Please remember all italicized news is fraudulent and intended to be funny.
MOM AND DAD
Back from their mission and raring to go, Dad has decided to make Mom his full time project. He’s already signed them both up for a spinning class, pilates, and yoga at a local health club. Now he just has to break it to her.
Happy Mother’s Day, Mom.
BENGES
Esther is singing loudly into a microphone right now, and I have a headache! So that is my excuse for being discombobulated. I am getting sick AGAIN. I have had something or other almost constantly since Hannah got home. She was called to be her ward organist, by the way, and even had a guy from the single ward ask for her number, so there is progress in her life. And besides that she got to go and see a fireside of a pianist that was knighted by the Queen of England for being the best pianist in the world. I wish we could have all gone, but she did record him on her cell phone, in case Marilyn or someone wants to listen. Hannah is working fewer hours though, which is not good. This morning Dave left at five-thirty for the airport. He just called a shuttle to pick him up, leaving all three of the cars for us so we don't die! I will miss him, of course, but I have found the times he's gone go by VERY quickly because life is so busy, and I expect this trip to Minneapolis will be the same. --He will miss us more! And I am very sorry to the HArdmans that he cannot be there for Charlie and Eric's sealing. What a dumb time for his boss choose for him to do a presentation at a conference! This week we found water in the carpet under the whiteboard, and when Dave did some investigating, he discovered that our filing cabinets were "GLUED" to the carpet with mold, and everything underneath dissolving and destroyed. So, that is discouraging. We do not know how often it is flooded or where the water is coming from, but it is definitely through the wall, and the baseboards and plaster board is all ruined. But the pipes from the kitchen sink are back there, and COULD be the source, but then we had a big rainstorm yesterday and found a tiny trickle of water afterwards down there. It is not silty though. Anyway, we have torn up that whole corner of the carpet and will keep watching it. I pray that it is an internal problem because that it much cheaper and easier to repair than the cement walls, but it looks bad.
In April we saw most of you at sometime so there is not much news. We were excited to have Mom and Dad come back to us! Miriam joined track, but injured her right ankle pretty quickly, so she is not a big asset to the team, but I am proud of her hard work and her HOURS of running because I simple despise it. Enough said. IT was a glorious month because we had a GREAT Easter, a GREAT general conference, and a GREAT visit to Baby Animal Days in Logan during Spring Break (though it was windy and cold and the lines were terrible! I guess it is worth it to pet little chicks and bunnies and hold tiny turtles even if your hands are turning blue!) Miriam did a really awesome job in her junior high's production of "Shrek". She sang strong, and had wild make-up and hair that looked like a tangle of flames! And Lucy and Andrew both worked hard to be in " A Midsummer Night's Dream" with the elementary school, though neither of them had auditioned. It was nice to not be stressed about being front and center stage for them. It was wonderful to see Lucy leading out with her musical skills on the recorder, drum, tamborine, and xylophone, and Andrew got to be a magician out in the Green Show (though he had to fight obnoxious children who were trying to touch and ruin his tricks the whole time.) Joshua went to the zoo with his class and did a big Share-a Book presentation he was proud of, Rachel was Sacagawea at her "Hero Day", Lucy did a powerpoint on bald eagles, and Andrew did a World Report about Taiwan...so we were plenty busy in April and ready now for school to wind down. The only one things have slowed down for is Gideon, and he has four AP tests to take over the next week!
This Sunday I would have made a funny online video when I was going over to the church, with just minutes to go, and Esther walked too slowly in her tiny steps. So, I leaned over and tried to hoist her onto my hip---with two bags sliding off my shoulders and the Sunday School poster in my other arm--- and as I shifted to try not to drop her, I let go of the poster board and the wind picked it up in a gust and carried it YARDS across the church lawn. I had to quickly put Esther back down (which made her cry) and chase it, in my heels!!! And the wind kept lifting it away from me again and again! I was laughing, but also ready to curse...and I kept calling back for Esther to "just stay there and Mommy will come back and get you!" I finally caught up to the poster when we were nearly off church grounds. It made me late for Sacrament Meeting and sure beat the heck out of the poster, so now I laugh every time I look at it! I should toss it in the garbage, but it reminds me of the absurd lengths we go to in the church to serve and be a part of God's work, even when we are pushed to extremes and have an opposing wind!
