Ben & Company

On Robyn's Day

2011-08-03T21:52:00.001-06:00

We give our lives for things deemed "just,"

But sometimes life is taken

We dedicate our hearts and minds,

But sometimes they are shaken

We lift our eyes to see the sun,

But sometimes tears obscure it

We feel the flame of loss each day,

And only One can cure it.

Our Newest Cousin "Paul Phillip Snow"

2011-04-14T15:09:00.004-06:00

We recently welcomed my sisters 4th darling child into our family. He tops the chart for biggest babies in our family he beat Ben's record of 8.5 lbs 21" weighing in at 9.9 lbs 23"! He therefore got the nickname of "Paul Bunion". Wow he is sweet though such a lovely demeanor.

Here are some pics of Ben's first time seeing and holding Paul. I was right there expecting him to smother him and stick his fingers in his eyes. Much to my delight he was sooo cute with him! He just sat there adoring his new cousin. Sometimes he'd softly pet his head but just sat there enjoying Paul for a good 15 min. Even when Paul started to fuss and Heather came to get him to feed him Ben didn't want to let him go. Very tender moment. I think he will be a great big brother someday!

Here are the "Twins" holding Paul. Ruth is 6mo younger than Ben, but don't they look like they could be twins? They sure act like it! They are either bestest pals or mortal enemies. Most of the time they are quite cute together. When Abe gets home from Italy we'll have triplets!

Below I'll post a little clip we caught of the two.

One of my favorite conversations I overheard between the two went something like this....

Ben: No she's my mom!

Ruth: No she's my mom!

Ben: No she's my mom!

Ruth: No she's my mom!

Ben: MY MOM!

Ruth: NO MY MOM!!

...etc....

Amazing ehhh?

Mama's Noise

2011-04-13T22:37:00.003-06:00

This evening, while Jessica was going through the bed-time routine with Ben, she cleverly hid the Book of Mormon inside one of his regular story books. She thought this would be a tactful way of sharing the gospel with our little tike.

Unfortunately, he noticed something remiss after about 1.5 verses. His response was priceless. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, Mom. You're just making noise."

Jessica's response: "We got news for you, buddy. Mama's noise is just beginning."

It's Cute Now...

2011-03-02T20:19:00.002-07:00

Jessica: (singing the song from Madagascar) "I like to move it, move it."

Ben: "No, Mom. That's my move it, move it movie."

Jessica: "Ben, it's everybody's movie. We all share. That's called 'being selfish,' and we don't act that way in our family."

Ben: "No, Mom. That's not your move it, move it movie. That's MY move it, move it movie."

Jay: "Ben, that's selfish, and that's naughty."

Ben: "Dad, this is not your problem."

Christmas 2010

2011-01-04T23:07:00.002-07:00

A Case of Mistaken Identity: Part 2

2011-01-02T23:05:00.002-07:00

Ben and I traveled to Morgan this morning to share in the festivities surrounding the double-header baby blessing.

Everything was going so well. The kids were blessed, Ben ate his goldfish crackers, and we made it through church without incident.

Afterwards, we went to the Courthouse Auditorium for a "small" family gathering. Colton, Dezi (sp?), and Tosha were setting up the tables. For those of you who know Colton, you will know that he is going through a hairy phase at the moment. His auburn hair and beard are long but well-trimmed.

Ben went berserk when he saw Colton.

"Baby Jesus!" he yelled with every ounce of strength his tiny lungs could muster.

It's hard to know what one might do/say in such company. Some might kneel... Some might cry... Well, Ben had a different response.

Before I could contain him, he ran to the other end of the auditorium. With his arms making windmill circles and his legs flailing wildly, he shouted "JESUS! JESUS! JESUS!"

Dezi laughed, but Colton was not impressed.

Sorry, dude.

Bedtime Stories

2010-12-24T00:29:00.002-07:00

The scene begins with Jessica scrunched into Ben's toddler bed with him.

"Mom..."

"Yes, Ben."

"I wanna snack."

"No more snacks. It's time for sleep."

"Ohhh.... Darnit."

A few moments pass.

"Mom..."

"Yes, Ben."

"Tales... and Bob da damatoe fall down. hehehe. Dat Bob so funny. I wike Tales."

