Birthday Boy Benjamin

Our Benjamin has turned 8!!  WOW, WOW,WOW is all I can say. Time flies when you are having fun. We are truly been blessed to have this special boy in our lives.  He keeps us smiling and laughing all day, every day.  I especially love the things BJ says, for example when we were shopping one day he stopped in the middle of the shopping centre and asked himself aloud, "Am I wearing undies today?"  He then proceeded to check and reassured himself that yes indeed he remembered to put undies on.  As you can interrupt from this story, my 8 year old can still forget to put undies on!!  This is only one of the many stories we have about BJ and the things he says.  

BJ with his birthday card from Matty

BJ finding his new bike at the front door

 BJ's icecream volcano birthday cake

can't have a volcano without sparkler birthday candles.

I love you Benjamin Jack Robert and I am so glad you are in my life.  You make me smile on a daily basis :)

soccer star

BJ our soccer star!!

BJ loves soccer.  He not only trains with his team each week but also Matty's.  He also loves to play in the backyard every afternoon and can't wait til Daddy comes home from work so they can play a game before dinner.  BJ has definitely improved so much since he started two years ago.  He has great ball skills and he is super fast on the field.  BJ is hoping to beat his record of 32 goals last year but this year he has gone up a division so we will wait and see.  This though will not stop BJ from trying his hardest.  We are so proud of you our soccer star.

long hair louts

The boys have NEVER had hair this long before!!  Before the Christmas holidays the boys asked me if they could grow their hair for the WHOLE of the school holidays - and I said YES!!  why oh why did I say yes.  Half way through the holidays they looked like a part of homeless boys.  At the time they did ask their hair was not too bad but after a few weeks they looked like a pair of wooly mammoths.  The boys loved having long hair and have already started asking if they can do it again next Christmas holidays!!

birthday boy

Wow!  I can't believe my baby boy has turned 7!  Time has gone by so fast and I want it to slow right down... I can remember finding out I was pregnant with him.  I went to the doctor with some womanly complaints and the doctor wanted to rule out pregnancy so she asked me to do a pregnancy test, so while we were waiting for the results she started to discuss some possibilities of what was going on.  The doctor then started to prescribe some stuff but then walked over to the pregnancy test just to double check her prediction BUT she then looked at me in complete shock and said "I think congratulations are in order."  Well I was shocked but definitely over the moon.  Matthew and I then left the doctors surgery picked Daddy up from work and took him home for the shock of his life (not the first and not the last!).  Matty and Daddy sat on the couch and I then showed him the pregnancy test.  At first he was unsure of what it was, as I had never used one before, but once he worked it out he was so thrilled.  And that is the start of our life with Benjamin Jack Robert...

Seven years on BJ has had his first party with his friends from school and he chose to have a water party.  This meant lots of water pistol fights, home made water slides and LOTS of water balloons finished off with an ice cream cake.  BJ had so much fun and he talked about it for such a long time after. 

BJ with his 'family' birthday cake

Happy Birthday Birthday Boy!!

we love you so much

soccer stars

At this years Soccer Presentation Night, Matt was awarded his participation trophy for playing with the Chargers!!

Matt with his trophy

BJ was also awarded a participation trophy for playing with the Hornets as well as the Best & Fairest from his team.  BJ was so excited about receiving his Best & Fairest trophy because Matt was given this last year.  You could not wipe the smile off his face for days!!  We are so proud of you boys, you both had a fantastic year of soccer.

BJ with his two trophies and his BIG smile!

merit bar

Benjamin has been waiting since Matthew came home with his first merit bar for this moment - HIS FIRST merit bar award.  We are so very proud of Benjamin, he is an absolute model student academically and personally and fully deserves this award.  Benjamin was beaming from ear to ear when he was handed his award by the head of Junior school.  He is already working toward his next one!

Benjamin showing me his merit bar after assembly

the first top tooth GONE!!!

It has taken a long time but FINALLY Benjamin has lost his first top tooth.  He has wriggled it and wriggled it to no avail but during half time at soccer while he was eating his oranges THE tooth came out!!  At the end of the game there was not only 3 cheers for winning the game but the team also gave Benjamin 3 cheers for losing his tooth. 

the cheeky monkey with out his top tooth

boys cooking a BBQ

Benjamin loves to cook.  So when he asked to help Dad cook the BBQ how could we refuse.  BJ and Daddy cooked up a storm  - steak, sausages, mushrooms, pineapple, pumpkin, onion, capsicum.....  BJ definitely proved to be a chef in the making.

