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1. Even though he's not 8 he got special permission to make a PineWood Derby car (after I had agreed to make the prizes they threw "since you are making the prizes we have permission to let Bentley race"....who is the winner here?) He took 4th and was pretty proud of Black Awesome.
2. How bad guys eat.
3. Bentley's first piano lesson. Even though I have 0 musical ability I'm thankful I married into some.
4. Just harassing the help at Lowe's. Suggested they spend more time readying blogs and surfing pinterest so they can better serve customers.
5. Our newest 4 eyes.
6. Taking the bathroom down to the studs and starting over. Lincoln asked, "Is that why you let Grandma and Grandpa come? So they can DESTROY our bathroom?"
7. Taking matters into my own hands. And driving mom crazy.
8. Bathroom progress.
9. Bentley's thank you note to Grandma and Grandpa. Also known as a guilt trip.

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1. Found him kicked back watching Martha Stewart's cooking show eating handfuls of Total. Which part would you consider abnormal?
2. Lincoln's masterpiece.
3. These are begging to be knocked off for a Ghoul's Night.
4. The Leonardo.
5. Mary's Little Lamb trying to get into the elementary school.
6. This is basically custard, don't let the yogurt name fool you.
7. Trying on Halloween costumes. Trying to convince the boys to be Frankenstein and Dracula.
8. How to turn a frown upside down. Serve Ogre Warts (cheerios) in swamp water (milk) for breakfast and pack this for lunch.
9. On our way to Boo! Bentley asked if I had posted these cups on Instagram or Facebook.
"No, just on Crafting Chicks." I replied.
"Oh phew we're safe, no one ever looks there." he explained.

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1. Bret showing his ninja skills
2. Then the rain came.
3. Followed by the sun. A family that plays together stays together.
4. Chod looks for any excuse to ride the boys bikes.
5. A blue fish for the birthday boy!
6. Old Navy's newest mannequin. Right before he got yelled at.
7. Crafting Chicks survive Vegas public transportation and a downpour.
8. Our matching Donny shirts.
9. Tri School Trot. Bentley set his goal to run 12 laps, or 3 miles and he did it!

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1. Sick kids and no milk in the house = Friday night escape.
2. Run Chod Run. Top of Utah Half
3. Hard at work
4. Game day. Flag flying and a the driveway already for the 1st Aggie football game of the season.
5. I've been an Aggie fan long before they had a winning season. Flashback to Utah vs USU 1999.
6. Wilkins Reunion at Peterson Barn.
7. Wilkins Ninja Warrior
8. Lincoln climbing the net
9. Derek using every ounce of strength in his toe nail to complete his challenge

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1. Someone forgot to pack clothes (or rather they were packed and he unpacked them to fit in all the toys he wanted to bring) so he got to wear these shorts all reunion weekend. Including to church.
2. Purdue grad student on vacation and reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid
3. She's a fan of corn
4. Just took the right incentive to get Bentley to tie his shoes. New shoes and not being allowed to wear them until he could tie them was all it took.
5. Rough group.
6-7. We visited every bull on Main Street in downtown. The boys loved it.
8. First Day of Second grade and the beginning of dual immersion.
9. Big check mark next to my visiting teaching.

Bentley's 1st Day of 2nd Grade

 Today Bentley started 2nd grade, and Portuguese Dual Immersion.

He is kind of excited about it.

Super Stephens Reunion 2013

The Stephens Reunion had the theme of "Super Stephens" and the kids had so much fun at Super Hero training.

They had to be lightning fast through the obstacle course, dead on with the marshmallow guns, destroy kryptonite, have stellar x-ray vision, and agile with Wiggle-Lo.

At the end Grandma and Grandpa told each grandkid what their super power was.