"Ok, Ben. Momma's going to get her pajamas on and go to bed."

"No, Mom! No jammas! You stay here wear pants!"

"I love you, nigh-night, sweet dreams."

"Wuv-oo, Mom, nigh-night."

A Case of Mistaken Identity and Mistaken Gender

2010-12-06T22:36:00.004-07:00

Sundays create a sense of restlessness for Ben. Sure, the comfy maroon chairs in the back of the chapel are fun for a little while, but he often needs something a little more engaging. Fruit snacks and goldfish crackers usually do the trick, but yesterday he wanted an adventure.

As we roamed the halls, we searched for treasures under a Christmas tree, and we hunted lawn gnomes in rooms 117 and 116.

As Sacrament Meeting drew to a close, we made our way to the nursery for a bit of tom-foolery. Another individual walked toward us from the other end of the church, but a glare from a nearby glass door obstructed our view.

"Oh, look!" cried Ben. "It's Grandma!" As we walked closer to the individual, Ben and I realized that it was NOT Grandma. "Oh, it's a guy," Ben shouted when he realized his error.

I didn't know how to respond to his assertion, and neither did the 16 year-old girl who was mistakenly called "Grandma" and subsequently "a guy."

She whole-heartedly glared at me when I said, "Oh, come on now, little boy. Let's go find your Daddy."

...and so it begins.

2010-10-06T21:12:00.002-06:00

So, there I was... sitting at the computer on a homework-riddled Wednesday night. Ben was in bed despite his best efforts to the contrary.

As I wrote about the relationship between management practices, creativity, and innovation, Ben began to cry for me.

"Day," he inquired. ("Day" is a combination of Daddy and Jay... the two names by which I am commonly known.)

To Ben's chagrin, Day did not respond. As such, the youngster continued his lamentation.

"Day, come here" quickly turned into "Day, come here, please." When his attempts to woo me with pleasantries failed, he turned to other methods.

"Day, come here right now!"

I chuckled a bit, but with each new cry, I noticed how the word "Day" sounded more and more like the word "Die." Indeed... I could sense that something diabolical was in the works.

Ben continued to cry, and each new attempt to draw me into his room was met with stone cold opposition.

Here's how I see it: When it's bedtime, it's bedtime. Structure, order, and consistency are the pillars upon which something very noble is perched. I am a stern father, but I am not heartless. Ben knew my weakness... and he exploited it.

"Day... I poopy!" he called... repeatedly.

Having no desire to subject my child to a sleepless night in a desecrated dipe, I charged into his room to remedy the situation.

As soon as I entered his abode, the shouting turned from "Day, I poopy" to "Day, watch Diego."

I smelled something rotten, but the scent did not originate within the polka-dotted, Target-brand, size 5 diaper.

Indeed... When I examined the contents of the diaper, I found something much more sinister.

Lies... That's what I found, folks. Lies...

As I re-applied the sticky tabs of Ben's unused diaper, the look on his face seemed to say, "Oh, sorry, Day... My mistake. I guess I wasn't poopy after all. Perhaps we should watch Deigo together for a few moments before retiring for the evening."

Although I maintained a stoic facial expression as I returned Ben to his sleeping quarters, a chuckle escaped my lips as I called Jessica to tell her what "her son" just did.

Escapades in Counting

2010-09-25T19:38:00.000-06:00

Jay: "Ben, how many toes do you have?"

Ben: "One... two... three... four... P... R... W... X... Y... TEN!"

Jay: "Yup, that's right!"

Isn't that great?! My kid knows how to use algebraic variables! I didn't learn stuff like that until I was in 7th grade!

Twinkle, Twinkle

2010-08-30T20:11:00.000-06:00

Ben's musical debut displays a variety of skills: range, memorization, improvisation... skat... There's also a little bit of singing in there, too. Well done, kiddo.

Growing Up

2010-08-12T21:53:00.001-06:00

...and now... the moment some of you have been waiting for... BEN'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!

Something Grand is Coming...

2010-08-09T22:51:00.001-06:00

Sports Pictures and Movies Needed!!!

