Grandpa Dunn in Des Moines!

Grandpa Dunn was in town from Florida this past week.  We really enjoyed catching up with him at Aunt Shari and Uncle Chick's house.  Carter and Lauren played hide and seek behind the chairs in the living room.  They were running around like crazy and having the best time. Grandpa headed back to Florida on Saturday, just in time to miss out on our cold weather!  

Booooooo!! Halloween!

Here are a few pics of the little guy and his Dinosaur costume. It was so cold and rainy, but we did make it to about 5 houses. He is getting so big! He kept on handing us pieces of candy and saying, "Open dis please" after about five pieces we had to cut him off. What a fun night!

Things we love about Carter

My friend Jess posted something like this on her blog and I loved it! So I copied it!

1. I love the way Carter sings Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. He knows every word, sings very softly and a few of the words are in a southern accent.
2. I love how he knows now if skip words or pages in his favorite books-- and how every book in our libary is a favorite!
3. A few days ago, he looked out the window and came up to me and said, "Mommy it's going to rain." When I asked him how he knew, he said, "Wind". I said, what else is the rain bringing? He said, "Funder and lightning." I said, "is that scary?" He said, "Not when it's sunny."
4. I love and hate that he is totally potty trained at the sitter but refuses to go at our house.
5. I also love and hate it that he eats green beans, corn and peas at the sitter's and won't touch them at home. At least he is getting it somewhere, right?
6. I love how he grabs his belly button, squeezes it like lips and says, "HEELLLLOOOOO"
7. I love how snuggly he is when we say it is time for bed, then he forgets and gets down to run around again and then when we mention that he needs to go to bed, he wants to snuggle with person who did not say it.
8. I love how he can pop right out of bed, wide awake. Totally NOT like his mother.
9. I love it that he knows what pop and beer people like. He pulled a bottle of Coors Light out of the fridge the other day and said, "Jon's beer." Jon and Mary Beth came to visit in July and he still remembers!
10. I love how when we ask him "Carter, who loves you?" He goes through everyone he knows-- but he always starts with Daddy.
11. I love how he is so curious about things. He climbs, digs, and takes apart anything he can find and when I ask him what he is doing, he says- "Nothing!"
12. I love how he has always been so warm and loving to every person he meets.
13. I love how he now makes his own forts with blankets and pillows from the couch. He will crawl inside and say "Momma/Dadda don't get me!" And squeal with delight!
14. It does make me laugh that he has finally found the humor in his and other's farts.
15. I love it that he can bring such joy to our lives with each passing moment. We are so blessed!

Nasty Flu hits Bentley house!

Last week was a tough one on our family! Carter came down with a nasty flu bug on Thursday and Friday and then I got it on Saturday. Yes, I was really sick, not just disgusted by the Cyclones' poor performance against the Hawks.

We are all back to normal today- but holding our breath that Andy doesn't get it while meeting with customers this week!

More pics to come!

A wonderful weekend in Oakland

Last weekend, we drove to Oakland to visit. We arrived on Friday night and watched Carter explore Papa Lyle and Grandma Peggy's house. He was so funny-- running around and checking everything out. He loved looking through the kitchen windows and seeing the kitty on the porch and looking at the moon and stars. Wow, they are sure clear and bright in the country.

On Saturday morning we went into town to visit Grandma Bentley at the assisted living center. She was excited to see us! Carter went right to her and gave her hugs, he also grabbed her hand when we were walking to her room. He sure loves his Grandma Great!!

We were also lucky to see Aunt Penny, Uncle Mitch, Grandma Walker and cousin Allen. We enjoyed visiting and catching up. The guys left to go play yard golf at Penny and Mitch's. Lyle, got out the lawn mower and trimmed a tee box in their backyard for Andy to hit balls into the cornfields behind their house. A little different take on the driving range that we are used to!

Carter and I came home on Sunday morning and I went to Ames for a House Corporation Board meeting at Chi Omega. We finished the weekend with dinner at Papa John and Grammy Lesa's house.

Whew! Busy weekend. Carter began a new daycare on Monday. Hopefully this one will be a better fit for him. Big week! Cyclone football begins on Thursday! Go STATE!

A lot of change at the Bentley's!

We have had a lot of change this month at our house!

I am really enjoying my new position teaching 8th Grade Language Arts at Northview Middle School in Ankeny. I have really been impressed by the incredible kids and parents, supportive administration and warm and welcoming staff. It has been really hard saying goodbye to the wonderful people at SE Polk, however, I have no doubt that I will be really happy and proud to teach in Ankeny.

Carter had a bit of a rough start at his new daycare. Poor Heather had to put up with his meltdowns and stubborn ways (I wonder where he got that from??) However, after a few weeks he seems to be back to the sweetie boy that we all knew he was. Now he is just saving his meltdowns for us at home!!

Andy has had to travel a lot for his job recently. It has been an adjustment for all of us but we are extremely thankful that Agricultural Banking hasn't had the hit that the construction and commercial side of things has!

Well, that's pretty much it for us! Sorry it has taken me so long for an update!

Happy Birthday to my beautiful momma!

Happy Birthday to a wonderful mom and Grammy! Only 3 years, 364 days till retirement!

Kristi and Grace come to visit!

Kristi and Grace arrived on Sunday after a long drive from Chicago. We were so excited to see them!

