Ben is 16

Ben is now sweet 16! He requested a red velvet cake for his birthday, and we sang to him at one part of the day and then ate the cake at another part of the day between school, work, basketball practice and a young men's activity.

JB took him out to lunch during the week for a treat.

And he got his driver license this week! Hooray for independence (but boo for the added monthly insurance cost).

 

Here's his official basketball photo. What a baller! He plays for the sophomore team and JV team.

JB was working at the scorers table and at halftime had a quick talk with Ben recently.

His 6'3 height is super convenient for trimming the tree or getting things down from the top cupboards. 

He teases Millie mercilessly (he'll come stalking down the hallway saying, "Rugus! Where are you? I want to eat you" and she runs and laughs). He babysits sometimes for families in our ward and those kids love him. One mom told me the kids told her, "Just call Ben!" when she was trying to figure something out. 

He is at a school dance tonight with a group and he wanted to make sure he would help his date feel comfortable and have a good time. He checks on how his friends are doing and he takes his priesthood responsibilities seriously at church, making sure to show up early and stay late. 

He is on top of all his assignments at school without any prompting from us. He's just so smart with math, too. 

I love watching him talk on the phone to Max each week. They talk about food and sports and he's learning a lot from Max's example as a missionary.

Happy birthday to our Benjamino Bennihana Bennyboy Ben Ben bo Ben.