Happy Birthday to Benji!

BENJAMIN HAROLD....

Today is my brother Ben's b-day. Happy birthday Ben! I'm gonna post a few things/memories I have of Ben that you should know, even though I don't think he reads the blogs... :) Okay, here goes...

1. He has one of the cutest little girls in the world

2. We love his wife, Katie. I'm so glad he chose someone who fits into our family and is such a great friend to us all. I don't even think of her as a sister-in-law. She's like a sister to us.

3. He is a very smart businessman.

4. He's the second child, I'm the third. He is two years older than I am.

5. Memories-Performing with him when we were little on the steps leading from the kitchen to the family room. He could sing "Bloody Red Baron" and "Peanuuuut, Peanut Butter...JELLY" better than anyone I know. When he performed it as a kid, he would move just his upper body all around, but the bottom of his body would stay in one place. I still laugh thinking about it.

6. We had the funnest times in Rexburg, Idaho. We lived there from ages 4-10 (for me). Ben would have been 6-12. I loved Stinker Station, Park Street Park, waterslides at Porter Park, walking to Grandma Lena's house, swinging from the willow tree off our back porch, him burying his rabbit remains in our backyard and us all swimming up at the college where dad worked. I remember us both one time leaving the college in freezing cold weather and he told me not to touch my hair cuz it would break off like icicles cuz my wet hair would be freezing out in the cold.

7. I also remember the time he climbed the wooden fence and up into the big tree behind grandma's apartment. I think I was daunted by the size of the fence and just walked all the way around which was a good block at least. Anyway, he fell out of the tree and the back of his head landed on a board with a nail sticking out of it. I remember vividly wondering how I was going to climb the fence to go get my grandma for help. He just kept yelling "Christy! Go get help. I can't move!" I think he was maybe 10 and I was 8. I really don't remember what I did. I'm sure I just chickened out and just screamed for someone to help. I was so scared wondering what would happen if I lost my brother, Ben.

8. I remember my mom's face when Ben admitted to her that after all those years in Rainbow Connection (HER singing group...which she had told us a few times that we were the director's kids, we had to be an example), he hardly ever sang one word. He mouthed the whole time.

9. I never get sick of hearing the story when he was 2 and I was a baby, and he threw every item in my room...clothes, toys and all, out my 2nd story window into the back parking lot of McDonald's.

10. I'll still forgive he and Scott for the multiple times they locked me in my room when they were babysitting. (I was the first girl right after Scott and Ben, and they hated babysitting me). I think it was Scott who I one time kicked in the face and gave him a bloody nose cuz I didn't want to be locked in my mom's room. I guess I should have saved that for Scott's birthday. :)

11. Touring with him in high school when he was in band and I was in tall flags all over Canada, participating in competitions, performing the half time shows for football games, and marching in parades.

12. Recording a song with him that he wrote for Supernal's "Our Turn" album. I had already been impressed with him as a musician, which I didn't know he was so good at, but I had so pleasantly been surprised of when I was asked to sing (and totally messed up) with him for Amber's (another sister) engagement party.

13. He loved the twins for the longest time as his own. The girls were so enamored with him and he kept pictures of them up in his room. I always felt so flattered that he loved them so much.

14. Having him in our family as the comic relief for all family gatherings. He causes every meeting to become not-so-serious...and even gets my dad to laugh uncontrollably. I don't know if we're ever able to have a serious meeting without him quoting or imitating someone and making us all unable to breathe because of laughing so hard.

I could go on and on but I'll leave it at that. Ben is such a great guy and brother and I'm so happy that we get along so well. Happy Birthday Ben! we love you!