Stacy Benintendi!!!!

Are you paying attention???

This is for you SISTER

You'd better like it...

Cause cutting my hair is your Birthday Present!!!

Homecoming

I love that Nate let's me take pictures of him! LOVE IT!

Nate asked Rachel to Homecoming, she obviously said yes. How CUTE! But don't tell me how much they look alike...it creeps me out a little.

This is the group they went with...

Funny, funny kids.

What's Mother to do?

September 11th, as you all know was Morgan's Birthday.
This is how she spent most of it...

Sick in our bed...on Mike's side of the bed.

I'm not sure if she just wanted to be closer to the

TV or if she was hoping to make her step father ill. I wouldn't put it past her. she can be a naughty kid even when she's ill!

So here was this mother's dilemma. My friend Jill had these great free (well, free for us; I'm sure someone had to pay for them) tickets to Keith Urban who was playing on Morgans Birthday. (Somehow I chose not to remember that "Keith" was on Morgan's Birthday month's ago when we first talked about the concert and not having enough tickets for Morgan to go, but I think what happened was that because I'm such a "good parent" that I was going to leave Morgan home while I went, only after having a fun celebration during the day with her...see, I'm not that bad!) Jill ended up being able to get extra tickets so Morgan could go with us at the last minute which was awesome! till I realized that Morgan was getting sick...too sick to go with us. hhhmmmmm...stay home with Morgan while she sleeps? Go to Keith Urban Concert...sick daughter sleeping...good lookin' guy singing great songs...very capable AND GOOD LOOKING husband to take care of Morgan while I go to Keith Urban (FOR FREE!!!! mind you)...

Yea... I went and I'm OK with the choice...it was a GREAT concert! Thank you Jill for the chance to go. I loved it and I don't think Morgan was all that sad about not getting to go; she really felt miserable.Make sure and click on these shots I love how they turned out!I was amazed at the great shots I got off of the HD big screen! this one above looks like a 50 foot Keith singing right to the people in the upper level.and this guy looks like he's looking right at me...but he's not because I'm in the Key Bank suite at the opposite end of the arena! Nancy and Hannah got to go with us! Nancy's a HUGH fan and Hannah's learning... Can't you just see the joy, the serenity, the pure Ecstasy in Nancy's eyes??? oh yea... hehehehe In the end Morgan was feeling a little better the next day. She got to open her presents and that made her happy and then she took it easy the rest of the day.

The Utah State Fair

Morgan really really really wanted to got to the fair for her B~day this year. Well...no, that's kind of a lie, she really wanted a big sleep over with all her friends for her Birthday but a can't be doin' that ever blasted year for her! So for all intents and purposes...Morgan wanted to go to the fair.We went on opening day, an hour after they opened. I totally recommend doing that if you're not a fan of crowds and you hate waiting in lines (which I realize is part of the ambiance but whatever)

Mike and Nate went on the first ride. It's the one where you stand up, it spins really fast and the pad you're up against lifts you off the floor and you're stuck to the wall...and that

...was the beginning...of the end...for Mike.I love this shot of Nate and Morgan. Nate was such a good Brother that day. He let Morgan take his hand and drag him from ride to ride.

Rides like thisand this.But honestly...what's the real reason to go to the State Fair?

BUTTER COW duh.

Oh baby, I was gonna get me some smooth sexy Butter Cow pictures if it killed me!

We found it...ohhhh yes we did.

But what could be better the a Butter "Cow"?

A BUTTER BULL!!!!!

ya, I said it...B*U*T*T*E*R B*U*L*L Baby!

With a rider no less.

ahhh, the sweet satisfaction

What's this? Mike and Nate looking at something with wheels on it?

Why would that be interesting? huh...

Now it's getting dark and Mike is leading us somewhere with a purpose, and we end up here. He asked Morgan if she remembered this curb. lol what a sick man.

This is the curb...someplace close to where she's sitting, that she rammed her sweet little 4 year old forehead into. Mike told her it was that black mark to the right of her. Nice...She's ok, it just made her a little silly, and now she has a scar on her head like Mommy. Friendly little goatHere's a sad deal. Nate's petting this cow and says, loud enough for the owner to hear,"I've never touched a cow before!" She laughed pretty hard. My poor Nate. I think city kids miss out on some good stuff. I'm glad we brought him.
And I'm glad we brought ME! I used to love Candied Apples with the Cinnamon Candy coating and I haven't found these anywhere. They're yummy and a beautiful shiny red...

like my dream car! Tony Woodlief, who lives somewhere in the state of Kansas, took his family to the state fair. Twice. And then wrote about it:
No Kansan (or Utahan in our case) is too good for the state fair. In fact, nobody is too good for the state fair, period, though perhaps the state fair is too good for some people. If you find it beneath you to get elbow to elbow with people who have not enough money and too many kids, and folks who work the earth, and greasy-fingered, shiny-eyed cheerful miscreants operating the rides, then perhaps you have too high an opinion of yourself, because we are all made of the same suspect dust, it seems. And if your mistaken opinion of your social position prevents you from getting a fresh corn dog and a hot steaming plate of sugary funnel cake, then it serves you right. Go content yourself with a pseudo-cosmopolitan meal in your favorite faux Euro-bistro with the cheap furniture, and pretend you live in New York. As for me and my household,

we'll take the fair.

Some kids just aren't normal...

With a promise to me that he will not do something ridiculous with his hair his Senior year I acquiesced this year. If you click HERE you will remember...there was a before picture...and an after. I also said there would be a DURING picture. He was going to dye it black till he found out how much I spend to color MY hair. Go ahead...Scroll down...it's ridiculous...like I said.

He even wore all black! He's not a fan of Emo's if you know what they are. so this is his

"Ode to Emo's"

Isn't her purdy?

hehehehe

Mmmmmm...Donuts. say it like Homer would

September 3rd
"Hiking" to and then climbing on Donut Falls with The Patch's, Williams, and Hammonds.

Do I look like I might possibly back hand him where the sun don't shine?

Oh Sweet August...

When I'm just starting to love Summer, when I think getting a little color on my somewhat translucent skin might be nice, and when the scent of the trees in the evening, driving down Van Winkle Expressway couldn't be any more lovely...Summer is almost gone.

Both of my boys are driving now.

And I don't think they hate their cars too much.
Brett's Uncle Trevor and his Aunt Robyn threw a"Man Shower" for him before he left for BYU the next day. I'm so glad Robyn offered; it was a lot of fun for everyone!

Grandpa Hanson, Brett, and Mike

This a great picture of one of Trevor and Robyn's Twins (It's 50/50 on whether it's David or Johnathan so I won't try to guess) I just thought it was hilarious how his arm would come back sloooowly without looking grab a finger full and sloooowly put it in his mouth. Yummy BYU cake by Nancy. Thanks Nanc!

Then, the next day we drove Brett up to Provo, slowed down to 40 and kicked him out of the car! Just kidding...obviously.

We spent most of the day getting he and his friend Andy settled into their tiny apartment that they share with two other guys. Morgan LOVED this place so much that she wants to live there some day AND she offered to clean their place once a month just so she can hang out there. That's a girl with big dreams!

I must say thank you to Matt DeGraw for helping these boys get into the apartment that he manages and for the great price he offered. Every little bit helps. You're the best Matt!

First day of School...the beginning of the end of Summer. Bittersweet.

Brett's a freshman @ the Y, Nate and Beth are Juniors in high school

and Morgan is in 5th GRADE!

...as I feel another worry line form across my forehead