Thanksgiving (Sunny side up)

What an amazing week of fun in Arizona for Thanksgiving. To date, I've never been anywhere but my mom's kitchen table for Thanksgiving, but it turned out to be a great time. I must admit, it did not really feel like the holidays while getting a tan during breaks from cooking on the actual day, nor did seeing Christmas lights next to Palm trees the day after...BUT that said, we were with family which is the best part anyway! We celebrated with the Fishers (shout out!) and a mish-mash of others including (bonus!) my brother Chase who drove from his place in San Diego to meet us!

There were, of course: the typical little gal meltdowns, swimming and tea parties, shopping episodes too, but thrown into the mix this time? New traditions of competitive UNO, TONS of food (thank you, Marsha Fisher), two turkeys, holiday drinks, and rides in the fast car. Pea is going be in love with bad boys later in life!

Super fun seeing friends, John and Brittany too (wish we could see you more!)

Thanks to Steve and Carolyn for taking all of us there and making it special for all of us and the girls:)

This fish was popular...

So much FUN with cousins, Kyla and Heidi!

Boys Like Girls...

Love on Thanksgiving (Tyler, I'm thankful for you;)

Andrea seriously blew up this entire thing...

Chase and me!

90!

Special Happy Birthday to my Grandma, Ruth Birky, as she celebrates 90 years on this earth today! We love you very much and I have been so blessed to have you as a Grandma growing up and as a great Grandma now (though we don't get to see you as often as we would love).

Happy Birthday!!

My Grandma with Pea last year at this same time in November '08...

Free at Last!

The cast is gone! And so ends our odyssey of breaking her arm (please, Jesus...) also, JUST in time for our trip to Arizona for Thanksgiving (which I'll blog about and post pics of upon our return!) Miss Pearson was VERY unhappy about the buzz saw used to extract her arm from its cage, but once gone she seemed to be a happy gal. Yes, it was disgusting and smelly; all the better it is GONE. They took an x-ray of where the break occurred and things are healing perfectly! I am beyond joyful to be rid of that thing and I think Pea is too:) Hooray!

Not happy about it...

First moments rid of it!

The culprit.

Said, "Mommy, I don't like it."

A sucker for her efforts! Best reward for a two year old:)

Tea for Three

Three Bell girls that is! Today is my niece Kyla's fourth birthday and on tap? Tea for 10 girls and one little man (Enzo). Happy Birthday Kyla, you are so sweet and we love you!
Check out Pea's Sunday Best for the party today? To die.

Birthday girl blows out her candles!

Me & Pea

Recently Pearson and I have become the dynamic duo. As time with just her is running down, I have been so much more aware of what a special and sweet little girl we have. We do everything together and I am really loving this stage where communication is a bit easier and she is playing and coloring and eating more independently (despite the cast). I love you Pearson, you're pear-fect!
Mama loves her Pea Pod!

Girls, girls, girls!

It's a GIRL!! Can you believe it, Tyler is surrounded! (even VON B!) We are thrilled and also quite happy to continue the tradition of Bell ladies. So many weddings to plan later on in life, what fun! Harper, we are so excited for your arrival! We can't wait to meet you:)
LOVE,
us.

Head upside down!

Her little foot-God is good!

Visiting Hours

LOVE to my girlfriends who could come visit/stay with me this weekend. I was so happy to see your faces and chat. Too short, for sure.

Ash, couldn't be happier I got to spend some time with you, pin kisses.

Em, my forever shopping buddy!!

Saints and Winners

For the championship and title of best team in the greater Maple Valley area, we beat the Saints and now OWN Maple Valley Rec league football!! Final score: 40-22.

Sadly, this is my last post for the season! Can you believe it's over? Me either. Below are some pics from the game courtesy of Andrea:)

Highlights and one Low-light from the game today:

-Lang Family Reunion on the sidelines!

-Two key defensive interceptions!

-Rice Crispy Treats (thanks Denise!)

-Saints player sent to the hospital (said low-light)

-And finally, the most important of all:

THREE-PEAT!! Say what?

You heard me, but I'll say it again because I like the sound on my lips.

"THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPEAT."

Proud team with Trophy!

Maybe the girls were more proud?

GREAT season BNK!

