Marcia Benton (Warden)

Well, I thought that it was finally my turn to update everyone on myself. It’s amazing how many people have moved away. For years I have thought, “we had such a big class, you’d think I’d run into some of them.” But in 10 years of staying in Boise, I have only come across a handful of you.

I was able to graduate early, left in Jan and I’m sure you all know that I was immediately married in Feb. And I’m pleased to say, we are still happily married today, growing and learning everyday. And I have not left Boise, nor do I see myself leaving anytime soon.

Throughout the years I have done a variety of thing. I just didn’t have the desire to go to school, so I immediately started working and was able to be a secretary for a copier sales company for two years, then we were surprised with our 1^st child, Morgan. Since then, I have done odd jobs from candle sales, working as a barista at Starbucks, waitressing to finally something that I really enjoy, sales. My goal has always been to have a flexible schedule and keep my wonderful girls out of day care, which I have happily been able to do. We now have two great children, Morgan, 8, and Jasmine, 4, and they keep me very busy with their activities.

For the last two years I have finally found something to do that I love to do and gives me the flexibility that I need. I help people with health insurance, which is interesting, and recently I started working with a telecom company that is absolutely amazing.

We’ve had many learning experiences through the years which is how one grows. We also have been able to do some traveling, which I look forward to doing more. The future only looks brighter. I look forward to seeing everyone in a month and anyone who would like to contact me can, though my website, www.teambenton.acnrep.com.

BIG NEWS, BIG CHANGE, BIG SAVINGS!

As you all know - Dawn Stewart jumped in about a month ago and offered us her professional services in event planning. She has done more than make good on her word and has found a way to not only make this event even more exciting and quality, but she has also found a way for us to lower the price!!! Here are the details:

Previously we had planned on The Big Easy, which was definitely going to be fun and a great venue. Dawn had worked with a newer club called The Reef which she felt she could get us at a significant cost decrease because they are newer and more competitive for business. Additionally, she checked with several people who confirm that the food is even better (read a review here). So we decided to make the switch! The event will now be held on the same day, but at The Reef! There will be a band, DJ, tons of food, AMAZING DOOR PRIZES, an outdoor patio for chillin', a program, decorations, etc!

Now you are all interested in the price, aren't you? Well, we are now able to drop the price to $35 per person instead of $45!!!! We are talking a 32% decrease in cost for even more awesomeness. Dawn rules!!! For those of you who have already paid the $45, you would receive a refund for the additional money at the door. Click on the link to the right and purchase your tickets ASAP...the Reef has requested that we give them an estimated head count so it would be great to know who more of you will be coming. We also really want to have as much money in advance as possible to be able to afford all the fun stuff - so do us a favor and don't fight it, just join us!

The last extremely exciting news is that our old Vice Principal - yes, Mr. Jerry Curin himself - will be joining us for the reunion! He was quoted in his conversation with Mikey Smith as saying that our year was the best and most fun year of his professional career. He wouldn't miss catching up with us for anything...even amongst his world travels and retired bliss!

So seriously, join us. It is going to be amazing. BUY TICKETS NOW!

Valerie Bell Dramatizes A Day In The Life...

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In a low, dramatic, TV announcer voice…

This week on "Life with the Johnsons", prepare yourself for dirty diapers, messy meals, and candy kisses! Hold on to your seat as Valerie cooks dinner, Nathan balances the Flower Shop's finances, and the girls run willy nilly with strawberry yogurt on their faces. This weeks episode will blow your mind as the mystery of where Lizzy got the permanent marker unfolds- and how will Sammy ever get over not eating fruit snacks before dinner! Find out if Rachel can make it through 20 diapers in a single day. This time, drama is for real…

(Okay, okay, so it’s not all that exciting, but it’s reality and we make the best of it!) Hello from Heatville! This is the Valerie formerly known as “Bell”. I have since taken on the surname “Johnson” and am sweltering in sunny Mesa, AZ. It’s been so fun reading about everyone’s lives! And since I won’t be attending the reunion, would love to hear from more of you!

