Time to Say Good-bye

Saying Good-bye to a Class Act!

You knew this was coming! I have just been in denial most of the week! What a classy guy. When I look at my sons (who of course are destined to play some type of pro-sport) I want them to model this guy. The guy who gave everything to the game. The guy who is strong in his faith and is a family man. A guy who will retire this once and will truly BE DONE (Roger).

I cried during the press conference when he gave his wife credit! What a woman. She has three kids and is basically a single mom most of the year. I have three kids and throw a fit if Michael is gone more than one/two nights! I have to go see one more game this year and I am sure my hubby won't let me down!

The thing that ties me most to this man is my Dad. My dad loves baseball (as did my Paw Paw and Granny). They never stopped watching because we were having a crappy year they just yelled a little louder. I have inherited that from all three of them. I have fond memories of watching games with my dad from when I was 5 and up! There was never a time I can remmeber watching without Biggio. I will miss that the most.

Krazy Dancin' Kids

Here is the video from today at Kids Kamp!!

Kids Kamp

So Sad!!!!!!!! Today is the last day of Kids Kamp at church. The kids have had a blast! Taylor, Aaron and Jake have had so much fun they even got to perform for us this morning! Taylor had a blast, Jake sat on my lap and wanted to be with Gator and Aaron had fun too just much more low key than Tate. Jake did great with the parachutes (because Aaron and Taylor were with him) but as soon as they left he wanted to be with me. He did do the streamers with me. Taylor was jumping and dancing everywhere and she stuck herself dead front and center (that's my girl). We love being center stage! I tried to get more shots of Aaron but he was behind this one kiddo that would not move!

Here are the pictures from the morning and I will try and load up the video. Kimmy got great video of them as well so check out her blog later! Please ignore Taylor digging! BAD HABIT!!!!!

We will be celebrating the last day of Kamp with lunch with the hawkin's clan at McDonald's (aren't you jealous)!

The shot of little man is just an added bonus!

New Link

Hey everyone, I am back into the swing of life after a crazy fun vacation. I have a new link in my blog that allows you to view photos. Just click on The Bench Crew Photos link, the password is 112198anni and off you go. We had so many pictures from the Bahamas I did not have enough room in my blog. Hope you enjoy. I will be adding also updates to albums in there. I keep a album for each kiddo so they will have them when they are grown. Enjoy!

This picture is Caden in his new exersaucer (Thanks Aunt Kimmy and Gator for sharing). He LOVES it and reminds me of Tate in it!!

Hello from the "Hamas"

Hello from the "Hamas" as Jakey Boy is calling it. We are having a blast but are really worn out. We just got in from our last outing at the beach and we are officially water-logged. Jake and Michael are asleep and tate is watching a show. Jake has taken a nap every day.
The beginning of our trip was tough. This place is HUGE!!!! (I will send pictures when we get home). The walking did jake in. After a day of his whining and crying I rented a stroller from the hotel and it has been the best $$ spent this vacation. He gets a free ride and I have some sanity restored.

This place is so big I can even put it into words. It is a beautiful place. We discovered it is more outfitted for the older kids though. We found Jake likes the beach best and there is this little beach called the Cove that is calm and we have spent lots of time there. Tate wanted to do all the water slides but was to small (she was very upset). But, today was her highlight, my brother-in-law, niece, nephew and Taylor and me all went parasailing. Jake and Michael rode the boat out with us. Tate LOVED it she was much calmer than I was. I was the one screaming and she was the one not holding on and Praising God from 200 feet above the Ocean Floor. She was so funny!!!

The other highlight was the Dolphin Encounter we went on. The kids loved it and Jake kept kissing our dolphin "Sean". We got to hug them, feed them, kiss them, pet them and even dance with them. They are truly beautiful creatures and VERY heavy. When he got on my shoulder for a hug I about fell over I was not expecting the weight.

The kids have gone to kids camps at night all except two nights. They will be heading there tonight so the couples can have one last night together.

All in all it has been a blast and it is beautiful. I would next time leave the munchkins at home. Michael had meetings every morning and so I am wiped out.

Girls..the lzy river I was so pumped about floating on is called the current. It has severe rapids in it. Michael and tate loved it. jake and I hated it. There was an elevator thing you had to go up while floating along tht had jets shooting water out well...jake and I got caught in the jets and could not get out. I could not see and Jake was screaming he hates water in his face (as do I). Finally we got going and he and I exited the "lazy River". I should have known something was up when the lifeguards made us put life jackets on the kids!!

