This Little Boy LOVES...

His Puppy...

And LOVES his ketchup! ... (do you think?!)

Joel's Party

We had a great time celebrating Joel's birthday this past weekend with lots of family. We had about 25 people over for lasagna dinner and cake! Everyone keeps asking how long I spent on the cake, so I'll just tell you I think it was around 6 hours including baking the cakes, etc. It was a very fun cake to decorate and I think Joel really liked it. :)

37!

I actually had to mathmatically (based on the year I know he was born) figure out how old Jeff was last week on his birthday. That's how you know you're getting up there! haha. j/k Jeff.

Jeff's cake wasn't quite as impressive as Joel's (pictures from Joel's party coming soon), but hey, I did make it special for him! The only day of the year I make chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, just for Jeff. (Note the "birthday mustache" he had this day. I was NOT a big fan, but it WAS pretty funny.

Mitchell and I purchased the autographed Kirby card on ebay...

Long Overdue

We had a long over due playdate today (mainly because of the distance between us) with 2 of my 3 college roomies and our 6 kiddos. They were seriously perfect little angels at lunch, eating the nummy turkey wraps that Sara was nice enough to make for all of us. Aren't they the cutest!

I can't believe it had been EIGHT months since our last get together. see... how they have grown!

This time we even have a child (age 4) old enough to take a picture of US! Wow, time is flying!

3 Years Ago Today...

... This beautiful baby boy was born.


It has been so much fun celebrating Joel's third birthday with him today. He talked to family on the phone, skyped with Nana and Papa, was excited about bring cupcakes to daycare to celebrate with his friends and told just about everyone that it was his birthday and he was "tee" today.


I was debating this evening about exactly how much to share about the day, but... since this blog is to document memories that may be fun (or funny) to remember later for us, and for the kids, I thought, I better go ahead with the good, AND the bad...


The good was all mentioned above, the bad was somewhere between dinner, and opening presents... Joel came down with the stomach flu and literally projectile vomited ALOT all over his dad (who was laying on the couch with him at the time, because he also had made several trips to the restroom recently), the couch and the carpet. Hmmm, not really part of the birthday night plan, but we cleaned up and moved on and Joel was chipper as ever, ready to run around, open presents and of course, have some cupcakes... (we'll find out later if that was a good idea, but who was I to deny the chipper bday boy a cupcake!).


See for yourself, here is some of the birthday fun that took place literally minutes after vomit clean-up was completed...

Joel was nice enough to let Grant open one of his presents for him. This was a last resort after realizing that there was NO WAY Grant was going to let Joel have all the fun without one serious fight and since Joel was willing, we were ready to stop the screaming and enjoy the present opening :)

New aquarium cars for Thomas track.

Yes, Gma Jane, don't worry, there are 3 candles plus one to grow on, of course!

And... last but not least, the part we perhaps should have skipped... eating the yummy cupcake that unfortunately, we saw again later in Joel's room... ugh, why was I (yes it was my idea to give him the cupcake) silly enough think he might get away with just one round of throw-up. By the way, this is the same stomach flu that Mitchell had over Christmas in Wisconsin, Grant has on New Year's Day and I had the day after that. It actually caused the Benson Family Christmas in Atwater not to happen over the weekend. I just haven't had a chance to post an update about the altered Benson family Christmas plans yet.

A Christmas Gift from Aunt Amber

Three rows up, Vikings end zone, plenty of action at that location at Sunday's game, that's for sure.

Mitchell had a great time at the game with his Aunt Amber, at his first Vikings game. What a great and memorable Christmas gift!