2010-07-11T22:40:00.000-06:00

Dear Turner Family,

As part of my movie-making endeavors, I need tons of pictures/videos of your kids (or yourselves) engaging in sports-related activities. Here's a sample of what I've been doing so far.

Two Year-Old Attitude

2010-07-04T21:58:00.000-06:00

For our Family in Distant Places...

A Ruling by the Judges

2010-05-31T22:56:00.000-06:00

The rules were clearly stated...

The track was clearly marked...

Each participant was instructed to run to the far side of each flag.

Upon further review, the judges have determined that the actual winner of the Grandkid Grand Prix is "TO" Tosha Turner in the #11 car. As you will notice in the video, she is the only one who ran to the far side of the flags.

Congratulations, Tosh.

Bath time

2010-04-14T20:42:00.000-06:00

Plastic green cup, you're the one. You make bath time lots of fun...

Stories from the Ben

2010-02-13T08:19:00.001-07:00

Earlier this week, The Ben and I were enjoying some much needed recreational time while Mother was away at Target. During our 9-hole golfing excursion -- Wii Sports Resort, Classic round -- The Ben and I shared a delicious pouch of fruit snacks. (...and by "shared," I mean, "He ate while I watched.")

When The Ben was finished with his fruit snacks, he crumpled the pouch in his wee hands, walked from the living room into the kitchen, opened the cupboard below the sink, and lightly placed the crumpled pouch in the garbage can. Amidst my cheering, he realized that the cupboard was still ajar. Before turning to celebrate with me, The Ben turned toward the cupboard and promptly closed it.

One might ask, "Why were you cheering and celebrating?" Well, let me tell you. You see, men are slovenly folk... at least, that's what I'm told. My boy, The Ben, has the guts and the fortitude to fly in the face of stereotypes and be his own man. That takes passion and determination in a world where everybody expects everybody else to act in a prescribe manner. I also celebrated because I can gain some serious brownie points by using The Ben's services to clean the house while Mother is away. ;)

Let it Snow

2010-02-08T07:09:00.001-07:00

This video is a mixture of Turner and Whiting Snow Days. I'll tell you one thing: those kids are resilient.

Late Show Audition Tape

2010-02-07T23:07:00.000-07:00

Look at the range of emotion -- the joy, the laughter, the extensive vocabulary, and the pain of picking one's nose too vigorously. Ben has it all, and he's not afraid to show it. Watch out, Leno. This kid has the potential to take your job (and subsequently get kicked off the air when you want your show back).

The Real Balloon Boy

2010-01-12T21:36:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Grandma and Grandpa Whiting thought it would be a good idea to give the grandkids some balloons. Ben quickly learned to say "boon" whenever he saw, heard, smelled, or even thought about a balloon. Furthermore, it took 90 minutes of screaming, crying, and repeating the word "boon" before Ben eventually fell asleep on Saturday night. Here are the highlights of the weekend.

No parents or legal guardians were incarcerated before or after the exploits of this balloon boy.

Ben and the Sled

2010-01-01T20:45:00.001-07:00

On cold winter nights, as children nestle into the crooks of their parent's arms, they often hear the Tale of Ben and the Sled. The story goes like this:

One day, Ben rode a sled and almost killed Thayne. The End.

Unfortunately, the words of the story hardly convey the seriousness associated with the tale.

As such, I have included a video.

What are those Turner's up to lately?

2009-12-02T01:44:00.000-07:00

As I was looking through the last couple of months worth of pictures and videos we have taken, I realize that there are some fun things we have neglected to post. I therefore present to you in no particular order a glimpse of the Turners September - November 2009!

The Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-24T11:52:00.001-06:00

Last night, Jessica brought some pumpkins home. She said, "Look! We have a Daddy pumpkin, a Mommy pumpkin, and a Baby pumpkin!"

Should I be offended?

Grandpa Would be Proud

2009-09-22T21:21:00.000-06:00

As the sleepy night-time hours crept from the corners of the sunlit horizon, Farmer Ben surveyed the dusty terrain. The kind earth, which once yielded to his honorable hand, had become solid and immovable as a result of persistent pressure aptly applied by the tires of a worn-out Chrysler Sebring convertible. "No matter," thought the benevolent farmer. "With my trusty John Deere, all shall be as it should."