We did meet up with our friend david who lives here. he and his daughter taelor came and spent one day with us and then he came and celebrated Michael's b-day with us at dinner one night. That was great to see him.

The kids have had a blast with there cousins and I am thankful they were here with us. Chris has pushed Jake everywhere for me. Great helper.

So, tonight s our last night and we are all ready to see our "wee puppy". We miss everyone and I will call when we get our self back on State time!!
****No celebrity sitings. We ate at the fanciest restraunt here on a business dinner (it is a Japanese place way out of the comfort zone there). But, there is a big sign up that Jamie Presley is celebrating her birthday here Friday night. (She sent a invitation but we will be back stateside. I was so sad to disappoint her). See you all soon!!!

Taylor AKA "Little Orphan Annie"

If you have been around Tate latley for any period of time you would know of her obsession with Annie. It is so bad we have the broadway soundtack in the car and the movie soundtrack in her room. At any given moment you will here "Tomorrow" booming from upstairs. I love the movie as well but HATE that song. I am actually sick of all the songs and have banned it the past few days from being played in the car on the premiss that I may go insane. She is also, for the past month, been having really hard times going to bed at night because she is very concerned she is going to be orphaned from her parents dying in a fire. I think that is my sign to make her take a break from watching the movie every other day!

Well, just now I told her to go upstairs and clean. She was not real happy with this plan and stomped up stairs mumbling and talking about how I am not fair WHATEVER!!! The kicker is

all of sudden I hear "Hard Knock Life" bellowing from my sweet five year old. I was cracking up!!!!!!! My drama queen daughter!!!!!!! (At least she gets it honostly)

PRAISING GOD

I have had the great delight of watching God perform some amazing miracles this week that have truly showed me his "awesomeness". Just when we think we have been crying out unheard He delivers in such a forcible way you are knocked to your knees..face down in awe of him.

So many times we get so caught up in crying out to him that we forget to take time to just Praise him for always being Faithful. So, I am taking this blog moment to just stop and give him Praise. Praise for loving us the so unlovable, Praise for healing me and Jake (NO MONO HOORAY) and for just being the Great God he is!!!!!

My Sweet Hubby

Well, my week has been crazy. As most of you know Jake and I have been really sick. My throat has been covered with puss (gross I know). So yesterday I went back to the doctor and to my horror they think I have "Mono" UGH!!!!!!!!!!! So, I had Jake tested this morning and Praise God it was negative so his was just a virus. I get my results back this afternoon so I am praying for a miracle here. We leave Saturday for the Bahamas and I am also praying Tate does not get the virus!

I have been really stressed and overwhelmed latley. Today after another docotrs appointmen (the receptionist, who goes to our church, says she is petitioning for my own back door parking place. That I should get patient of the year)! No Joke!!!! Anyway, I am feeding "wee puppy" and the door bell rings and to my surprise I am getting flowers! I started crying (the lady probably thought what a nut...I look very scary and tired). My sweet hubby sent me flowers and they are BEAUTIFUL. I told Tate we have to call and thank Daddy. She replies "I'm not calling him he didn't send ME flowers." So like her:) Anyway here are some shots of my amazing flowers I LOVE YOU HONEY!!!!!!!!

The other picture is of Caden eating his peas. He is the messiest eater. He smiles so much the food keeps falling out!

Caden's Baptism

We Baptized sweet Caden Michael Bench on July 8, 2007. So many family and friends honored us this day by coming and pledging with us to raise caden up "in the ways he should go" until a time comes that he can make the choice to have a personal relationship with Jesus himself.

His sweet Godparents Kimmy and Ryan were there as well to stand up and pledge with us to help and keep him on the path Jesus would have him go. They are also Tate's Godparents and are a huge part of our kids lives and bless them all so very much. We love them so much!

Well, I wish I could say the day was great (it was), but Friday Kimmy and I took the kids to a bounce house (because it was that or kill them) and I was feeling a little crummy. By that night I had a low grade fever and knew I was just fighting something off. By Saturday morning my fever was up to over 102. Michael took the kids to his mom's while he had to go to work (a huge blessing thanks Mom). I was going to one of my old students wedding that night and was so bummed not to get to go. I was struggling big time and Michael wins Daddy of the Weekend Award this past weekend for sure (I love you babe). Sunday morning I wake up and have puss ALL over my throat and my fever is 103. Feeling really ready to baptize my kid to God and to top it all off (and don't get me wrong this was a huge honor and made the day way cool for us). I was giving a testimony after the baptism.

