Benjamina

Yes, Ben, I KNOW that you LOVE that name! :) I still remember when you were first called that...he he he he...

But, the point of this post is not to tell the world about the time that I dressed you up in my clothes and put make-up on you (of course, I was 5 or 6, which means you were 3 or 4, so you really shouldn't be held responsible...), but today is your Birthday! So, it's your turn to have your face plastered all over my blog! :P

Sadly, I still don't have a scanner. Otherwise, this post would be FULL of some SWEET pictures! I have pictures of us at all the camp-outs we went on as kids with the fam--we always wore the...uhhh...coolest clothes! :) There are ones with us holding up our fish catch when we would be at family reunions at fish lake. Those were fun days! I have that one picture of the time we went to that Halloween party at the Robbins' house...remember what we dressed up as? Oh dear! You sure looked nice in that yellow wig!! :P (Aren't you glad my scanner isn't working???) There are pictures from our days in Marching Band--aren't you glad I talked you into playing on the drumline??? You did a great job on that bass drum!! :) My stack of pictures of the two of us is pretty much endless, since we were pretty much inseparable growing up! I was always happy to have you around (even if I didn't always act like it...I know I was quite the snothead!) and I've sure missed you! So, all I have here are some more 'recent' pics of you with your little fam in Germany, and of your tour in Iraq. I'm still always proud to say I have a brother in the army who served in Iraq!!! :)

So, here comes your claim to fame today...

First, a few pics of you in Iraq:

Nice closeup in front of an Iraqi monument. Reminds me of you and Danno and all those swords.... :)


Surrounded by little kids. I don't know if I'd let my kids stand by a big army dude with a gun...although, they're all over the place here, so I suppose it's not a big deal, eh?


"They kept yelling, 'Pinata! Pinata!' What is a pinata anyway?" Yea! Get those bad guys! :P


You always liked tanks and things like that. So, you got your wish, eh? I still think these photos look doctored up... :)


Yah, that's a big gun. That was another thing I always remembered--you liked to have the upper hand in any fight or argument. Well, I do believe that with that gun, you will always have the upper hand!!!!



Now, here are some nice ones, just for fun... I'm glad that you get out and do nice things with your wife and family! Way to go, Idaho! :) (Hope you don't mind that you're in here, too, Amber!!) :)

A nice welcome home from Iraq by your boys. :) I still like your glasses.


You always liked to dress up and look like you were an undercover agent or something. I see that you are passing that on to your posterity...



Remember when we went to the dinosaur park in Washington, Utah? With all the big dinosaur footprints? And how we went looking for indian arrowheads?? Here is a picture of you,Ben, with your boys at the dinosaur park in Germany:


You were always a Star Wars fan. I remember the story that Mom and Dad used to always tell, about how they would go to a drive-in movie, make a bed in the back of the car, and we would fall asleep there and they'd be able to enjoy a nice movie. But the first time we stayed up to watch the entire movie was when they went to watch Star Wars! I think you were hooked ever since!!! :)



Didn't we used to play 'chicken' in the pool? He he he!! Here's little Talmage on your back:



Ben and Amber at...

The Eiffel Tower:


Neuschwanstein Castle:


Rothenburg:


The Defense Wall at Rothenburg:

(Still doesn't prove you were there...) :)


What a nice family you have...


I'm so proud of you, little bro! Of your family, of your dedication and service! I can't wait to see you again.......maybe next year?? Sheesh! You've never even met half of my kids!!!

One year closer to me! This is the fun month where we're only one year apart! :) Have a Happy Birthday! Eat some cake and ice cream for me!