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(Here’s this month’s 10 on 10 post).
Let’s start the October recap with some cuties of Hallee…
She is well-known for her WIDE eyes. 
Moonlight Beach
A successful trip to the pediatric dentist (5 gold stars for the guy that invented movies on the ceiling!).
Sipping some delicious Thai iced tea on our date night (Hallee came along).
Halloween
Gigi requested Minnie mouse this year, and I had so much fun making her costume. Brody didn’t seem to have a preference, so he borrowed an Elmo costume from a friend. He wasn’t much into wearing Elmo’s head, but he did seem to like the costume.
First house
We met up with Gigi’s best buddy Sofia and walked the neighborhood with her family.
The girls had so much fun trick-or-treating and announcing “I’m Minnie Mouse,” “I’m a ladybug!” to every friendly neighbor.
Gigi’s loot… She ate a few pieces over a couple-day span and then we ix-nayed the candy idea due to complete meltdowns!
View all the October photos here.
It had been far too long, so we finally took a trip back up to the Central Coast in early October. We had a fabulous weekend seeing friends (and family on the drive up) and staying with our hosts and dear friends, the Scotts.
First we stopped in Simi Valley to see Grandma, so she could meet her newest great-granddaughter. We also got to see my cousin Josh!
Here are a few favorite photos from the weekend…
David and his buddies (his old college roommates) Ish and Chris.
My sweet friends Leah & Annie. We got to hear Leah’s husband Balàzs preach at our old church CalvarySLO.
The Scott, Bennett & Stanzel kids. These kids had such a fun time hanging out and playing together. Gigi every so often asks me when we can go see them again. 
James, Squareburger, Ish, David & Chris (and Finn, too).
Hallee and I with friends Lisa & Chrissie. So fun to see them!
The kiddos chilling out.
Gigi and Eli (they are about a month apart in age).
Bro relaxin’ in the kitchen.
The Scotts have a super fun backyard– basically heaven for the 5 and under crowd.
Then, on the way back, we stopped in Carpenteria at an awesome place called the Padaro Beach Grill, as recommended by my friend Krissa. It was good food, a fabulous location and the perfect pit stop for the kids.
The “restaurant” consisted of a walk-up-and-order grill with picnic seating and a huge sandbox full of toys.
Our family took a table close to the bushes so we could watch the train go by and look at the beach that was just on the other side there.
It was such a fun trip!!
Thanks, Chris and Annie for hosting us. Wish we could hang out all the time like the ol’ days!!
View all the photos here.
The Birthday Boy
The day started with homemade chocolate old fashioned doughnuts.
At work, David got cupcakes!
Then the kids and I surprised David with a Jamba at work.
I made David this set of “redeemable” gifts.
After work we met up with both sets of parents and my brother’s family at Joe’s Crab Shack in Oceanside for a fun dinner. We were so thankful for extended family spending his birthday with us!
Our waitress dolled David up…
And made him stand on the table while we sang to him (he’s a good sport).
Gigi, Papa & Micah.
Bro-Bro
hanging out
Here’s to David’s next 30+ years!
I love you, Mi Amor!
These photos were so cute I thought they deserved their own post…
Hallee Hope, with Yaya in Julian, October 15, 2011.
This year David turned the big 3-0 on October 17th! We decided to go camping in Julian for his birthday weekend. Both sets of grandparents were happy to come along.
The big hit this trip was cars, cars, cars! We brought David’s matchbox cars from his childhood, which were already lovingly beat up, and they occupied the kids, especially Brody in the campsite.
This time the girls slept in Yaya & Papa’s motorhome and the boys slept outside in the tent.
We had a great time going apple picking, too!
The birthday boy enjoying an apple.
Watching football with the grandpas.
Our sleeping beauty.
View all the photos here.
Here are the highlights from September…
We started off the month with the crazy San Diego Blackout… which was actually kind of a fun night (I wouldn’t be saying that if it had lasted much longer and we’d lost our food, but thankfully it was back on in less than 12 hours).
We recorded 10 on 10 over on my other blog for a glimpse into a normal day of life around the Bennett house, and that just happened to be on the day of the Cardiff Greek Festival, a favorite traditions of ours.
Gigi had her first face painting experience at the festival!
Hallee enjoyed being 3 months old… here are a few photos to prove it:
We took the train downtown to have lunch with Tabetha and Micah.
We got on the Coaster in Encinitas.
And got off at Santa Fe Station.
We walked around a bunch and had a very nice time!
Our family near the USS Midway.
We also went to a Dodgers/Padres game at Petco Park with Yaya & Papa– Our first family game of the season!
Hallee’s first baseball game!
Our baseball-loving family.
At the end of the month, I went to a 1-day blogging conference that was really fun, called BlogSugar.
Hallee also enjoyed it!
I spent the night at A & A’s and Micah got to spend a bit of time with his baby cousin.
View all the photos here.
Looking back at September, we started the month with our Labor Day camping trip up in San Onofre with our church. We used to go to the state campground but this year a friend reserved sites at the military campground right on the beach. The above photo was taken from our campsite!
Our trip happened to coincide with the swell of the year! This was great from the hard core, but meant no surfing for us. The waves were so big that we lost a night of camping– we had to head up the next morning when the tide was a bit lower because the waves washed up into the campsites!
The Pavones joined us for dinner one evening. See how close the beach was to our site?!
Hallee thoroughly enjoyed her first camping trip, sleeping great right between mommy and daddy in the tent.
Brody and Gigi had a fabulous time with their friends.
Getting ice cream from the soft serve ice cream truck.
Brody played cars with the McLaughlin boys and his buddy Zachary Fandey, too.
Gigi was smitten with Beth’s ukulele and was often found in the McLaughlin’s motorhome strumming away.
Brody loved napping al aire libre!
One day we went on a long walk down to Churches and Trestles to watch the surf and explore on the beach.
We can’t wait for next year!
View all the photos here.
Happy December!
To get a glimpse of our day today, head over to my other blog, for my 10 on 10 photos. That should tide you over until I get around to retro-updating you on the last few months of our life. I told David I just had to catch up by the end of the year. I can hardly believe that 2011 will be over in 21 days.
I guess I better get to posting! Be back soon… I hope.
Gigi and I made a wreath…
And it’s now hanging on our front porch!
We were blessed with lots of veggies this year (from our CSA and a farmer friend) so I made ratatouille like five times this summer.
This particular version was modeled after the dish in the movie Ratatouille.
My handsome little man got another haircut.
Hallee started showing off her huge smile.
At the end of the month we finished up our Women’s Summer Discipleship, which was a small group that I led that met all summer. Four of the five women had babies early in the summer!
It’s going to be so fun watching these four girlies grow up together.
From L: Hannah (born 6/18), Lia (7/7), Harper (6/15), and Hallee (6/7)
These are all the kids (from five families). (missing one- wonder where Bella is?)
Such a great time of growing and getting to know each other- for kids and moms alike!
That’s all! To view the whole August album, click here.
Hallee sporting a nightgown that was mommy’s as a baby.
Their first matching outfit (Thanks, Yaya!).
Hanging Out at Tia & Unc A’s House
A Day at the Botanical Gardens with Yaya
I just might have one more August update up my sleeve…
