I know most of you don't read my post...... Admit it, you just look at the pictures!  So I will be brief.  

This Christmas season wasn't quite the same for my family and me, we were missing our very important little man. He used to put so much fun in our family gatherings and we missed that this year and will continue to miss it every year to follow.  Sometimes it is hard to remember how much our Heavenly Father has blessed you with, but during hard times and happy times, when your family is near, take a look around and remember all that He has given you and the people He has allowed to be in your life.  Family is a most precious gift from our Father in Heaven and we should always cherish the moments we have with them, because they might not always be there.    I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas with their families and I am wishing you all a Happy New Year! 

Now on to the photo fun.

It's been awhile since I posted so just figured I'd do a little bit of an update before life gets too crazy again.   So here's the news (or lack there of) in our family.....'

I'll start with our little angel, well perhaps angel isn't the right word to use..... more like cute, smart, not-so-little turd :)  because she is all of those things.   So first we'll start with cute which she is!  Not just in looks but the things she says always cracks me up.  For example.....To some this looks like an ordinary comb right?   Well to my daughter it is not....it is a DINGLEHOPPER!  yes we have been watching Little Mermaid.

Which is why she is so cute and leading into smart.   She is learning how to take phrases and apply them to different objects or situations.   It amazes me more and more every day how smart the mind of a toddler can be.    And not to brag or anything, but Braleigh knows so much that sometimes it makes me wonder if we bred a super genius child -lol-   Maybe not but she does know how to count to 13 then skip to 18 and 20, she can not only recognize the letters of the alphabet and name them but she knows the sounds they make, she knows a lot of shapes and colors, and her language skills are blossoming (as in she is saying more words and putting them together to form 2-3 word sentences)  OKAY so I guess I am bragging a little, but what mom doesn't think their child is a super genius.  
Now on to not-so-little.......yes she is a little toddler, but I can't believe how much she has grown! She is just getting so tall and not a little baby any more.  Her SECOND birthday is only a week and a half away.  It seems like we just brought her home yesterday!  
Lastly she is adorable smart and cute but she is definitely in the "terrible two"  or terrible toddler.  I find my patience being tested more and more every day.  I guess you always have to take the bad days with the good days!   We have been attempting potty training and it seems it is a back and forth game but I keep telling myself if I'm consistent she'll get it sooner than later :)

Enjoying her first Frazil!  Of course mom picked out the BLUE one.... what was I thinking!  But  she enjoyed it!

Daddy- daughter date to Coldstone 

This was with my phone so its not quite so crisp, but she is just being a goofball in the car.

As for Brad and myself, nothing really way exciting.   Brad is off hunting his limited entry hunt in the Book Cliffs as we speak.  I don't expect him back for a few days but hope he gets a deer he likes!   I could care less how big the deer is but we definitely need the meat so I'll just be thankful if he gets one.  :)    I feel like I've been really busy lately but can't figure out what I've been doing that has made me so busy HA HA.   Does any one else ever feel that way.   Anyways I'll be glad for things to calm down soon, but after her birthday we really don't have much time to just calm down because the holiday preparation and travel will start in.  

Thanks for taking the time to read our blog!   Its really great documentation for our family but it is nice to know others sometimes read it too.  :)

Just wanted to add this picture in of the grand kiddos in my family!  
We are only missing one, but I know he was there with us.  :) 

So the potty training begins......

For the past year, I have been introducing Braleigh to the potty..... meaning we started out just sitting on it and getting used to it, and occasionally she would actually do her business in it.     More recently I've been trying to get her to use it more, so when we have to change our Pull-up we sit on the potty first and she always goes poop in the toilet (she has been doing this for several months).  SO I guess you could say that we have been potty training for a year, but I think of it more as warming up and getting accustomed to it.    Today I thought we would just try using the potty every 30 -45 min.   This morning she has went 4 times!    It has completely surprised me and given me that little push to be more enthusiastic and serious about getting her potty trained!   I am hopeful that she will be potty trained in a couple months (that is if we have no major set backs).   I hope you all wish me good luck because I'm going to need it, although I'm pretty sure that Braleigh wont because she is becoming such a BIG girl!

Time to write again :)

Hey everyone!  I hope you all have been enjoying your summer!   I know we have.   We have been pretty busy but I guess that is life with a toddler.   My little Braleigh is growing up so much and it is amazing yet sad at the same time.    She is talking away, well at least in two - three word sentences, which it is hard to believe that a few months ago she wouldn't really say much that you could understand.   Now she will tell you what she wants and by gosh you better get it for her!  She has been attempting to sing her alphabet which usually goes like this A B C D H J P Q - and then really fast T U V W X Y Z!   So she has the last bit down really good.  When it comes to counting she does really well up to 13 and then skips to 18 , 20.   She makes me laugh so much.   We have moved her into a Toddler bed/"Big Girl Bed".   I was so worried after the first night but she has done so well ever since.   I go in the morning to get her and she is usually quietly playing on her bed or sitting and reading a book.  What a great way to start the day!

