Victory.

Hard fought, but I won. And today they are bringing a small smile to my lips...

The Hunt for Red (and green) December

I got the idea for this spin off the title from Andrea's blog; some of you may be wondering since you frequent both?
It wasn't copyrighted.
But I digress...
This year's Christmas Tree hunt felt like a vacation at a day spa compared to last year and might I add with much, MUCH better results.
A REAL tree. Full. Glorious.
We took a huge group (including 12 children under 10) to the Enchanted Winds tree farm in Hobart. There were laughs, coat throat competition, hot cider, and good company. Here are my favorite pictures from the day.
p.s. I'm secretly proud Andi used some of my photos since I steal from her quite often (see: above.) Also, funny note: Our tree almost fell off our car on the drive home, below is a picture of what Ty forced me to do for part of the ride home...hold the tree! To see more including a super cute one of Harper go here.

It's beginning...

around these parts!
These Bells are NOT in to Black Friday (if anything we'll be hitting up Cyber Monday). The Friday after Thanksgiving is reserved for: decorating, breaking out the Christmas tunes, and the general inauguration of the Christmas spirit. With securing a SOLID tree (teaser alert: story of the tree proffering to come...stay tuned!), the introduction of this year's Christmas PJ's, and stockings hung we are in a merry mood.



Pearson is convinced it is actually Christmas today whereupon I told her it's more like a month away and she was literally shocked.
After informing me that our current Christmas lights were white trash, Tyler headed out to Home Depot to create what he has deemed (and got the girls to repeat like parrots): A Classy Christmas. Here he is in action:

What a wonderful time of year!

Thanksgiving 11.

This as every year was about thanks, family, and football. Oh, and Barbies.

You'd think it'd be loving parents, a roof over her head, or the saving grace of Jesus, but we'll work on that...
Before Thanksgiving Day, we had our good friends Denise and Malin stay with us; here are H and M at Ristrettos...

On to my mom and dad's where there were:
A couple rounds of Crazy 8, Scrabble (where I didn't get beat too badly), and Yahtzee.
We like to play games.
My mom always saves the rolls and cookies to do with Pearson and it's one of her favorite traditions...

Of course, there was lots of tickles and running from Papa...

Time spent "reading" magazines with Aunt Chani and generally idolizing her in every way shape and form...


And sleeping although I didn't get a shot of my dad and Ty snoozing on the couch. bummer, oh well. There is ALWAYS next year.
Time with family and some yummy eats...

This year, we went through a couple of boxes of my grandma's things left from her estate. Here's what I collected...

A vintage cookbook, a pink "drinkin' alone" cup, and the year book of the only semester she went to college. (Not shown the sweet pearl necklace I will wear this Christmas season...)

Picture Tribute: Weekend Edition.

sassy haircuts.

coffee on the couch.

sass part 2.

nails.

daddy's girl.

baby shower.

Team Edward. Team Jacob.

Evening out and birthday.

birthday girl.

abstract masterpiece.
p.s. Happy REAL Birthday to my sweet 6 year old niece Kyla today, we HEART you!

Junior (high. And Disney.)

Have you ever smelled a certain scent and it just transported you? Today I walked into the GAP at south center and smelled Heaven or maybe it was Grass? Magically I was walking the halls of Leslie Middle School and memories of squirting that tonic on my backpack so boys would smell it when I walked past (you don't have to tell me: I already know how awesome I am.) started swirling through my adult head. And for a spilt second I thought I heard Boyz to Men going into the water and maybe receiving threatening notes from Manzo whom i injured in gym class while wearing a pair of men's GAP boxer shorts as actual shorts.
I was at the GAP a lot in junior high.
Then while I was smiling it suddenly seemed so far away. I got a weird feeling in my stomach. Why? Couldn't really put my finger on it; sort of still can't, but I have a dreamlike sense it has to do with life changing as it promises to. What a lifetime ago yet one whiff can you send you right back to a bad hair cut and innocence.
I'm typing this while Pearson is playing Disney junior on the computer or as she calls it Minnie.com and I desperately don't want her to grow up. It just seized me like a heart attack; some day this little girl will walk into a place, smell something she knows like the inside of her own heart and realize she is not a child anymore. I know that day will come for her. But for this moment I'm basking in the little things.
Like today when she asked me if Africa was across the street from Maple Valley.
Mulling over the fluidity of life and the vaporous evidence of it's changing...

Just Because...

...the girl LOVES her shoes. Or my shoes as it were.

This has been a consistent theme since birth; we are in trouble! I will always have someone to shoe shop with.
And as I just typed that...Walahh!
A birthday party idea is formed...

Blow Me a Kiss

And I'll catch it.

Irony, the Dentist, and Other such menial tragedies

Believe me when I say I've had the best intentions of blogging and then have just been too tired to string together two coherent thoughts on the piece of string that is my life. It's been a good two weeks, definitely full. I have to say it's the middle of November and I am STILL getting accustomed to our new schedule. Have to admit too that I am actually loving it; being busier that is and subsequently having a real reason to wear makeup. Speaking of makeup I ran out of it on Tuesday and had to wear my back up powder and concealer. I actually considered not wearing any to BSF. But alas, I caved to social standards. There may not be a public fate worse than this when you've just spray tanned your face and it's completely the wrong shade (read: white as a clean sheet).
Excuse me, I misspoke. A fate worse would be unknowingly stepping in dog poop and asking who smells or ripping a hole in the crotch of your jeans whilst wearing not a stitch beneath.
Not that either of those things have ever happened to me.
Alright. As I said, there's been a few funny moments of the past week including, but not limited to a couple of bandit raccoons breaking into my garbage and kindly spreading the remains of a chicken carcass all over my property. I really loved that surprise right before BSF. I find it ironic in the highest order that I actually resembled a raccoon (see: above) while sweeping up a wing from underneath my car. Two days after Halloween I made a dentist appt. That is also ironic. After being informed I would have to come in to get cavities filled the following Saturday: I cursed Skittles. And Butterfingers. And Laffy Taffy.
We went to the dentist a third time for Pea's appointment and here's the scene:


Pearson could care less. And Harper is screaming bloody murder every time the dentist gets near Pea. It was so sad, so cute, and really annoying for everyone else within earshot. I would prefer not to see the dentist for a while now. Just saying. p.s. Here she is two years ago same chair. Look how big she's getting! wow.
Other than these events, I've been trying to bust out a little pre-thanksgiving Christmas shopping and might I add that is a new kind of Christmas miracle. I'm half done? Who am I now? It's possible such preparedness will throw me into a full out identity crisis come January.
What have you been up to these past weeks?
Yours in seeming preparedness and promising prompter posts,
(how's that for alliteration, Chan?)

Trick or Treasure

This is the phrase that my niece Kyla came up with for herself and her fellow pirates to say door to door on All Hallows Eve.
It was pretty genius actually.
These little ladies went about pillaging and plundering the houses on Casey and Andrea's street gathering an obscene amount of booty.
Ay, it was a successful bounty hunt.
The story goes these swarthy pirates were shipwrecked on an island inhabited by crustaceans surrounded by shark infested waters. It's a wonder they survived to tell their tale.
P.s. SHOUT out to Andi's mom, Debi who MADE these costumes. I see a side career in her future because they are spectacular!
P.p.s. So fun hanging out with the Stendera sweeties too! We love this tradition:)
Here they are in all their glory...(pictures courtesy of Andrea's blog!)