We missed the Bennett reunion (sad)..but the kids and I made it safely back to Geof. without me (and the children) losing my/our sanity (too much). Geof. wrote up our family newsletter and I thought I'd share:

Well hello fellow Bennett family members. It seems like only last year I was not attending the family

reunion with all of you. Of course we wish we could be with you, but we’ll hope for next year. Since last

we didn’t speak we’ve been same old, same old. I’ll give you the quick rundown.

June: Age, 4; Height, short; Voice, beautiful. We can sit and listen to her sing and watch her show us

ballet moves all day long. The girl was born to perform and so that’s what she does. We don’t even

need a radio or television, just a June. The girl is sunlight in the flesh, I believe that there couldn’t be a

cuter little caboose to our family.

Dayne: Age, 6; Height, middleish; Voice, husky. Dayne is continually coloring pictures for us and making

up stories that keep us all entertained. Her mother and I are concerned that most her stories already

center around boys. We’re looking into local convents she could live in until 20 or so. Her hugs and

smiles keep our family going. Dayne enjoyed her first year of school and is looking forward to 1st grade

to start shortly.

Cole : Age, 8; Height, shorter than Marilyn’s kids; Voice, boyish. Cole has had a year of playing and

responsibility, intermingled. He has been a good big brother and has been a big help to his mother and

me. This year he pretty much dominated soccer where most weeks he performed a hat trick. Some

weeks his coach would have to pull him out so that he would stop scoring. He was also baptized, and

was glad to have his grandma/pa Bennett and Uncle Adam and Aunt Mindi come out for the event. The

kid IS energy and we do our best to keep up with him.

Darla: Age, 29ish; Height, ish; Voice, wonderful. Darla has had a busy year. We bought a little house in

Richmond and she has been beautifying it in between trips. Recently she was able to go visit New York

with a friend and returned home in time to re pack and head off for the west coast with the kids, for a

month. In that time she has stayed in Utah, Oregon, and Washington. I really didn’t think I had married

my mom but there are some things that just stay with you. This year she completed the final classes to

receive her associates’ degree (did he really need to mention this? It's actually slightly embarrassing that after 14 years I still only have my associates. Come on!) She has directed a stake youth choir and helped feed/entertain the city.

I’m kind of overwhelmed by what she is able to do.

Geof.: Age, ailing; Height, shorter than Marilyn; Voice, dry. It’s been a good year. I was able to run my

first half marathon. I also have been able to go on vacation by proxy with my family. I feel like each

time I pay the bills it’s as though I was actually in that distant fun city, or eating that food. We were

able to take a trip down south in May to meander through the lovely street of Charleston S.C., and

stroll down the lazy streets of Savannah, GA.. This past month I was able to go with our stake youth to

Kirtland, OH. which was a life enhancing experience. I am blessed to have a family that I feel is perfect.

We’re sad we couldn’t get to the reunion to see you all and I am hoping that we can make it next year.

Please, please if you have an inkling of visiting the east come out and stay with us. I hope you are all

well.

Much love,

The Geoffrey, Darla, Cole, Dayne, and June Bennett family.

Missin' him..

We're ready to go home. Just a little over a day left. Have had so much fun but the kids and I are exhausted and ready to be with Geof. And he with us. Poor guy has been alone for a month while we've been playing. Boy do I love the west, though. Miss having mountains so close and air you can breathe (all the way) in, and a sky that goes on forever. But now it's time to get back.

And it'll be fun to be in my NEW HOUSE again!!!

now

Bought a house, painted it, moved in, tried to live a normal life for a few weeks. Unpacked more boxes, had a week of 110+ degree heat and humidity..so hot that we had to call our friends at 1am and sleep in their AC home (ours is currently not functioning. ugh.). The kids and I left a week ago via standby tickets (no fun) to SLC. Made it without any trouble (fun!) and played at brother Bevan's for 2 days before driving to the Oregon Coast with kids and cousin Camille and new husband Aaron. 11 hour drive with little to no sleep? No fun. But grateful to Bevan for loaning us his car and to Aaron and Camille for doing most of the driving.