Last week we celebrated Independence Day.   We went to the parade in Huntington and it was so funny to watch her.   Once she figured out that the floats threw candy there was no stopping her, she wanted to run right after them.  Because I spent most of the time chasing her around I didn't get any pictures!  Luckily her Aunt Bre had her phone out and was able to take a couple :)    Afterwards we headed to my moms for a BBQ and sparklers.

This past weekend I had the opportunity to go to the Mt. Timpanogas Temple with my parents, Meg, Amber and Patrick.  It was such a wonderful and spiritual experience and I'm so thankful I chose to go.    Brad and Braleigh met up with us after and we stayed the night and all of us went to the Aquarium on Saturday morning.  Braleigh had such a great time.  I think her favorite part was the penguins and the otters!    Later that evening we went to our first RSL Soccer game.  Braleigh slept the whole first half.  -lol-  It was way fun I just wish I understood the rules.  I have put "learning the game of soccer" on my to-do list so next time we go I will get it!  Even with out understanding most, it was still fun and the fans are crazy!

 

A lot has happened in our lives since I last wrote.  I haven't written much partly because I've been busy and partly because I just haven't been up to it.   I am kicking myself a bit because I'm not very good at keeping a journal and well this blog has been the best way of keeping track of what's going on in our lives.   I need to do better.


So what have the Bentley's been doing?   Well Braleigh is now 20 months old and has a mouth full of teeth!  She is a little jabber box and she will repeat real words now, she knows her ABC's (not necessarily the order but knows the name and sound of each letter) , she knows several colors, and she is getting better with people's names--except her own -lol-   She loves being outside even more than before and has been quite the explorer and with that comes some scrapes and bruises from falling outside but she never seems to mind, she just gets back up and runs to the next things she wants to investigate.    We have started going to nursery in church but she doesn't really care for it much.   She isn't sure how to interact with other kids or share toys so I have to sit in there with her.   I figured it is still good though because she is getting some interaction with other kids her age.   Along with all the fun and new things she can do, she also has started some major tantrums....... terrible twos started early at our house!   I think they should call it "Terrible" Toddler Tantrums!!  But she is growing up so fast and I wish I could slow down time but unfortunately you cant.  I just hope I'm doing my part to make sure she will mature and grow in the best way possible.   :)

In other news,  My sister Ashley and I started up a business called "Miz Bizzy" where we sell our crafts and cute things for kids.  Ashley definitely does a lot more than me, with her hair bows but the things I do keep me sort of busy.   :)  I have also started up a page for my other hobby.....Rocks!   My Brother-in-law Patrick sells them so I get to help him do some online sales for Braun Lapidary!  It is exciting that I now get to do more than just work the Rock Show once a year!

Just wanted to throw this picture of me and my sweet hubby on our first real get away since we had Braleigh!  It was hard leaving my baby for a whole weekend but it was much needed and was nice to be a real grown up again.
We had a great time together!    I Love him lots! 

Also we have decided to put our house up for sale.   I have mixed feelings about it because I really have loved Helper and our house.  This is our first house and I have put a lot of work into making it our home.  Our ward has been really nice too.  It will be sad to leave.   But on the positive side I will be so excited to be closer to my mom!!   So where are we moving?   We are moving to Huntington into the house Brad grew up in!   We wont move until we can sell our house.  I hope that we can sell quickly in this market, but we really aren't in a huge hurry so we can be patient and wait for the right person to come along.  But since it seems to be the thing to do I made a blog for my house too!  hahah  so may as well through some advertising in here too.   :)  http://298uintah.blogspot.com/

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So some of you probably already know, or can guess, why I haven't really been up to writing much other than not having much time.   I lost my sweet nephew on February 19.  Devin was more than a nephew to me, he was like a baby brother to me when I lived at home. We had a really special bond unlike any other, and so did most of his aunts and uncles.  So you can imagine how this tragic incident has left a hole in every single person's heart who knew him, and an even bigger hole in our families heart, especially for my sister and my parents.    I don't think people realize, I know I didn't before this happened, how bad the heartache is when you loose someone unexpectedly until you go through something tragic like this.  You see things on the news and think "that is sad but it would never happen in our family"  and then when it does, you are completely in shock and have know clue what to do.  I honestly can say that for the first few weeks after he passed, I was still in shock and almost numb to everything and everyone around me.   It's like I was like a robot answering the same questions and listening to people give the same sympathies and dealing with the utter craziness that follows tragedies like this.  But after all of that settled, reality hit me like a ton of bricks. I can no longer what the news when they show anything about car accidents or a child dying.  I even struggle to kill a spider or bug because he loved them.  There are lots of things that just make me think of him which makes me break down and cry because my heart literally hurts and aches everyday.

