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Benson in action

Ole # 57

For those of you following at home...

It was quite a summer.  If you have been following, you know that Benson played baseball for the incoming freshman summer team, participated in speed camp for football, and mowed a bunch of lawns.  You will also know that Natalie spent a couple of weeks in the NW with Grum and Grump, aunties, uncles, and cuzzies.   Madi and Xander hung with Chrissta and the gang at pools, amusement parks and general summer fun - and Chrissta was the Stake Young Women's Camp director, found time to find a job and be a great mom.  You will also know that I worked too much.  Since that time, well here are the photos: 

We went to Corpus Christi for the weekend as a whole family.

Played in the sand:

Saw a 'pirate' ship. 

It was a great time, we all played at the beach, and laughed and had a great time.  (I even left the cell phone at home.)  It was so fun to do something as a family.  But as most things that are fun, it was over too soon and it was time for school to start: 

Xander started kindergarten at GOE (Great Oaks Elementary)

Madi Started 5th grade at GOE

Natalie started 7th at Cedar Valley Middle School

Benson started Seminary (Notice the nice outfit for the first day - but hey he went.) and his first day of High School at McNeil - he showered and changed for school

And Chrissta started her new job!

Benson Started Football (#57)

and was one of the Captian's for the first game. 

Other than that not too much has been going on, except that there have been some new chruch callings issued, lots of laughter and the college football season has started - Life is good.  

"Raise your hand if you miss Natalie?"

Natalie got on a plane on the morning of the Fourth of July. She hadn't flown since she was 3 and never alone. She was a little nervous, but I was so proud of her for her bravery! She flew into Portland, Oregon so she could spend a week there with my parents and two of my sisters. The following Friday she hopped a train with our friend Carla and headed to Seattle where she spent 2 1/2 weeks hanging out with my sisters up there. She played with her cuzzies, held her new baby cuzzie and bonded with her Aunties and Uncles. When I asked her on a scale of 1 to 10 how her time in Seattle was she said "4792". Okay, I guess that means she enjoyed it. She headed back to Oregon with my folks and is there until Monday when she will get on a plane with previously mentioned friend Carla and come home. Last night we were in the car and Xander said, "Raise your hand if you miss Natalie!" It was a unanimous vote. 5+ weeks is a long time. I know she has had a great time! I am glad she got some one-on-one with our family far away! But we have missed her and are anxious for Monday to arrive and bring Natalie with her! Natalie got to go to the zoo with her cuzzies: Finn(2), Amara(7), and Sully(5).

Here she is at Pike Street Market with Aunt Lisa, Aunt Annie, Uncle Kevin, Baby Clark (in the sling), Aunt Jeni, Grandma, Amara, Sully and Finn.

A summer of Maverick Baseball

This summer we have watched hours and hours of baseball. Benson has been playing on the incoming Freshman team for his high school. They played sometimes 4 and 5 games a week. It was so fun for us to watch! And he learned a lot about the game.

He played first base and right field.

He was a great hitter for his team. Can't give you any stats. Didn't take any even though I should have. But he had lots of hits and RBIs.

Hey Batta, Batta, Batta...swing batta!

It was a team of really fun guys. The coaches were a father and son duo. Good guys!

So many things to talk about!!

After a proper tongue lashing from my sister, Brandi, I have decided to take some time to update the blog. Let me apologize to all of you who faithfully check up on the Hinze family by visiting this blog spot. I have been knee deep in Stake Girl's Camp preparations and so have spent many hours on my computer, but not blogging. So this will be a bit of a catch up for the last month plus.

So, Josh's brother, David, graduated from Round Rock High School on May 31st. It was indeed Xander's Birthday but we were happy to share the day with such a great guy. Here are the three coolest brothers ever: David, Joshua and Devin.

For Xander's birthday we asked him what he wanted to do. It was no surprise he chose to go to Cabela's, his favorite place. We looked at all the taxidermy, furnishings, tents, etc. It was a great day!! He chose to hit McDonald's on the way home for some time in the play land. It was a great 5 year old day!!

We had a birthday party for him at the mall and took a bunch of his friends to Inflatable Wonderland. We had a blast jumping for hours!! He asked for a Ben 10 cake. I made a Omnitrix cake. Can you even tell which one is the cake??

I don't know if you know this, but it is HOT up in here!! We decided to buy a little pool for the back yard this year so Xander could swim whenever he wanted and we wouldn't even have to get in the car. He spends hours out there. Phoenix came over and we had an impromptu swim. Suits not required, just some boxer briefs!!