*****Sidenote: I had requested two things for this baptism: one that Lynda do it and she did (I love her and she is truly a mentor to me. She blesses me in countless ways and I adore her.) The second thing was to have the song "Sweetly Broken" by Jeremy Riddle (see Blog #1 for importance) sung and it was. To introduce the song though they asked me to give a testimony on why the song was so importnat to us HUGE HONOR!!!!!

So, you see the problem high fever puss all over throat! BUT, as always God is Good. I called my docotr Sunday morning at 7:30 and woke her up and she called in a prescription for me (I thought this was Strepp). I made it through the day, bbq dinner with family, a quick nap and I went and did the Bible Study that night for the teen girls. I am exhausted. The thing that really sucks, yes SUCKS, is that it is Tuesday I am still battling low grade fever, I still have puss all over my throat and Jake has it. His doctor informed me it is a virus (not strepp) and it will take it course. Caden had the recheck for his ears only to find out he still has a double ear infection. I realized that on the way to the docotr when he vomited his whole bottle in my car. As I was in the middle of typing this blog he vomited his last feeding. UGH!!!!!!!!!! But, he is still smiling, Jake is sleeping and Tate is at tumbling GOD IS GOOD!!!!!!!!!

Sorry for the wordiness I am on serious overload. We leave for our much needed trip to the Bahama's Saturday please pray God's blanket of health over my family. In the last couple days I have watched him perform some pretty HUGE miracles that I wish I could share (have no idea why the font changed and I can't fix it...pretty though). So, I am believing in his mercies on us for health and a fun trip ahead!

The Fourth

The Fourth of July is a great day and a wonderful day to teach our kids to be so thankful we live in a free country. Our day was pretty uneventful. We were VERY lazy the first part of the day and then had an early dinner of great BBQ chicken and Ribs with my folks. YUMMY!!!! The kids got to swim at there "neighborhug" pool and they have the COOLEST splash pad. Forgot my camera and lost out on some great shots. We then headed home to a great display of fireworks (look closely to the bottom of the shots and you will see the NBC logo). I know we are losers. We cuddled on the couch with the kids and watched from inside. (Note to everyone: There should be a law forbidding fireworks past 1AM).

Lazy Summer Days

I am doing the thing Heather hates the most "multi-blogging". I am SO far behind and I am really sorry BUT since she is state-side she can't complain and I will take this time to catch up. These picks are of the kids playing with one of Jakey's new b-day toys. They had a blast and it was finally not raining HOORAY!!!!! There is only one shot of Jake becuase he HATES water in his eyes!

Boys and Their Toys

Jake got LOTS of neat boy toys for his birthday. Of his favorites: two remote control trucks. One even plays cool music "Born to be Wild". Gotta love it. The even nicer sound is Jake ramming into my walls. Yeah, love that! Every time he hits a wall (a million a day) you hear him yell "ACCIDENT MOM." I am laughing way to hard to be mad.

Even bigger news JAKE IS POTTY TRAINED!!!!!!!!!!!! He now tells us when he needs to poop and pee. I love this and am so excited PRAISE GOD! We have been praying every night for him to "God help me get on the Potty Train". So cute and he told me today "Mommy I am on the potty train". Yes we are!!!!! We are going today to buy his treat!!!

Happy 3rd Birthday Jakey Boy

Jakey Boy turned the big "3" last Thursday and we had his party Friday night. The point was since we have the play set all the kids could be outside. Great thought before the monsoons of 2007 hit Texas this summer. It wasn't to bad they did get to play outside for awhile and he got some great boy goodies (needed this big time he is surrounded by pink things). He is set now with more trucks and dinosaurs than we know what to do with.

The biggest mile stone is WE ARE POTTY TRAINED HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He started this weekend telling us when he needs to potty PRAISE GOD. We are headed to the Bahama's in two weeks and I really wanted him to be able to go to the camps in the morning so I could work-out and float the lazy river in solitude and book in hand with my sister-in-law.

The pictures are of him and his "pupcakes" (he did not want a cake). Also, of him opening presents and of him and his future wife Maddie (aka Dawson and Joey to me). They are so funny and she so wears the pants in this relationship. In the one picture my mom is asking him to smile and Maddie is grabbing his face and instructin him to "mile Jakey Boy". It is so funny. The picutres at the end Tate and I went to tuck him in and he had already passed out.