Spent the last 3 days at the beautiful coast of Oregon with 130+ family members. It's been a dream. The only thing that could make it (much) better would be to have my Geof. Driving back to Utah in a week (after I spend a week with Geof.'s fam in WA) and playing there. Tired but happy to be playing with my kids. They love it! Geof. is working like a dog so we can play. Good man. He just got home from a 3 days youth conference in Kirtland, Ohio. Apparently it was AMAZING and many spiritual experiences were had. So glad. Pics to come soon. Staying up WAY TOO LATE tonight.

house news

Making progress! Wallpaper torn down and all rooms (minus ours, the laundry, and the bathroom) have been painted. Will continue to post as things get put away and organized.

procrastination

I'm in trouble. My mother in law has been flying all day and is currently on a train en route to Richmond from DC and could arrive any minute and what am I doing? Cleaning my house? No. Making dinner? No. Posting pics of our new home? Why yes, yes I am.

Geesh. And so I present to you..., my home. I don't know how to put the pics in order with the text.., so I'll just attempt to give an accurate description of each room. I didn't take a pic of the front of the house, or the entrance way for that matter. And dang it, cuz I really like the entrance way. Well, if you look at the pics at the very bottom of this post, you'll see a bright room with hardwood floors and torn wallpaper littering the floor. That's the living room and dining room. That's where we have started the renovation (can it be called "renovation" when you're just painting?). From the dining room, you walk into the kitchen which opens up to the paneled room. I love that! An open kitchen! The kitchen is tiny and there's no cupboard/countertop space, but I'll just continue to simplify and hopefully find some sort of buffet or mobile counter/storage space to use. I plan on painting the WHOLE kitchen (cupboards included) and paneled room (and fireplace) with some light colored paint. I can't wait to show you the AFTER pics!! Okay, so if you walk straight through the kitchen you go into the laundry/mud/pantry room (orange in color). This is a great room because there's a door right from the driveway! So nice! No, no garages out here in Richmond. I wish! If you follow the family/paneled room down the hall, you find a pink bathroom on your left (good thing retro is IN! I can't wait! ..and p.s. the floors aren't dirty like the pic shows), and the girls little room is on the right (pretty magnolia wall paper?). I want to take the lightest shade of pink from the flowers and paint the other two walls. And although I don't mind the curtains in this room, I will be removing ALL curtains from the house. I don't like to block ANY potential light. Continue down the hall to Cole's room in the corner (2 windows..not much else to say about this room) and then across from that room is Geof.'s office/the old Master bdrm. They added on a Master bdrm (blue carpet..also in good condition despite what the camera might tell) which is HUGE and a make-shift walk-in closet. We'll have to figure out something to do with that closet so we can fit every last article of closing to we own inside. I mean, the space is there, it's just a bit odd. And my least favorite room in the house? The master (tiny tiny) bath. I don't even think we'll use it until it's renovated. And I mean a REAL renovation. The tile, the shower, the toilet and sink..it's all gotta go.

But I'm in LOVE!! Pretty overwhelmed with what needs to be done to get out of here and into there, but happy. The space is great and flowing and I can't wait to make it ours. With patience.

june-isms

June yesterday while swinging at a park, "Look! I'm swinging with my legs! That means I can wear big girl panties to bed!" (no, we're still in pull ups...)

And today while running errands she started asking me what color Cole's hair was, Dayne's, etc. And then she says, "Daddy doesn't have hair, though. He gave it to me." (completely serious!).

(not a recent pic. Christmas in DC, in fact.)

house stuff

I've lost all motivation to clean my current home. My heart/mind is not here, but there-at the house we were SUPPOSED to close on this past Tues. Still waiting. Apparently, everything has gone through, we're approved on the loan and grant, now we're just waiting for the grant money to come in (first time home buyer grant). So, while waiting, I've thought about the many, many hours it'll take to paint her (are homes female?). Not too excited about painting. Excited about the finished product, though! I'm thinking grey/beige, pale yellows, and emerald green. Can't get that emeral green outta my head. Oh, and coral. Excited about coral.

I was brushing Dayne's teeth last night and thinking about how cute her smile was without those awkward adult teeth growing in (not even a loose tooth yet) and I snapped some pics just to remember...but those are on Geof.'s camera. We may or may not see them on here...ever.

Other interesting news? Hm...school's out in 2 weeks? I'm excited! We hope to make it out west for the month of August. Here's to hoping!

Here's a scripture that recently meant more to me than before..especially that "cheerfully" part: "Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed." Doctrine and Covenants 123:17