Deck Jumping

Just another afternoon at the Bell's ~ deck jumping.  Shannon told the kiddos if they shoveled the deck they could jump off the deck into the resulting pile of snow.

So they did.

Winter!

Winter has arrived.  And by that I mean really arrived, like more snow than we have had in a long, long time!  Our front porch is almost buried in snow and if we get another dump like the last few days very soon we will be officially snowed in.

Anyway ~ pictures!  Some are from a family ski day at Disco, others are our groomed and ungroomed slopes at the homestead.

Waitin' for cookies ~

Now you're the bomb Kayla ~

Red nails in honor of T, complements of Sommer

So yum!

Lunch with the family ~

The girls ~

Hals is still working on the snowplow ~ 

luckily momma is there to catch her!

Apparently the only pictures I get lately ~:o)

selfies~

Annika, ready to slide down into the meadow ~

Eric carvin' it up ~

Annika Bell is feeling confident today ~

Dominic Bell is preparing for Skeleton racing ~

Sunshine and snow!

Life

Checking out at the grocery store today the checker began telling me his life story.

"Why, oh Lord, do people feel compelled to tell me everything about their private life.  Please, Holy Spirit, tell me how to respond, if at all." 

When he began telling me how he wished he would have made some contraception decisions earlier in life and how his wife was so happy when he finally made said decisions.......and on and on and on, I couldn't bite my tongue any longer.

"My husband's mantra was 'Two, one or none' when we first married.  Now we have eight!"  

His response was the typical, oh-so-surprising, "Don't you know what causes that?"  

Sharp and witty retorts almost escaped my lips, but like Shannon always says, this was an evangelization opportunity, not a roasting opportunity.  Theresa was on my mind, today is the anniversary of her death, but I was thinking of how she died with family surrounding her.  

"How lonely our life would be without our children.  Think what it would be like to die alone! And yes, my husband does know what causes children.  Why do you think we have so many?"

He completely stopped his silly conversation and looked at me, "It would be lonely, wouldn't it?" 

Yes, indeed it would!

Funnies ~

As a child we would fight over the Sunday "Funnies."  It doesn't seem as though the comics are quite as hilarious as they were then.  Now we have children....who needs the Funnies?!?


Watching a movie with the kiddos, a character says, "This way's north, the sun sets in the south."

While everyone else laughs, Eric remains silent.  A minute later he pipes up, "That's not right!"

While I was changing Max's diaper in the bathroom one morning, Nickles hurdles in, slamming the door open and the toilet lid up. "Hi Mom."

I respond, "Hey Nickles."  

"No, Mom, you need to say, 'Good morning, Nicholas.'" 

Annika was telling Shan about choir, or more specifically the people at choir.  "And Christian.....sometimes we exchange glances."  

Shannon about choked on his sandwich, "At least they aren't exchanging phone numbers."  

While checking on a neighbor's house and taking some pictures I set off their alarm.  Believing it was disarmed, I proceeded to take the pictures while Kath snuggled with Max.  Suddenly, Katherine  mentions someone at the door.  

"It's the police isn't it?" I asked her.

Indeed it was.  Imagine my surprise when upon opening the door I was facing two assault rifles.  Little bit of overkill in my opinion.  We had even left our boots on the front porch.  

"Yes, officer, we're breaking and entering, but didn't want to get the floors dirty.'"  

Annika was pulling on ski boots and talking to herself, "Annika Bell is feeling confident today.  It should be a good run for her down the slopes.  It's blue skies....." 

My future Olympian...Annika Bell....it has a nice ring to it ~:o)

Cards & cookies with my littlest angel ~

The local wildlife ~

My most photogenic daughter ~

M's favorite cousin ~ he's so cute

and graceful!

Captain America ~

The Olympics ~

you should see the jumps the kids are attempting in the yard now ~

ugh

Baby Smiles

They're the best, hands down!  Six months ago we never would have guessed that our little guy would be smiling away.  Each little smile is a gift that is treasured.  Seeing Max react and interact so assures my pessimistic soul.  What the future holds we still do not know, but this moment, this instant, is priceless....especially watching Maximo with Daddy-O.

Brothers ~

Whisker tickles ~

   

I Love Pinterest

I have no idea why it took me so long to discover Pinterest.  It's wonderful. It's marvelous.  It has saved my sanity this school year.  Okay, maybe it was too late for that.  A friend (thank you Deb!) signed me up for an account before she left to head south for the winter and it's been all downhill from there.  First I kinda ignored it, then I found what a tool it could be.  From art projects, to recipes, to projects for the boys, it has been awesome!  While I was slightly surprised to find that my girls were pinning wedding photos, it was entertaining.  Who knew they were engaged???

The past month or so, I have been collecting little ideas to keep Dom and Nickles out of trouble occupied.  While I will need about a million more ideas to truly keep their little minds busy, some projects have saved my life....or theirs ~;o) 

Of course playdough can occupy a good couple hours ~

We became slightly concerned when Nickles would make little "men"

then fill them with "arrows"

What a sadist ~

This one I thought of ~

"Go build a cave to hide from the big boys."

Tiny baking soda volcanoes ~

Another occupation I didn't  want to discover ~

grating carrots ~

The piece de resistance ~

Chocolate goop ~

Yummy ~ 

and it could be stretched from the dishwasher to the dining room window!

Then rolled up into a pancake

And it could cover your arm ~

Or bounce off the floor

It was marvelous...and waits to be rediscovered today. 

Apparently, it will keep for quite a while! 

I'm grateful for other people that think of this type of stuff.