Personally, I try to hide my emotions from everyone (its something that drives my husband bonkers), but it is so much easier to become invisible to the world than talk about it.  I know I can't be totally emotionally unavailable because I still have my family to take care of but it still makes it easier not to talk about things.   That said, I wanted to share my feelings and make one thing very clear.... I KNOW I WILL SEE DEVIN AGAIN!   I know that.   I know that if I do the things I'm supposed to and live my life right, I will get to see him once again.  I pray to Heavenly Father every night that he might give me strength to be a better woman, wife, mother, daughter, sister, and of course aunt to Devin and to my other nephews and nieces.  I pray for strength because I need it to fight through my emotions to become a better person.   I struggle and it is not easy, nor do I expect it to be,  deep down I know I have to try to do the right things each day so I can be with all of my family again, including Devin.  I have felt the warm embrace of our Heavenly Father's arms wrap around me after I have been sobbing to him asking for him for help.  This will be just one of the tests Heavenly Father has chosen for our family to go through, but I can feel that he really wants us to succeed and wants us to endure.

I need to express my sincere gratitude to my Heavenly Father for sending us our sweet boy, even if it was for only a short nine years, but every second with him was memorable and I hope that I can one day be like him.   He was a true example of being Christlike.    I was reading the talk given by President Boyd K Packer  given at conference, and he quoted Isiah saying "a little child shall lead them".   Devin truly has led our family to do things that are right and pleasing unto our Father and I can only imagine the thousands of people he is leading in heaven.  Devin had such a kind, loving and sweet spirit and sometimes I feel as if he is watching down on our family rooting us on, telling us to be better people, to love one another and is helping us pick up the pieces of our lives.

After all I've written, it is my one hope that you will understand this:  Sometimes horrible things happen to good people that we truly understand, but our Heavenly Father is not doing it to be mean or heartless, he is not doing it to punish you or someone else.  He gives us these trials because he loves us and he wants us to grow and learn something we haven't yet.   He lets us endure things that are hurtful and things that we don't understand, but it doesn't mean He isn't there to comfort us and help us along.   He was there with our Savior as he hung on the cross and died for you and me. Heavenly Father loves us so much that he let his only begotten son die for us so we could return home again.  My love for our Farther in Heaven and our Savior has only grown since this happened, and I know it will only continue to grow.  I'm thankful for my testimony and the testimony of others that has helped me grow and learn.  I am thankful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and I know that the things we are taught are true.  I have felt the truth burning in my heart.  I know these thing are true and I can not deny it and my testimony can no longer be invisible to the world.   It is true there are many hurtful things in our world I still do not understand and  but if we hold to the iron rod and have faith we will find out hereafter.  I will say it one more time, I know I will see Devin again.  When we meet in heaven for the first time I know he will be so excited to tell me all the things he knows and I will be eager to listen.

My mom emailed me this picture a few days ago, and it has become so special to me, more than she will know.  He was there beside me when I played at his funeral, and he I still feel him close each time I play.  I have written a few songs since he passed because of him.   

Playing in the Snow!

Braleigh got to play in the snow today, for the first time!  We got our first real snow a few days ago but because we didn't have any snow gear we couldn't go out and play in it.  So today Grandma Bentley's Valentines present showed up early and in it were some snow pants for Braleigh.  Naturally we had to go test them out!    She loved it!  It was a little hard for her to get used to walking around in the boots and all those layers, but it didn't stop her from having fun!  What a great memory!  I can't wait to make more with her!

Boo aka Dora the explorer

One of Braleigh's favorite cartoons is Dora the Explorer.  Her name for Dora is Boo, I'm not really sure why maybe its because of Boots the monkey or something else, but that is what she calls Dora.   We have an episode of Dora loaded onto the ipod that Braleigh likes to watch.   Its fun for her because she can hold the ipod and carry it around with her (whether she is watching it or not). She will bring us the ipod and say "boo, boo, boo".   So yesterday when Braleigh woke up from her nap she was crying (like she often does).  So I walk in there to get her and she is crying out BOO BOO BOO!   hahaha It made me laugh so hard. Maybe its not that funny, but as a mom everything Braleigh does cracks me up!  lol   Anyways I just had to share it!