BJ and Daddy cooking dinner

boys first day back

Benjamin and Matthew

This year Benjamin is in Year 1 and Matthew is in Year 3.  I can hardly believe that I have three out of four children in school.  Where does the time go??  The boys were so excited about starting back at school.  They took such a long time to get to sleep the night before but that did not stop them getting ready in record time the next morning. 

candy canes

Lucy and Benjamin having fun with their first candy cane for the season!!

christmas put on hold!!

Christmas has been put on hold for a very special reason....Benjamin's 6th birthday.  Mummy can hardly believe that it has been 6 years since my beautiful boy was born.  The weekend before BJ's actual birthday we had a little family get-together to celebrate the occasion and of course to eat cake!!

Matt helping BJ read his card.

BJ with his favourite card

BJ blowing out the candles

Lucy helping BJ blow out the candles!!

On BJ's actual birthday he woke up very, very, early but he informed Mum and Dad that he had been awake for a very long time before he came to wake us up.  (who knows what time he really woke up!)  As per tradition the birthday boy sat on the lounge so Matt, Annie and Lucy could bring him his presents.  He got some great gifts from Mum and Dad and Noonie but his favourite was his razor scooter.

BJ on his scooter straight after receiving it

A boys birthday is not complete until he takes the mandatory cup cakes to school.  BJ asked for a racing track but this is the best Mum could do....

school cupcakes

On this very special day, the boys got picked up at lunchtime from school to go and have lunch at Sizzler!  The only reason this happened was because Daddy was leaving for his missions trip to Uganda on the night of BJ's birthday!  Because we had to be at the airport for 5pm Daddy decided to give the boys a special treat and take them out of school so we could have a family lunch together before he set off for 3 weeks. 

Happy Birthday Benjamin!! 

We love you !!

project tiger

BJ practicing his talk and Matthew being his helper

Benjamin's first ever oral project was on tigers.  BJ had to make a poster and it had to include what the animal looked like, what they ate, where they lived and an interesting fact and them present it to the class.  BJ really enjoyed this project because he can talk under wet cement about anything!  I don't know how many times he practiced his talk but it was always different everytime he said it!  Benjamin did a fantastic job and his teacher was very proud of him and his confidence.

first tooth...

BJ has finally lost his first tooth!!  He has been waiting for this day for quite a while and could hardly contain his excitment when it finally came out while he was wiggling it in bed one night.  Daddy had put the kids to bed, prayed with them and kissed them good night and came down to the lounge to sit with Mummy.  Even before he reached the lounge, BJ came screaming out of his room shouting something both Mummy and Daddy couldn't understand, only to realise that he was screaming with excitment about his tooth.  BJ put his tooth in a cup in his room for the toothfairy to come and take it away leaving something shiny behind.  However, when he woke up in the morning he come straight into Mum & Dad's bedroom to say that the toothfairy did not come so Mummy told BJ to go back to bed as it was far too early for him to wake up.  So when it was time to wake up BJ then found a note and some money in the kitchen because the toothfairy had such a busy night that she did not have time to go into his room and take the tooth!!!  Poor toothfairy she has too much to remember and too much to do in such little time!

Well Done Benjamin

Benjamin has achieved his first 'Certificate of Commendation". This is such an achievement. BJ has worked very hard in class which has resulted in 5 ROC awards. Once he achieved his 5 ROC awards he is then presented with his certificate at assembly. This is such a big deal at school and Benjamin has had a fantastic first year of schooling and he has loved every minute of it.

BJ with his special certificate

Commendation Certificate

awarded for

an excellent attitude in all areas of school life

We are all so very proud of you BJ!!!

Dr. Benjamin Smith

It was dressed up day at Prep! The children have been learning about 'People Who Help Us' so some parents have been coming in and talking about their jobs and how it helps the community. A variety of people came to talk to the kids from pilots to mechanical engineers to taxi drivers to carpenters to nurses..... Benjamin really enjoyed learning about this topic so when it came to dress up day he knew exactly what he wanted to go as - a doctor! So out of the cupboard came Daddy's lab coat and tie and out of the toy room came the 'doctors bag' with all its goodies inside. Benjamin insisted on Mummy making him a special name tag "because all doctors have one Mum don't you know". Benjamin was so excited about this day that he woke up super early to get ready so he wouldn't be late for school (not that we ever have been but just in case today we might he said!)

