A Bust

Last year JJ jokingly was a little bummed because he celebrated his birthday in the hospital with a recuperating hormonal wife that just gave birth to his beautiful daughter the day before. He didn't get his usual birthday breakfast (once a year only!!!), no party, or even a birthday cake. Well, I told him to quit his complaining because I gave him a daughter for pete's sake!! So this year I wanted to do something special for him to make up for last year (as if I really needed to... obligations of a wife I guess). So I was preparing to make him a very special birthday cake and it turned out that our oven descided to DIE two days before his birthday...okay that was out. My next idea was to plan something really elaborate for him. Possibly get a babysitter and just do something special him and I. So I ask him what his week looked like schedual wise so I could possibly plan this special event and he was literally booked up every single day!! and on his actual birth-DAY was one of the biggest scouting events of the year (He's the cub-master) which he was in charge of. So I thought well, okay I will wake up at the crack of dawn and make him a nice breakfast on his actual birthday. I set my alarm bright and early, when he hears me get up, he asks me why I am up so early (COMPLETELY out of character) and I told him I wanted to make him a big breakfast. Then he said, "Sorry honey, that is so sweet, but I'm still full from eating dinner so late last night." I was completely batting zero and running out of ideas at this point. That night as a family we went to that cub scouting event and in the back of my mind I wanted it to be a surprise and have all the scouts sing him Happy Birthday. Well, when we got home that night I realized that it had completely left my mind and I had forgotten (great wife I am). So his birthday came and went with no special horrah or ANYTHING.

Since Riah's birthday was the day before and we didn't make a big deal out of that one either too much I thought I would plan something over the weekend for the both of them or for the whole family rather. So the Circus was what I came up with. I hadn't been since I was a very little kid and any one who knows JJ knows that just being with his family is enough for him. So we had a lot of fun at the circus, but I would have to say that Dominic probably enjoyed it the most.








Well, I think I deserve a "A" for effort. Happy Birthday to two of my favorite people, I love you. There's always next year....

A little cheese

Having not been raised in this incredibe church I was not blessed to grow up watching all the wonderfully cheesy commercials put out by the church (most created in the 80's or early 90's), and that's a good thing. Can't deny that they have a good message. This one seriously had me on edge....


I do have to say though that I love the church's new official Youtube channel called, Mormon Messages. Each week there is a cute little video explaining our beliefs.

Big bangs, florescent colors, crimped hair, and shoulder pads......yup, that's the 80's

This past weekend we went to an 80's themed birthday party for our good friend Julie. Okay, I just gotta say, I haven't had that much fun at a party in years. We all just got to act like kids again(which is what we all were in the 80's anyways)except without our kids and without alcohol, how does that happen? I don't know, we even got Cambria to get up and dance, and that's just something Cam NEVER does. Our evening was filled with electric air guitar, lip singing to popular 80's tunes, talking about our favorite 80's movies,cheese wiz, and chicken crackers. We all had a lot of fun. Here are some high lights....
The boys of the 80's....

The 80's pop queens....
Air guitar contest for the guys.....

Farewell to the Batwoman mobile

This past week we had to say goodbye to yet another dear thing in the Bell home. The beloved Batwoman mobile....(tear) This car was by baby, until I had babies and realized that I wasn't going to break my back getting them in and out of the little two door sports car, then JJ drove it until it's death. I saved up most every penny I earned after my high school graduation to get my dream car, a Mitsubishi eclipse. When I saw it for the first time, I knew that was my car despite the fact that it was a stick shift and I had no idea how to drive one, and despite the fact that the insurance on that thing was crazy ridiculous. It didn't matter, because I loved that car and so it was so sad to see it go, but it just was beginning to have too many problems than what the car was even worth. Batwoman mobile, you will be greatly missed....

A Miraculous Story

A sorrowful inevitable

Today a miraculous event, probably one that most never thought possible, happened in the Bell home. It took a lot of great courage on my part and still I almost want to cry thinking about it, but it was definitely time. The inevitable had to happen at some point. I always said that I would do it the second someone called my handsome boy a girl, but that time came and went a long time ago. I was thinking about it for a few weeks now, and so today I just went and DID IT. DOMINIC GOT HIS FIRST HAIRCUT!! It was pretty emotional for me, but Dom was a trooper. He just sat there and took it all like a champ while his baby-hood was cut away from him. Instantly he went from baby to boy and I think that was why it was emotional for me and the fact that (and this is where my weirdness comes in) this hair that was being chopped off like nothing, was the same little baby hairs that sat in my womb. That probably sounds weird to most, but to someone that may strike a cord. So for memory sake, I would like to have a picture memorial for Dominic's beloved hair because it took him so long to get to where he WAS today.

If you look closely you will see the few little nubs that he was born with.








This is the "wing" stage



This is the "mullet" stage



This is the stage that was borderline unmanageable



This was when he had the little flap that would occasionally cover his eyes


This is the complete rat's nest today right before he went in

Before:




After:


My new handsome little "boy"


At the moment I am still a little sad. This is sure going to take some getting used to, but I was sure to get every last bit in a baggy to save forever and show his posterity.

Truly an inspirational testimony

Day of Faith: Personal Quests for a Purpose - 3. Rachel Esplin from Harvard Hillel on Vimeo.

How many kids do I have?

These crazy boys make life so fun.

Inquiry?

So how is it that they don't make swimming suits for girls who have had babies these days?! After my favorite swim suit basically snapped in half (probably a manufacturing mistake, there could be no other apparent reason why) I went out to search for a new swim suit for our upcoming cruise in a couple of months. After having two babies and nursing for the past three years, they would probably arrest me for coming out into public view in anything remotely close to this....Which was all I seemed to find everywhere! I am thinking something kinda like this might be a safe bet....
Which I found comes in a beautiful array of colors and designs. How could I go wrong?

but seriously, do they really expect every single woman to wear a bikini? Give me a break.
If any of you blogger buddies know where I can get some cheap, more modest swim wear, I could sure use the help, I'm sure my fellow cruisers will thank you too ;)

JJ's Graduation

This past Saturday was JJ's graduation ceremony for his Bachelors degree. I didn't think that I would ever have to twist his arm so much for a celebration. I think that getting a Bachelors degree is an important milestone and is worth celebrating, but he said, "Its hard to celebrate a graduation when I have to just go right back the school the next week." True, but hey, it was a celebration and with that came some tasty free food. I would say it was worth it! Congrats Babe, you are one step closer to being a doctor.

I hate the delay on my camara, sorry about that.

I love this picture!

JJ's good friend Jason and his two cute kids.