I hope you are all getting through your life's opposition with fortitude and humor...And I hope you are still interested in doing the family newsletter because I LOVE to hear about what you are going through!!!
Love, Susan
and the Benges
NIELSON C
Charles and Bryony have taken up astrology, and discovered a meteor heading for Earth. It will arrive in five years, and is going to destroy all life on Earth, but for the brief time we all exist the meteor will be known as the Bryony Meteor. Why Bryony, why?
JOHNSON
Hello, all! I vote that we keep doing newsletter. I know that it is hard to come up with news, but I sure love the contact with everyone. Although lately we have been seeing a lot of each other with all the missionaries and wedding stuff, it isn't always like that even when Mom is around. So let's keep the newsletter going.
As for Johnson news, Hyrum said to make sure I let you know that he is just as awesome as ever. And maybe even a little more so because he has a new Scott Sterling Studio C T-shirt.
Bethany is registered for her classes at Snow. Now she just has to figure out exactly where she is going to live and how she is going to pay for it. (Well, and also she has to graduate, but we think they will accommodate her in that endeavor if we keep our fingers crossed!)
Everyone is excited for Summer--just four more weeks of school now!
Mike is turning in a proposal for an animated series for BYU TV. He is also trying to help his technologically-challenged wife to create a blog or a website or something to share the cleaning activities. Any recommendations?
The Payson Temple is beautiful--and we are really busy with all the volunteering and kids practicing for the cultural celebration.
See you all at Mom and Dad's homecoming!
Love from the Johnsons
HARDMAN
Suffering from porcine withdrawal, the Hardmans have given up bacon. Yay, more for the rest of us.
NIELSON J
It is a secret shame that his family has bravely hidden from the world that I now expose: due to his constant exposure to all things girly, John has sadly succumbed to “Brony-ism”.
NIELSON S
Hi, family!
Okay, looks like the total amount for the reunion is going to be $92 per person. We already paid a deposit on the lodging, and the rest is due at the beginning of July. You can either send the money in the mail sometime before then, or just give it to us when you see us! Let us know if there are any problems.
We didn't count the littlest babies, so here are the numbers (let us know if we got something wrong):
Susan and Dave, we counted 10 for your family
Hardmans, 5 (you said Steve can't make it, right?)
Johnsons, 9
John and Liz, 5
Sam and me, 8
Hunts, 4
Adams, 3
Froyds, 3
And Mom and Dad, of course :)
So, that number times $92 will be what you owe.
Sam and I have been brainstorming lots of ideas for the reunion and we're getting really excited! It's going to be fun. Each family will probably be in charge of a meal or part of a meal, but we'll give you details on that later.
Thanks everyone!
Love,
Sam and Marilyn
HUNT
Ella is potty training herself. Jane doesn't want the fighting and screaming so she has stickers and treats for Ella to have if she does but she's not pushing it. Ella is doing pretty well despite it all and may get potty trained anyway. She also lost her binky so we are trying to have her live without it. We'll see how that goes.
Gwen just got a kite from all the reading she has done this year. And she got a wooden car that she is currently putting together. She gets to go on a lot of field trips this month so that has been fun for her. Gwen has been enjoying having The Fablehaven series read to her by Jane, already finished two books.
Abe found a bunch of board/card games for sale and has bought lots of new ones for us to try out. It has been fun trying all the new games. Abe will talk about opening a game shop because he likes to buy them so much. Abe went to another Startup weekend, and got voted crowd favorite. He also worked on two other projects as well during that time.
Jane has been helping babysit nieces and nephews this month. And the dogs that came with them have been making her sneeze. She did enjoy coming up with meals for more people and glad the leftovers were down to a minimum.
FROYD
Ronan is starting to get his first teeth. Naya is counting down the days until her birthday, Sandin is in denial about his. And Katy is wishing her body wasn’t a broken down shell.
ADAMS
As we all know, Pam is an addict, to puppies, she now has found an eternal fix, volunteering her days, while Evelyn is in school, at a local animal society. Here Pam can get her joys of puppy love, without the need to walk, feed, or care for the puppies that get her love. Get your love on girl, we support and love you. And when you’re ready to give up your addiction I’m sure we can find a group out there for you, Puppies Anonymous?
