Recipe FAIL

Even though he was satisfied with his Baskin Robbins ice cream cake, I was determined to make Brandon a birthday cake. Having a week off work I decided to go all out and make from scratch his request: white cake with raspberry filling and chocolate frosting.

Not including time spent at the grocery store gathering needed ingredients for this special cake, I spent a good 3 hours preparing this homemade cake. Then another good hour doing all the clean up. Guess where the cake is now? The garbage. Yep. It was disgusting. I don't know what happened, I followed the recipe exactly. I got "Chopped."

The next day I consulted my other recipe: add 1 1/2 cups water and 2 egg whites to box mix. Use previously prepared raspberry filling from scratch, frost with Pillsbury chocolate frosting. The moral of this story? Betty Crocker knows her stuff; I don't.

Birthday Boy

Hint: This boy doesn't like to celebrate birthdays... but his wife does. He's been getting spoiled all weekend long!

After an incredible snowstorm and one of the best powder days of the ski season together, a low-key weekend at his mom's was just what he wanted.

On the menu: Khoreshe Geimeh (delicious homemade Persian food; courtesy of Brandon's mom). Dessert: mint chocolate chip ice cream cake roll; courtesy of Baskin Robbins. I tried to make him a cake but this is what he wanted!

Anthony and Annie say Happy birthday too!

Moab 1/2

It was so fun to run the "Canyonlands Other Half" in October, I couldn't wait to get back to Moab and run down the lower half of the canyon next to the river again!

This time I ran solo, but often I looked around me and imagined my Uncle Al running with me, hair blowing in the wind. I always feel his presence in the desert. Brandon was there to cheer me on and get me through that last mile through town.

My knee was really sore and gave me a lot of trouble this time, but I managed to make it in decent time. 2'06

After the race we got some food and went for a little hike to stretch out the legs. I cut it short since my knee was super painful, but the dogs were in hog heaven running around the red rocks and dirt.

Unfortunately, this is the last pic of our trip since the wind blew my camera into the sand as it was on timer waiting to snap a photo. That shouldn't surprise anyone considering my luck with cameras!

We had such a fun weekend trip down there and I got to meet up with friends who came down for the race as well. We took the bikes out the next day after a beautiful drive through Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point. The poor pups ripped their paws on the rocky trail and I was limping a bit, but all in all it was a blast!

It's all about LOVE

This past weekend was a very special time for the Bench family. Although I don't have pictures of Baby Qhloi's parents, they were "officially" made a family. The court declared the adoption was final, and on Saturday she was sealed to them in the Bountiful temple. Sunday was her blessing in church and what a wonderful occasion that was!

Courtney is part of our family, and being pregnant with her first baby makes Grandma Glad very happy since she has given up on her twin grand-daughters from having babies ;-)

There was quite a spread at the Bench's after the blessing and no shortage of jokes from these guys!

Age of Aquarius

As if we need an excuse to all get together... most of us have February birthdays.

Qhloi brought her party hat to the family birthday celebration.

Grandparenting looks good on them.

Who else but Pat Bench makes 3 different desserts for all 3 b-day girls?

All together we are 96 years old

One of the best b-day/ Valentines gifts ever- Sarah Mc Lachlan at Kingsbury Hall. Thanks babe!

Weekends are for...

Weekends are for breathing fresh mountain air...

For hiking up these beautiful Utah canyons in the snow...

For exploring an icy cave...

And for finding a really steep mountain-side and sliding down on our butts. Even if it did make us sore for days!

What we've been UP to

Bringing in the New Year with a climb up the "Great White Icicle."

Brandon got some new ice screws for Christmas he was dying to try out!

Sometimes taking a picture at the top of a frozen waterfall means you drop your camera case.

Don't worry mom and dad, this is totally safe!