2009 Birthday Racing

2009-08-21T07:29:00.000-06:00

I haven't had this much fun since my 2nd grade pirate party.

For Jessica's Birthday

2009-07-18T23:17:00.000-06:00

I'm lucky to have such a wonderful wife,

Bringing such joy to five years of my life.

Old Yeller

2009-07-05T11:06:00.001-06:00

Some folks (who have not had the pleasure of "movin' on up to the East side") have asked to see pictures of the new house. As a result, the executives of Jayco Enterprises are pleased to present "Old Yeller."

Sure, Old Yeller looks inviting...

Old Yeller even looks cute in some places...

...but when the storm clouds roll in, and the moonlight hits the turret just right...

...this innocent-looking, Victorian-ish, grandma house turns into a dwelling of danger complete with jagged, rocky outcroppings...

...deep and treacherous moats...

...and overly-enthusiastic guard dogs.

You'd best be on your guard the next time you contemplate visiting the inhabitants of Old Yeller.

The Crocodile Hunter

2009-06-05T21:37:00.001-06:00

Here we see the Ben in his native garb and habitat. If you look closely, you can see how the Ben spends the majority of his waking hours.

Turner Family Memorial Day 2009

2009-05-27T06:59:00.000-06:00

When I was a kid, I had a Playskool tape recorder permanently attached to my hand. While performing interviews of friends and family, I captured every totally amazing and completely mundane moment. I loved it! Other folks thought it was irritating.

Now that I'm older, the story hasn't changed very much... I use a Cannon PS Something-er-other instead of the Playskool tape recorder. The frustration factor remains the same, but the presentation is slightly more enjoyable.

Talented Youth

2009-05-15T23:20:00.000-06:00

Some kids play piano

Some kids kick a ball

Some kids can do math well

My kid beats 'em all

Three Year Shout Out!!

2009-05-12T14:12:00.000-06:00

Happy 3rd Anniversary!

Here are a few flash backs...

Isn't he cute!

I really chickened out... I should have really let him have it with the cake in face!

(I guess I was worried about the suite, I knew we needed it the next day!)

I sure loved that wedding dress...

These pictures make me wish we could get this dressed up all the time... razzel dazzel...

Benjamin's New Groove

2009-04-07T22:08:00.000-06:00

Just like Kronk in "The Emperor's New Groove," I have two little versions of me hovering nearby at all times.

The harp-playing, nicely-illuminated, "let's go plant a tree" kind of character...

...and the sneaky, shadowy, "he's got that mischievous look in his eye" sort of fellow.

Personally, I think they're both cute and credible.

A Dad's Wish

2009-04-03T22:38:00.000-06:00

I wish my eyes could take pictures.

I wish my mind could make movies.

I wish I could document every new emotion displayed on the face of my little boy.

I wish I could share the warmth of his laugh and the brightness in his eyes.

A Beautiful Video -- Courtesy of iMac

2009-04-01T21:54:00.000-06:00

Get your tissues ready.

2009-04-01T21:47:00.000-06:00

To the park, driver! (Pictures of Ben's first bike ride.)

2009-04-01T21:45:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm glad we bought that nice big crib for you, Son...

Billy Joel, Elton John, and The Newcomer

2009-03-31T22:41:00.000-06:00

As some of you may have noticed, two of the world's permiere Rock/Pop pianists are coming to Utah in the near future. However, you probably don't know about the incident last week when they both came to Ben for some musical advice. When Sir Elton asked Ben about the advantages of "light-up sparkly stars on the keyboard," Ben simply smiled and said, "DaDaDADADadaDAdaDA."

How true, Benjamin... How true...

Feeling "Spring'er jized" (well... for a day anyway...)

2009-03-31T21:53:00.000-06:00

Yes spring came and then left, so we tried to live it up.

Benjamin was in a discovery wonderland playing outside.

Yumm, grass...

The Turner Family- Jay, Ben and Jess

I'm ready, lets GO...

Baby Ben

2008-11-05T21:06:00.000-07:00

Why not start this Blog where our new life began with the birth of our baby boy,

Benjamin Golden Turner. Born August 9th @ 1:01pm 8lbs 5oz