Dr. Benjamin Smith

BJ enjoying showing Mummy all the 'goodies' in his special bag

Book Fair

This year for book fair, the students had an opportunity to dress up as their favourite book character. Seeing as the boys are obsessed with anything 'SPY' at the moment, it was no surprise when they asked to go as Zac Power.

BJ and Matt as Zac Power

The boys had on their camo gear, backpacks with secret gadgets hidden away, special microphones and their GIB identity cards. The boys had a great day at school and really enjoyed playing in character during lunchtime.

soccer carnival

Every year at the end of the soccer season the boys participate in a carnival to mark the end of the season. Both boys were so excited about playing in the carnival due to the fact it was BJ's first year of soccer and Matthew could not participate last year due to his broken collarbone. The days leading up to the carnival the boys could hardly contain their excitement.

The carnival was a such a great day. The team played three games on the record breaking 30 something degree August Saturday. All the boys were absolutely exhausted by the end of the day but they had SO MUCH fun. The coach and manager gave each boys a special certificate at the end to mark such a wonderful season. 'The Chargers' were undefeated all season (until the carnival in which they won one game) so this was definitely an achievement worth celebrating.

We are so proud of you boys!

busy boys

One Saturday afternoon the boys decided to make some scooter jumps. So Daddy got out his scrap wood, nails and power drills and off the went. Firstly the boys came up with a design, then they chose the most suitable scraps of wood and then hammering they went.

BJ, Daddy and Matt putting the design into action

BJ using the power drill to put it altogether

Once it was all constructed there was only one thing left to do.... try it out!!

BJ was quite nervous about the whole thing so it took him several tries to get the hang of it.

BJ's first attempt

Matthew though is a natural when it comes to doing stunts!

Matthew thought this was the 'coolest'.

Lucy is never one to miss out so her big brother was very willing to help her out.

Matt helping Lucy

Annie is just like Matthew so any opportunity to be a 'stunt driver' she is there!

Annie is always one to give things a go

The kids had so much fun doing this and are already thinking up of other things to make.

sports day '09

Sports Day carnival for 2009 was BJ's first ever carnival. His excitement and pure joy was so lovely to watch. The boys could hardly believe THE day had finally arrived after the carnival had been cancelled twice before due to wet weather and the maintenance men leaving the sprinklers on all night the night before!

The cheering squad: Annie, Grandma and Grandad

Due to the fact that BJ is in Prep, he only needed to wear his usually uniform. However, Matt needed to wear his house shirt which is blue for BOOTH. (Booth being named after the great William and Catherine Booth, the founders of the Salvation Army)


The day started off with the usual March Past:

(Matthew in the blue crowd somewhere)

After the march past the Prep start their activities first so they can head back to class as it is a very long day for them.

Matthew watching BJ in the ball games

The first activity for the Preps is the ball game, Over and Under. BJ's team had so much fun doing this game, eventhough they did lose concentration at one point and lost the ball at another but nonetheless they had fun.

BJ lining up in his ball game team

The next activity for BJ was his running race. This was the moment BJ had been waiting for. He had trained for weeks beforehand in class, and had talked non stop about it the night before.

BJ's race

Eventhough BJ did not come first, he just couldn't believe that he had FINALLY ran his race and that he got a sticker for trying!

After the Prep's had finished it was then time to start the rest of the carnival. Which means it was Matt's turn. Matt loves a good race and this was no exception. He put everything into it and came 5th.

Matt's race

After his race it was time for the toddlers race. Annie and Lucy both ran in the race and got a sticker for their efforts (which Lucy was most proud of as she showed it off to all the hospital staff when we went up there for a dressings change after that race).

Annie and Lucy after their race.

So after the toddlers race, Mum had to take Lucy up for a dressings change, so Annie, Grandma and Grandad stayed on to cheer Matty in his ball game, Captain Ball, in which his team came 1st and in his fun run (a lap and a half around the oval) in which all the kids participate in and he came 5th overall for Year 2.

At the end of the day the winning team was announced and it was BOOTH!! the boys were so excited that their team won.

We are so proud of you boys!!