On the fourth of July I decided to play catch with my handsome son. We were having a great time, until a wild ball was thrown my way. My reflexes aren't what they used to be and so I missed with the glove and caught the ball with my shin. Originally we were told that I had a fractured tibia. But upon visiting the orthopaedist we found that it is "a mere flesh wound". A deep flesh wound, but I will be okay! I always knew I would survive. I am strong and can take it baby!! This photo does not do the bruise justice, but it is pretty ugly. Crutches are lame and so my arms hurt a little too, but this too shall pass. I really miss being able to do what ever I want or need to do when I want or need to do it. But hey, it gives me time to update the blog! Lucky!!

The biggest bummer to this whole injury thing is that Natalie, my BEST HELPER is away. She is vacationing in the NW with her Grandparents, Aunties and Uncles and cousins. We miss her! But I am really glad she is there. This gives the other kids the chance to be BIG HELPS!! We miss her but we sure want her to have a big dang blast!! Love you sister!!

Happy, Happy Birthday Xander-Man

Is it really possible for Xander to be 5? Could it really have been 5 years ago that we brought that little guy into this world? It has been an amazing 5 years! Knowing all along that he was our last I have taken lots of time to hold him, follow him around, do things I didn't have time to do with the others when they were little. Yep. Today Xander is 5 and he is a joy! And I will enjoy him today and everyday!

The Birthday dude made it real clear that on your birthday you get breakfast in bed. He ordered Lucky Charms. A great start to a great day!!

Dang! I have a lot to catch you up on.

It has been nearly 6 week since I last updated this blog or my personal one. Lots of fun things have happened in our house since April 5th. Where should I start?


Somewhere around the 17th of April Xander and I witnessed a most extraordinary event. We went to see The Wizard of Oz...performed live on stage...at the School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. It was so awesome!! We absolutely loved it! Xander loves the Wizard of Oz and I thought this would be a cool way for him to learn about disabilities and limitations and pressing on through them. It was super fun! And they were great!


I have been doing a cooperative preschool with Xander the last couple of years. 6 kids rotate in the homes of each of the students where in the mom of each student teaches. Good times and very entertaining! Our last field trip was a trip to a ceramics shop where Xander painted a very cool green horse. Gotta love the free thinking. He is definitely not inhibited my colors of realism.


This is a frame of a very funny video that would not up load. I will work on it, but let me tell you about it. My first born, a very handsome young gent, turned 14 on the day this video was taken. We went to dinner with our friends the Smiths (Jill, Stan, Sam and Paul) at the Texas Roadhouse. Jill graciously mentioned is was Benson's birthday before she realized what would happen to him. Just as we were preparing to pay the bill an head to the movie "Iron Man" they rolled out a saddle, had him climb on and proceeded to petition the other restaurant patrons to join us in wishing him a Texas Birthday with a big YEE HAA! It was good fun!

I can hardly believe it has been 14 years that we have had this guy. He was one amazing kid! We are looking forward to spending the first half of our summer watching him play baseball for the McNeil High School Incoming Freshman Baseball team.


On the evening of Benson's Birthday we first attended Natalie's Spring Spectacular dance performance. There is a video of that too that won't up load (check back). Here is her costume. They danced to Billy Joel's "Still Rock and Roll to Me" (which brought back a flood of memories of me, my brother Josh, and friend Kyle Cousins, playing rock band as kids in the back yard with white bucket drums and tennis racket guitars. Our other favorite song to perform was "We are the Champions" by Queen). She is a great dancer and it was super fun to watch her!



On May 15th we celebrated her 12th Birthday. What the heck???? How is this possible? We had a super fun birthday party on Friday night with 15 of her closest friends. She wanted to invited 30, but we had to reign her in. We had pizza, made movies, sang, ate candy and popcorn to watch said movies, jumped on the trampoline, and so on. We had a blast!

I don't remember where we had been but Xander fell asleep in the car. I brought him in and he sat down at the bottom of the stairs, to take off his shoes as usual, I thought. When I came back he had gone back to sleep right there.

Here is Xander with his diploma, graduating from BusyBeePreschool.

Here are all his BusyBee friends:Matthew, Ethan, Xman, Audrey, Marion and Lauren.

And all the BusyBee teachers and my friends:(back row): Debra, Jackie, Kristen; (front row):Audrey, Stacey and me.

This week we will celebrate Xander's 5th birthday...5!! In the fall Benson will start High School and Xander will start Kindergarten. What the heck??? Are you kidding me? I am not old enough for this!!