Carter and Grace got along great-- it was so fun watching them interact.

We went to the SplashPark on Sunday night and watched the kids run around the park without managing to get wet! We joked that we drove there so they could run around and eat snacks.

On Monday, we make the trek to ISU and walked around Campus. Wow so much has changed in only a few years. It was pretty funny that we were pushing strollers on our old stomping grounds. It appears more has changed than the campus!

We visited the Chi O house and got to see some of the new renovations. Not only did we lose ourselves in old memories, but I also managed to lose my keys. Not such a great thing in a 10,000 sq ft mansion. Well, we never found them-- but luckily I had another set in my purse--locked in the car! We called a locksmith and loaded our starving toddlers into the car. Hey Chi-Os you know who stole the keys? Mary House. We just know it. (Mary House is the ghost of the Chi O house)

We were off to Great Plains and this was the site of the historical Carter.Grace meltdown of 2009. It consisted of perfectly timed freakouts, greasy hands in hair, an entire thing of dental floss being unraveled, coloring on the walls and A LOT of whining that was for sure not spoken in English. When our pizza FINALLY came, we ate really fast and loaded the monsters into the car. (Leaving the dental floss, napkins, two forks and one plate on the floor) Grace fell asleep within seconds and Carter was not to far behind. We had a great laugh about how if we would have been in Great Plains any longer they may have taken our "Mother's of the year" awards away. It was trying to put it lightly!!

What a fun time with Grace and Kristi- we wish we lived closer! Thanks for coming to visit We love and miss you!

LAKE TIME!

Andy was the official captain of the jetski. He was the only sucker to take the kids out whenever they wanted! They had so much fun!

Carter is channeling Grammy Lesa with the binoculars! We spent a cloudy day traveling with Todd and Lindsay in and out of coves. We would guess the price of the houses for sale. Just take a house and what it would cost in Des Moines and then triple it! Works (most) every time!

Aunt Susie and Kiley

We actaully got them to sit and watch a movie for a few minutes. Irony: We were all doing the same thing upstairs-- only ours weren't sippy cups...

Kiley is the most photogenic kid I have ever seen. How precious-- could I even get Carter to look at the camera????

Playing puzzles with Daddy in the evening

Spaghetti Dinne- Carty's fave!




We had a wonderful time spending time with Todd, Lindsay and the kids at the lake. It was a good thing that it was raining the day we left because we might not have left! Thanks Todd and Linds!

A wonderful day at the pool with Aunt Shari!

We had a great time swimming at the pool at Prairie Life with Aunt Shari. (Except for the pool checks every 15 minutes!- how do you tell a two year old to stay out of the water when it is RIGHT THERE!!)

It was great hanging out and catching up! We sure love to be around Aunt Shari, Uncle Chick and the boys!

Holy hail storm!

Andy and I were awakened last night by what sounded like a million golf balls hitting our house! We were certain a tornado was coming through so we were running around in a half stupor pressing our ears to the windows listening for the sirens. Of course, our satellite TV wasn't working so we had no clue how severe everything was. Turns out it was a mini, severe cell that passed over us. Thank GOD! Here is a pic of some of the hail I picked up from outside. I waited for the rain to stop before I went out- who knows how much they had melted before I got to them.

No surprise here, Carter slept soundly through everything!

New Pics!

Here are some new professional pics that we had done in a park here in Ankeny. Grandparents: tell us which ones you want so we can order them for you!

4th of July at the lake!

We had a great time celebrating The 4th of July at The Lake of the Ozarks. We were a little disappointed that the weather was rainy, however, we did have a great time shopping and speding time with family.

Carter just loved the fireworks. Then entire day after he said, "Fireworks are all done Mommy? Fireworks all done. and No more fireworks"

I think he was a fan!

We have yet another busy week. Monday we traveled back from the lake. Tuesday, Carter spent time with Aunt Shari at the pool while Mom did a presentation for teachers in West Des Moines. Wednesday, Carter will head to Marshalltown so Mommy can do another presentation and then will head to Dawn's house while I travel to Morningside College for another presentation.

Friday, I think, we will get to rest. Whew!

Only a few more weeks of summer left. :(

Carter is 2!

What a wonderful day for a bithday party! We had a wonderful time in the back yard watching the kids play in the sandbox, playing games and catching up. Carter was so great, although he got a really nice shiner at the end of the day. You can see it a little bit in the picture with he and Grandma Peggy!


Carty and Grandma Peggy

Look at my new toys and my adorable new hat from Aunt Lindsay, Uncle Todd, Cale and Kiley.

I also got a sweet bubble launcher from Aunt Kelly.

Looking at Curious George with Papa Keith.

He would not just pick it up and eat it. I suppose with a tongue like that it is easier to just bring your tongue to the food!

Papa Keith

Uncle Jon, Uncle Mike and Papa John

Eatin' cake!

We brought out the cake to him and the first thing he did was stick his finger in it!

Papa Lyle, Aunt Kelly, Uncle Joey and Uncle Jon

Uncle Greg and Papa Lyle

Papa Lyle, Aunt Kelly and Uncle Greg

Uncle Mike and Grammy Lesa

Playing in the new sandbox that Grammy Lesa and Papa John gave to him. Look at all that blue sand! It is awesome!

Touchdown!

We had a perfect day filled with wonderful family time. Happy Birthday Carty!