07:00

Driving home from Nana's house.....the cross overlooking Somers cut across.

Project 365 - Day 13

2010-01-20T12:44:00.001-07:00

Coffee with Tiffany...

Project 365 - Day 12

2010-01-19T12:29:00.000-07:00

Date Night! This is Dave and I at Walmart picking out potty training gifts for Peyton. Two more days and our 3 day potty training starts!

We went to dinner at Hu Hot for the first time; not bad. We also got all of our grocery shopping done for the next 2 weeks! Huge relief for me I must say. It is amazing how great it is to go grocery shopping without the kids.

Project 365 - Day 11

2010-01-18T20:13:00.003-07:00

water painting at home with Corban and Peyton...

Project 365 - Day 10

2010-01-17T20:12:00.001-07:00

Corban created his own Sodor station! Almost as much fun as the real thing and much cheaper.

Project 365 - Day 9

2010-01-16T20:12:00.000-07:00

Valentine decorating is under way..... We cut out and colored a few hearts so we could begin decorating for Valentines Day....

this is Corban running and jumping under the hearts we hung from the dining room light.

Project 365 - Day 8

2010-01-15T20:12:00.000-07:00

theCity - "don't judge a bean by it's cover"

ok, yuck.....this was a game that Raul had the students play that could have ended pretty badly, but luckily it didn't. There were two jelly beans of each color, one tasted as it should (coconot, pear, ext...) the other was an imposter (baby wipes, skunk spray, ext...). The one I was most afraid of was barf.....it really made me cringe thinking someone might eat one that tasted like barf. No one ended up with barf but I know someone got baby wipes and even rotten egg....ugghhh

Just goes to show "you can't judge a book by it's cover."

Cookie Day!

2010-01-15T11:55:00.005-07:00

The day started off right. Corban says to me as we are headed downstairs for breakfast "Mom, I need you to take my trains downstairs, I am very busy this morning." Hmmmm

We started our valentine decorating so we have a few hearts throughout the house and will continue to add to them as the month continues.

Today's letter of the day was C so we spent the morning learning all about it. Of course we focused on the fact that Corban starts with C but also learned about some of our other favorite things; cats, cake, cows and COOKIES (definitely the favorite). We even made cookies as our fun activity.

Corban is still wearing his patch 3 hours a day and it is getting easier for him. He doesn't like it but tolerates it.

Here are some photos from today:

Project 365 - Day 7

2010-01-13T15:39:00.000-07:00

(Nikon D200)

Corban went to the eye Dr today and we found out that one of his eyes is not developing as quickly as the other so he has to start wearing a patch on the good eye 3 hours per day for the next three months...geeesh. The Doc says this will allow the "bad" eye time to exercise and catch-up.

Project 365 - Day 6

2010-01-12T15:49:00.000-07:00

(Nikon D200)

2 weeks out of the studio made me really appreciate the photo session I had today!

Isn't she cute? Meet Aria Emery Lace Stewart, she is 2 months old, and the daughter of Justin and Jenessa. They came to the studio and we took a bunch of shots but this one was one of my favorites.

New Music

2010-01-11T21:28:00.004-07:00

Just added music player to the blog and put our new favorite song on it!

Dave (not Dave Matthews Dave Benson) discovered this song a few weeks ago and when he did he told me he had found our new song...so sweet. I really, really liked it so I accepted.

I hope you like it as much as we do, I tear up everytime I listen to it.

Enjoy!

Dave Matthews ~ You and Me

Wanna pack your bags, Something small

Take what you need and we disappear
Without a trace we'll be gone, gone
The moon and the stars can follow the car
and then when we get to the ocean
We gonna take a boat to the end of the world
All the way to the end of the world

Oh, and when the kids are old enough
We're gonna teach them to fly

You and me together, we could do anything, Baby
You and me together yes, yes (x2)

You and I, we're not tied to the ground
Not falling but rising like rolling around
Eyes closed above the rooftops
Eyes closed, we're gonna spin through the stars
Our arms wide as the sky
We gonna ride the blue all the way to the end of the world
To the end of the world

Oh, and when the kids are old enough
We're gonna teach them to fly

You and me together, we could do anything, Baby
You and me together yes, yes

We can always look back at what we did
All these memories of you and me baby
But right now it's you and me forever girl
And you know we could do better than anything that we did
You know that you and me, we could do anything

You and me together, we could do anything, Baby
You and me together yeah, yeah
Two of us together, we could do anything, baby
You and me together yeah, yeah
Two of us together yeah, yeah
Two of us together, we could do anything, baby

?? to reach the end of the world

Project 365 - Day 5

2010-01-11T21:18:00.006-07:00

My photo of the day: take a look at this potato! Do I put all my heart into my cooking or what?

(LG enV3)

Project 365 - Day 4

2010-01-10T16:05:00.006-07:00

The sun decided to come out today after all! It was either take photos at the local bridge or watch football. As you can see Kurt Warner is not my subject...sorry.

This is the South Ferndale bridge down the street from our house. My fingers were tingling by the time I was done but it was so pretty our there it was worth it.

(Nikon D200)

Project 365 - Day 3

2010-01-09T21:53:00.001-07:00

SORRY....I GOT NOTHIN' TODAY :(

Project 365 - Day 2

2010-01-08T15:41:00.000-07:00

Just Dave and I chillin on the couch. It was super late and I realized I hadn't taken a picture at my digicrop like I had planned so this had to do...sorry.

(Nikon s550)

Happy New Year! Project 365 - Day 1

2010-01-07T10:38:00.005-07:00

Happy New Year from the Benson family. Dave, Shawna, Corban and Peyton are all doing very well and hope you, your family, and friends the same.

I have to admit although I did pretty well keeping up with the Flash Image BLOG in 2009 I had a terrible time keeping up with Benson Family blog so entering into 2010 I have decided to embark on a very fun challenge that will hopefully keep me on better track.

I am starting HM project 365; that is taking a picture every day for 365 days...a whole year! My friends at Heritage Makers offered this challenge to all of us through their BLOG and I have happily accepted.

So here is our picture for day 1: Peyton showing off the letter of the day!

(Nikon s550)

Corban and Peyton are learning their letters so we have a letter of the day each day to help them. We draw the letter together with crayons and then we go on a scavenger hunt around the house looking for things that start with that letter. We always have little prizes and they seem to enjoy it but usually get bored pretty quick.