Here’s a recap of the past decade… After high school I worked at Boise City Hall and then went to Ricks- which was a wonderful life-changing experience. I did the Disney World college program thing- that was fun. I then received my Associates degree in Premed in 2000 and left on a mission that year to Mississippi- that was fun. I came home and a mission companion introduced me to a friend of hers. He and I were married March 18th, 2003- that was and is tons of fun!

I became a CNA to see if I wanted to take the RN route. I was top of the class scholastically, but alas- the clinicals did me in. I found out I have a hard time seeing people in pain. So, I stopped working and had a baby. Samantha Jane (Sammy) was born fall of 2004. She’s our thinker/talker and is her father’s daughter.

We enjoyed her so much, and I babysat her cousin Joseph so often- I thought- hey, we can have two kids close together. So we decided we should have another. Elizabeth Joy (Lizzy) was born fall of 2005. She is a wonderful ball of energy and a lot of work, so we decided to wait a few years for the next child.

Meanwhile, Nathan finished up a degree at ASU in Business Finance. He took the GMAT (entrance exam for grad school) and did so well, we’re still getting info from schools all over the country- even some ivy-leaguers. So, we may wait a few more years so he can take the GMAT again and actually STUDY this time so he could get some serious scholarship offers. That’s the hope. We’re also dabbling in real estate investing a bit. We don’t own anything in AZ, but we do in Idaho- go figure. I have also been doing Irish clogging and taking piano between pregnancies, and spend most days taking the girls on outings.

The whole “wait a few years to have the next child” thing failed to happen when to our surprise I was expecting once again. Rachel Annaliese was born June 18th- yes last month. She’s such a good baby!

As for now, Nathan works at the family business- which also happens to be where we live! It’s a cushy setup. No commute, and the girls see their papa all the time. I love it! Nathan and his brother are taking over the business- “Watson Flowers”. This year is the 80th anniversary of the flower shop and it’s always been in the family! (Support your local mom and pop shops!) So, if you find yourself in Arizona and need anything- look us up. We won’t be going anywhere for a while!(Pictured below is my father-in-law with his beloved, fuel efficient, Scion delivery vehicles.)

Lisa Marie (Bigelow) Jensen Update

Schooling: I attended Ricks College for my Associate Degree. I was able to stay at Ricks attending an Extension Program through Lewis Clark State College in Lewiston. I was able to finish my schooling in Rexburg and only had to attend one summer in Lewiston. I graduated in April with a double major of Elementary Ed and Special Ed. I taught Special Education at a high school and really enjoyed it. (I was only mistaken to be a student three times!!!)

Husband: My husband, Kendon, and I were set up on a blind date. He worked as a police officer with the husband of a girl I went to school with. We had our first date in August of 2000 and were married in the Boise Temple in March 2001. We have lived in Rexburg since. We live in a 115 year old home that his great grandfather built. We have a super big yard for playing and for BBQ's and love living in Rexburg. He went back to school in January 2002 to study Computer Networking. After graduating we were very blessed to find a job in this area. He works for a world wide company called NCR. They do contract work for companies varying from banks to post offices to Walmart. When their computer systems or ATMs go down, Kendon goes in and boots them back up.

Kids: We have three super kiddos. I feel so blessed to be able to stay at home and hang out with them everyday. It is the best! Sirri, will be four in August, Connor will be three in July (yes, I will have two three year olds for 11 days!), and Meg is 8 months old. What a fun, busy bunch!

It has been so great catching up on where all your lives have taken you! Keep the updates and blogs coming.

You can check out our crazy day to day life at lisamarieandkendonjensen.blogspot.com

Take care - Lisa Marie (Bigelow) Jensen

Dan Clark LLC (Livin' Large Clark)

The day after the senior ‘all-nighter’ I packed up and headed to P-town (Provo, Utah) to start summer school at BYU. The following year I left on a mission to Manchester England where I learned this place was the armpit of the world in regards to their food. If it weren’t for the Indian and other European influences in this department, I might have lost weight instead of gaining 35 pounds. Then it was back to the grind at BYU where I took a course of study in communications and business. I met my wife Emily the day after the semester to study abroad in Jerusalem was cancelled due to ‘unrest’ in that region. We later married in December 2001 in Boston. I graduated in 2003 and waited around for her to graduate the following year. The last day of her classes, we had our first son, Grant. He is now 3 and his favorite question is “Why dad?”