Bentley-obedient
Lincoln-courage
Gracie-cheerful

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1. Chocolate cake and spaghetti = bathtime for this girl!
2. The annual horseride with Grandpa Stephens turned into a rodeo and Grandpa and Bentley both got bucked off. Bentley's horse came down on his arm, but he escaped with little more than a gnarly bruise and some scrapes. Grandpa's fall was a little harder.
3. Washi tape makes an excellent quiet toy.
4. You don't have to have all your ducks in a row, you just have to have a duck to start.
5. Swimming lessons, round 2.
6. All summer they begged to have a lemonade stand. This day their dreams came true. Business was slow, and they spilled the lemonade twice.
7. I can never find my name on pencils or keychains, let alone a tanker truck.
8. This kid. Didn't pack any pants/shorts and jumped in the river with his only pair of shoes. Life is always an adventure with Lincoln. #superstephens #stephensreunion
9. Sometimes my best ideas come at the last minute. And then I stay up all night sewing super suits. And it ends up being so worth it. 5 more supers not pictured. #superstephens

Stephens Reunion-Part 1

 The Stephens Reunion was held at Aunt Kay's cabin in Island Park.

Just outside of Ashton, as we start to climb and enter the trees I always start getting excited because I know we are getting close to Island Park.

 We took the RAZR's for a drive and ended up at the river.

As we were standing on the shore talking, Lincoln swung both arms back and jumped in with both feet with his shoes on and all. When I asked him why he had done that he answered, "Because I thought it would be fun."

"Well, was it?"

"Not that much."

But it looked like enough fun that Bentley joined him.

 What a good way to start a reunion!

Chickens and Trampolines

 Summer nights. Chickens. Trampolines. And nakie babies.

 Gracie had just got out of the bath, but loved joining the brothers outside.

  

 Lincoln and his ladies

 

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1. Dalanie painted Lincoln's fingernails. Blue. Because he's a boy.
2. Crossing off Dalanie's to-do list. First stop Aggie Ice Cream
3. Number 2, ride the bull. (She may have called it a buffalo and yelled "BYU, but the boys lined her out.)
4. Number 3, play in the creek at Mack Park. (Sidenote, these 2 are almost friends).
5. These 2 are going to get married. Scary.
6. Number 4, sleepout on the trampoline.
7. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
8. Super Lincoln
9. Gracie had a death grip on this jewelry, so I had to buy it.

Super Lincoln

Lincoln was invited to a dress up party for a little girl. When I asked her mom what she meant by dress up, she replied that he could come as prince charming or a super hero but that the little girls would all be princesses.

So we created Super Lincoln. And he had so much fun at the party. Turns out he was THE ONLY boy amongst the little princesses. But that didn't seem to phase him much.

 He was pretty proud of his entire outfit.

  Even Superheroes have to eat.

And brought a smile to more than 1 person's face.

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1. GJ showing off her arm folding during FHE.
2. Sam's Club's icees only come in 1 size, but she didn't mind.
3. And no I know where I fit in.
4. Wowed my Activity Day girls with my friendship bracelet making skills.
5. On an impulse I took Gracie's pacifiers away. She protested a little.
6. I like big cups and I cannot lie.
7. Kidnapped Dalanie and Ruby for a few days and it was non-stop fun.
8. These clowns pulled a Curious George and painted everything they could find (with wet sidewalk chalk)
9. Picked a good one.

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1. Wish you were here Tameka, Deidra, Warren, Patrice.
2. Pretty sure I saw Napoleon Dynamite's grandma today...she even had her 4-wheelers loaded. Probably heading tot he dunes.
3. Good morning sleepy heads.
4. When they leave home they do it in style. Ready for any adventure.
5. Love my lefties.
6. Because of bears and raccoons our tuck in treats aren't going to be edible.
7. Back from 4 days of camping with some awesome girls.
8. As soon as they got home from Grandma's they ran to the backyard to check on things. They've gathered eggs, picked strawberries, found plenty of zucchini, and updated me on the height of the corn and my flowers that have bloomed. They are their father's children.
9. Hipster

Thursday night with Grandma

Occasionally we tag along with Chod on Thursday nights to Kaysville. He teaches his class, and the kids and I get to spend time with his Grandma Luain.

I'm not sure if she or they look forward to these visits the most. I usually drag the kids to Target before we head to Grandma's and they beg to get to her house the whole time.

 They like playing on the rope swing and trampoline in her backyard.

We always seem to get there just as she is finishing up mowing the lawn or working in the yard. She's 82 and tells me stories of her friends that are so "old" and how she doesn't like to go to the senior center because the people there have walkers. She mows her own lawn, and watches her great grandkids who help keep her young.

And even though she would rather I not take pictures of her, I want the kids to be able to look back and remember our Thursday nights at Grandma's

 Picking peas.

 We love Grandma Luain!