our first chess tourney

Today is bennett's first chess tournament. He is 1-1 with 3 matches to go. I can't figure out how to upload pictures hopefully I will keep work it out.

Breaking News!

Bennett got a haircut! Check it out!

The long hair was starting to bother him and I found him in his bathroom with some scissors and we both decided it was time for a trim!

Lego Mania

The Lego Artist

For Christmas and his Birthday Bennett received quite a few cool lego kits. He has been building them like mad. It is pretty amazing to see him following the directions of the kit step-by-step and putting together these creations. Here are some pictures from one set that he got the turns into 2 planes and a helicopter and a very cool Raiders of the Lost Ark set that he put together.

Stay tuned for more creations!

Some photos from Bennett's 9th bday

A Bakugan Birthday and More...

Bennett got a bunch of Bakugan for his birthday which he was very excited about...and as you can see Mark couldn't figure out! He also had a cake made of glazed donuts (his favorite).

He also got this cool present from his Nana...it is like an Easy Bake Oven for boys. It makes gel bugs! Check it out!

And of course blowing out the candles

Some Random Birthday Photos:

Happy Birthday to Bennett!!!

Newsflash: Bennett Lanier turns 9 years old today!

His parents are officially old!

Our most fabulous son and apple of our eye, Bennett Ryder Lanier, turns 9 today. Officially he will turn 9 at 10:22pm.

This has been a big year for Bennett. It was full of finishing the 2nd grade and starting the 3rd. Playing but not loving to play soccer, mastering guitar hero, learning to play the real guitar, and learning to play chess. He also has become the master of building paper airplanes and is teaching himself to draw. He knows all the words to the theme song of Phineas and Ferb :) and loves to make goofy videos for youtube. Oh and let's not forget that his favorite curse word is CRAP (ugh). This year Bennett experienced the passing of his dear puppy Rhosie and also got a new puppy, Murphy. Overall he is continuing on his quest to being just a great kid. As he gets older he gets more confident and has a group of really nice friends that he hangs with on a regular basis.

Today he will spend his day by having his friend Christian over to play during the day and his friend Nicky is coming to make pizzas with us tonight. On January 5th he is having a paper airplane birthday party. Which is BOYS only :)

Happy Birthday Bennett, we hope it is the best yet. We love you.

Another Movie Review for YOU!

Marley & Me

So this movie was made for the Laniers. We went to see it on a dreary Sunday morning with plenty of rain and grey outside...in other words a perfect day for a movie! Marley & Me is about being a family. It shows the ups and downs of family life and how you still somehow stick together through it all. There were parts of this movie where we laughed so hard because we had all done the exact same thing with our Marley...Drake! Marley was no ordinary dog and either is Drake. Just this morning I chased her around a desk trying to get a baggie of food from her that she had swiped from the kitchen counter. She of course got half of the baggie and ate it baggie and all, and somehow we forgive her and move on because she can lay down on the floor with Bennett and give him a big hug (yes she hugs) and make him laugh the biggest belly laugh you have every heard. We definitely recommend this movie however bring your tissues...we all cried.

Merry Christmas!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Mark Lanier turns the big 3-8!!!

November 16, 1970 is the day the husband and father of our little Lanier clan entered the world. To celebrate the day of his birth he will be spending the day with his family and then in the evening he will be partaking in huge amounts of sushi. Mark doesn't give speeaches (even though I ask him too) on his birthday or worry about that fact that we are getting old...quickly. Instead he just looks ahead to the coming year. Probably not a bad idea.

Happy Turkey Day!

Happy Turkey Time to our

friends and family!

With all the crazy things going on in the world these days, we wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their love and support throughout the years. Besides eating beyond comfort, the month of November brings the perfect time to make sure we have told the people in our lives how much they mean to us. Gobble, Gobble. Love, The Laniers

Our Guitar Hero

Bennett has started guitar lessons. He now proudly knows 2 chords, G and C. He is doing really well. He really like his teacher Alex, he is super cool. I overheard him asking Bennett what his favorite songs were and to Alex's surprise Bennett answered...The Devil went down to Georgia and Rock Me Like a Hurricane. It was a proud moment .