Then it was off to Portland, Oregon for an internship with State Farm. As much as I enjoyed the Pacific Northwest, I was always looking for a good reason to return to Boise. It took some heavy brain washing to convince my wife to look past the barren desert that is Boise, and realize that it really is the “City of Trees”. Luckily, I had a good job opportunity to continue with State Farm and we made the move to Eagle. After 2 years in the sales and marketing industry, I changed it up a bit and worked as a construction superintendent with a residential home building company. This job gave me the chance to build my own home in Meridian. (When I say build, I mean have others build it for me.) In that time we had another little rug rat named Ella. She is now 1 and seems content with having only 4 teeth. After 2 years in construction, I decided to start my own business in real estate developing. Now as Clark Capital, LLC, I work with Mason Development in their residential development division. See you in August!

John Root Talks Crepe

John Root just sent me an update:

After high school I attended one semester at BYU thinking, what the heck, I might want to be a doctor when I grow up. I decided to serve a mission for my church and they sent me to Poland where I would visit people in hospitals from time to time and that was enough to dissuade me from medicine forever. Not to disparage all you doctors (Steve), but I just couldn't handle the hospital smell. So upon returning to BYU I chose a very practical and highly marketable major; political philosophy. I became friends with my Polish language and culture professor who happened to be a violin maker. I convinced him to take me on as an apprentice and made two violins in the course of two years working on Saturdays and some evenings.

Another highlight of college was the chance to play bass for an epic rock band known as The Bifs featuring Eric Atwood, Kelly Frew and Mikey Smith. I did Air Force ROTC while in Provo, a decision that landed me in Pensacola, Florida for two years for navigator flight training. I was intended to be a weapon systems officer and fly in the back seat of either an F-15E fighter jet or a B-1B bomber. That turned out to be another "what the heck" moment as I soon realized that those jets fly way too fast for my puny, walnut-sized brain to keep up with. After a year of intense military flight training and two hurricanes, Ivan and Katrina, I washed out of flight school and the Air Force sent me to Vandenberg AFB on the Central Coast of California where I met my wife Sarah and decided to get out of the Air Force.

We are expecting our first baby (a boy) in September, so Sarah will be very well-rounded when you meet her. We stayed here in California and opened a crepe cafe modeled after a little place I used to frequent in Poland. For now, business is good but since there is a high failure rate in the food industry I have a plan E. If the cafe fails I'll become a hunter/ gatherer and wander the mountains of Central Coast California in search of nuts and berries. Who knows, maybe I'll find gold! Looking forward to seeing you all again!

Keep the blogs coming!

Jessica Welch (Dinger) Returns To Boise

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So here is an update on my last 10 years...first of all I can't believe it's been that long! After high school I was off to BYU. I ventured out on my own and moved in with a group of strangers. I really lucked out and got great roommates. I had the greatest college experience, it couldn't have been more fun. While I was at school I decided to go ahead and get a degree as well. I graduated in elementary education in the spring of '01. I also met my husband John while I was in Provo. We got married in Boise (December of 2000) and then headed back to Provo to finish up our last semester of school there.

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After I graduated my husband transferred to the University of Utah. We moved to Salt Lake and I got a job teaching fourth grade. I worked to pay the bills while John worked on his law degree. I taught for three years and had a great time. I quit teaching when we had our daughter, Ainsley, in 2004. John graduated from law school while I was pregnant with our second. He had job offers in Phoenix and Boise. I was so excited at the idea of being able to move back to Boise! He took the job in Boise (with no pressure from me) and is now a prosecutor for Ada County. We moved to Boise last spring. Last summer was a fun one for us. John took the bar (thank heavens that is over), we had our second, Owen, in August, and we bought our first house in Meridian and moved in last fall.

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I'm lucky enough to be able to stay at home with my kids. Ainsley is now 3 and Owen is 10 months. So now I live the typical "mom" life. We manage to keep busy and we have a lot of fun...well most of the time. I am loving being back in this area and being able to live by family and old friends again.