Sweet Tooth

This morning was Pea's first trip to the dentist! She did REALLY well and let them clean her teeth and count them. Apparently she only has two more to come in and then she has them all! Little Pea was also more than happy to receive a balloon and toy for her efforts. As she would say, "Good job, Pea!"

Mouse & Cookie

One of Pea's favorite books came to life for her on Wed when we saw her first play, "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie." The stage was adorable and she laughed out loud at some parts. Mostly she seemed distracted, but afterwards talked about it all day. She especially loved the part where the mouse climbed up and sat on top of the refrigerator. We saw it with Heidi and Kyla and new friends Symantha and Hailey. Here is Andrea's blog where she took some pics of the theater and girls after we left.
So much fun!!

Funny Farm

It was a morning at the zoo with Daddy yesterday-since my camera battery ran out, no good picture today, but Ty did try with his phone ("A" for effort daddy!) Our little girl LOVES animals with a passion. She met a talking bird named Chico who she can't stop TALKING about. Apparently there was also a mountain lion who was sleep to whom she screamed, "Wake up Kitty" about a hundred times. He did condescend to opening one eye in her direction and she was very happy about her ability to command God's creatures. There were also reindeer, which Tyler told Pea were Santa's reindeer and that this is where they lived when they weren't in service to the jolly man. According to him all of these things were particularly impressive to her!

This animal reserve is in Issaquah if you want the info on their Christmas fun coming up!

So Far, so BAD (Newz Kennelz)!

Tight game today against the only team to beat BNK this or any other year. Despite the thick mud and some unnecessary roughness (not on our part); we were victorious once again! It came down to the wire and a key interception from Garrett Stone. To which I say: Aint nothin' but a G thing, baby. Solid momentum going into the playoffs...Final score? 32-26. But really I think the T-shirt says it all:

Regular season CHAMPS!

RRRRRRRRRRRip City

For some reason this term has been brought up so many times recently; bringing back with it amazing memories of childhood sprinkled with Clyde (The Glide) Drexler's dunks. Ahh, to be a girl growing up in Oregon in the early 1990's with permed bangs and one awesome routine to Bust-A-Bucket again. Alas, that scenario is dead, but mainly because I do not own a Delorean.
But Rip City has its place in my life:
Elementary School: My love of Kevin Duckworth and boys on the playground attempting to imitate some sweet moves...
High school: The incident where I was accused of having lost or stolen the famous (chelsie) Pfau classic RRRRRRRRRRip City headband when in reality it was later found among her dad's closet of hammer pants, cowboy hats, and free T-shirts. p.s. I was never exonerated...
Today (in two ways): Though I thought Rip City had died out with the D.A.R.E program and tube socks over tights, it's back baby! Did you see the new Blazer uniforms tonight? (too great for words, really). And finally the term is back as a new theme to my life as I officially ripped my last pair of zip-up jeans that fit me...sadly it's maternity wear from this day on out.
Rip City has returned.

Swine Flu or Drug deal?

There were secret locations, tawdry parts of Tacoma, private phone calls, and literally the line, "ask for so-and-so they'll help you out," said.
Reading this over, you'd think I was caught up in the drug underworld! And so I was, but legal drugs...folks, the following is what we've come to concerning the Swine Flu vaccine:
This shot could be a life or death situation for a pregnant woman these days. I need it, have to have it, terrified if I don't get it what would happen. Today I called my regular OB and I was given a secret pharmacy in a scandalous part of Tacoma who had a limited supply and only giving those shots to pregnant women referred by MY OB. I call this "so-and so" and he goes on to say he will hook me up, but I can't tell anyone about it or where I'm going to get it oh, and I can't bring in my family for shots either, just me.
Wow. So so strange....
I wanted to write this down because it will seem so dated in years to come, can you believe it?

Save the Date

It's coming! November 16th-two weeks from today we find out if Baby Bell #2 is a boy or a girl! What's your vote? See voting poll under Baby Bell's picture! Cast yours now:)

Trick or Treat? Definitely a Treat

Not only did the moms (and dads!) at last night's Halloween gathering with the Stenderas and the C&A Bells have more than a few treats, it was such a treat to watch these girls go BANANAS over candy and trick or treating! So hilarious. Sugar highs were inevitable...

Here are some cute pics from Halloween night:

SO happy to be going trick or treating!

All the girls DONE with pictures...

Family shot with our star elf...

Door-to-Door salesman (a small smile and instant candy!)

Fun times Together!