Photo dump

This is one of the biggest photo dumps of all time. Our Christmas season came and went. We had a really, really great Christmas and here are some of the things that went on.

First, here is Rex on his birthday. Nine years ago we had our sweet, obedient, smart, and talented Rex. We love him , and can't believe where the time has gone. His birthday is on Christmas eve and we always have such a special day, skiing and celebrating him before we get to all the Christmas festivities.


Christmas Nativity pageant. One of my favorite things...and the kids are really getting into it now.




Candlelight Christmas at "This is the Place" with cousins



My three oldest at the Grand America

Dinner out with friends at the Paris Bistro

Christmas morning hot cocoa awaiting

Christmas at the Governor's mansion



Christmas Service project

Molly adoring Santa at her Preschool program

Super fun Christmas party where they had a photo booth...

And, our ward childrens nativity where the kids sang and sang. Rex and Lucy sang a darling duet...so sweet, and Molly was a little star.

Homemade gifts

We drew names for a gift exchange within our little family this year, but we decided the gifts had to be homemade. The kids were super excited about this and got right to work. It was so cute watching them doing it in their own personal ways. Rex went right to work and had his done in about 10 minutes. Lucy went through a few drafts of things , and kept adding to her gift. And the day before Christmas I found Lucy in with molly helping her make hers...it was darling. On Christmas morning, they were more excited about giving their homemade gift than just about anything else. This has definitely become a tradition.

Rex gave Ryan what he called the "10 planes of Christmas" , all different paper airplanes for hours of fun! He knows Ryan oh so well, and knew exactly what he wanted to do in 30 seconds flat....true Rex fashion.

I made Rex a salt dough volcano, comes with food coloring, vinegar , and baking soda.

Ryan got all the artistic ability in our family, and made Lucy this darling angels mobile for her room. She loooved it!

Lucy helped molly make these darling Christmas and Winter paper cut outs for me. They were so sweet, and molly could not have been more excited to give them.

Lucy painted these two pictures, one of our elf on the shelf and the other of presents at Christmas.

Things I am loving this Christmas...

1. watching my girls play and play around the Christmas tree.
2. The Jacquie Lawson London advent online. So beautiful!
3. The Lower Lights Christmas
4. Little Women (the movie...one of my favs). Reminds me of my sisters when we were young.
5. driving downtown at night passing the lights at temple square. Still haven't been yet, hopefully soon....
6. Christmas cards rolling in
7. peppermint hot cocoa and the yummiest peppermint cookies from Costco.
8. Seeing my kids every morning be so excited to find the Elf on the Shelf.
9. watching my kids secretly making gifts and writing notes to each other.
10. Holding my baby...and feeling so very blessed.


And some recent photos of our life lately......

Four Kids

They love their Eli.

Eli

Elijah Ryan Bell
Born 11-1-11
7lbs 1 ounce
21 inches long



My friend Karly was so great to come over and take some photos of Eli.

Halloween

Molly Pumpkin Song from Ryan on Vimeo.

Goodbye to Grandma Glo/ 10-12-11

Her funeral was on Monday and was such a neat day. As hard as funerals are they are so neat at the same time. Such a great day to think about how amazing someone was in your life. I will miss her so much. I got to give a little tribute at her funeral. Here it is below:


Early in Glo’s marriage, my grandpa was going on a short business trip for only a day or two, which was a very rare occurance. It was going to be busy with business with bunch of other men, but Glo hated to be left at home and to be away from Grandpa even for a day ,so she left a few messages on their bathroom mirror with a bunch of stickers that all said “Take Me Along” .

Whether it was her marriage, her kids , or her grandkids. Family was Glo’s absolute focus. Above everything else. Everyone of us wanted a relationship as caring and loving as Glo and Blair. My Grandpa died when I was 5 years old , but I feel like I know him so well because of how much Glo loved to talk about him and their relationship. I always loved listening to her tell stories about my Grandpa and how much she adored him.

I found an inscription in Glo’s Weber State year book from my Grandpa:

Dear Gloria,

You have made this past school year the most successful and happiest I have ever had. The feel of you near me seems to make me just push a little harder to get things done. Chum, I really mean whats above. Its really been great. Time to turn in----goodnight Honey.
Love, Blair

There was no one that made you feel more special than Grandma Glo. You could always show up at her house, ring her musical doorbell, and see her smiling face at the door with a hug waiting. She was one of the best listeners …and really made people feel so loved.

She had such dear friends…whom we all knew well. I loved showing up to her bridge clubs when she was hosting and have her be so excited to introduce us to her friends, who in actuality already knew everything about us.
On the flip side, lots of people don’t know their friends’ grandmother, but my friends knew Grandma Glo very well. Lots of Great Grand children don’t know their great grandmas , but my kids and I think I can speak for the other great grandchildren knew her and loved her so much. It was a treat for them to go visit Grandma Glo. She had such a long reach into peoples lives.

She always went the extra mile to make things special. We always got a card in the mail from Glo wishing us a Happy Birthday, a Happy Halloween , and a Happy Valentine’s Day. The other day Amby and I were reminiscing about her when we both remembered a time when we stayed with Grandma and Grandpa while our parents went out of town. Glo kept a journal each day of the things we did with photos to go along with and then put it into a book for my parents when they returned. We always loved reading that. I also remembered my 4th birthday party when Glo showed up for my party and whisked me off to my parents bathroom and put me a darling dress that my mom wore when she was 4 years old. Then I came out for my party to surprise my mom. She loved doing things like that.

Glo was the grandma who showed up when you were sick at home and would bring soup and treats and sit through the day with you. She loved taking us into “town” to shop and go to the Tiffin Room. She never missed a figure skating competition , dance recitals, talks in church, birthday parties, swim days, or new babies. I remember her coming and sitting with me after I had my last two babies and just visiting and making me laugh.

Glo had a strong testimony of prayer, and really relayed that to me many times. I remember one time in particular in college where I was struggling with a few stressful things and she told me that she prayed multiple times during the day and that always got her through. I have tried to follow that advice and have also found great peace there.
I will miss my Grandma Glo’s fun, spunky, positive, lovely personality so much, but I love thinking about the reunion between she and my grandpa on the other side,

and after waiting and hoping for 28 years she finally got him to “take her along”.