We are Family

Check it out!!!

2012-01-25T17:51:00.000-08:00

New Post HERE!!!!

and cutest picture ever

Our Christmas post in pictures

2012-01-24T09:55:00.001-08:00

We enjoyed a nice Christmas here at home in beautiful, warm

California!

Twins-33/34 weeks...my hospital bag is packed

2012-01-19T09:54:00.001-08:00

Gear for twins-2 new car seats, 2 new bouncy chairs, a twin nursing pillow, diapers, wipes, clothes, monitors etc. Most of this was baby shower gifts!

This post is a little late, but here it is.

We have been elbow deep in baby preparations and I'm happy to say we feel ready.

We are now at the point that they could really come at any time. After 34 weeks they won't do much to stop labor, so it's just a waiting game.

I of course would like them to stay put for a few more weeks.

The babies are extremely active and big. They move all day and all night and I love it.

I know in previous posts I have talked about doing a C-section, but at my appointment yesterday the dr. seemed very optimistic about a natural delivery. Both babies are still head down, so if they stay that way we might just see where it goes. The recovery is definitely easier.

Ashton and Tommy were able to go to the BYU/San Diego State basketball game on Monday night (hence the BYU shirt I'm sporting in my picture).

They had a great time.

Fun pictures at La Jolla cove

2012-01-10T07:32:00.000-08:00

We had some family pictures taken the same day that I had my maternity pics done.

The boys loved being at the beach and it was super warm-even that early in the morning.

We are excited to get more done when the twins get here, but I'm so glad that we have these to remember our family of 4.

Sneak Peek!

2011-12-29T17:17:00.001-08:00

Brothers, mommy and twins

We were able to get our maternity/family pictures today at La Jolla Cove.

I love that we live near the beach this pregnancy so that we could do beach shots.

There are so many great pictures and I'm excited to print them!

More to come!

**Thank you to my best friend Zil for doing this shoot! AH-MAZE-ING!

Twin update 30 weeks

2011-12-28T13:50:00.001-08:00

We saw the specialist today and brought the boys with us so that they could see their baby brothers.

Both babies are doing wonderfully. Baby boy A is a whopping 3 lbs 2 ounces and in the 84th percentile for height and weight and baby boy B is even larger at 3 lbs 11 ounces and in the 100th percentile for his growth. WOW!!!

The Dr's were ecstatic with their growth and overall health. Both babies are still head down, so that is amazing also.

Both babies are measuring about a week ahead of schedule, and it's looking like we will be seeing them in about 5-6 weeks (obviously it could be sooner, but we hope it's not)!

I think we will take the rest of our Christmas vacation to finish getting ready for these little guys.

Todays appointment was a great additon to the wonderful Christmas we had.

We are truly blessed!

Christmas fun!

2011-12-16T11:09:00.001-08:00

We are having fun finding Christmas projects to do until the big day.

Yesterday we made a gingerbread house, and a special countdown wreath.

We are getting so excited!

28 week post...

2011-12-15T08:51:00.000-08:00

For a 28 week update, please click HERE

All is calm, all is bright.

2011-12-10T16:05:00.001-08:00

My Dad knows me well. This arrived at my front door last night and I was literally like a kid on Christmas morning opening it.

I have always loved the Willow Tree figurines and knew someday I would have the nativity.

Thank you Dad, for the early Christmas Gift.

I am in love.

Ouch!

2011-12-07T06:23:00.001-08:00

I walked out of the bathroom just in time to see Weston fall off of his chair and hit his chin.
He was hurt pretty bad as you can see from all of the bruising.
There was also a nice open cut right where he hit.
We headed to Urgent Care and got it all glued and bandaged up.
He was such a trooper and as the doctor walked out said "I like that guy!"
I'm sure with 4 boys, there will be many trips to the ER. Thank goodness for good insurance.

4 pounds of babies...

2011-12-01T07:50:00.000-08:00

Baby B in 3D (profile with fist in front of face)

All is well in babyville.

Our visit with the specialist yesterday went perfect and we are so happy with the progress of our little guys.

Baby B was a lot more photogenic than his brother. At the end of the appointment, the doctor turned on the 3D ultrasound and gave us a few fun pics.

When Ashton got home from school, he looked at the pictures and said "those are real babies now!"

Baby A is weighing 1 lb 13 ounces and Baby B is 1 lb 15 ounces. They both gained 1 lb in 4 weeks which is amazing.

Things are moving along great and there are still no signs of preterm labor. Babies are also measuring a week ahead of schedule. So we should be welcoming them in about 9 or 10 weeks!

It was great to see the doctor and reconfirm that everything was going well.

This last weekend I had a few pretty bad contractions, but thankfully they didn't make any changes to my body.

Keep growing big babies!

Check out 2 is new for an update too!

I am thankful for...

2011-11-23T07:04:00.000-08:00

I love this time of year. The holidays have such a magical feeling.

Heavenly Father has blessed us in so many ways. This Thanksgiving I am truly thankful for (in no particular order)...

Beautiful Sunsets (right outside my back door)

My Family

Friends

The church

The freedom and beauty of our nation

My loving husband

Ashton

Weston

Our twin boys who will be here soon

A healthy body

The scriptures

A warm house

A hardworking husband and his great job

The opportunity I have to stay at home and raise my children

The opportunity I have to be pregnant and have children

A knowledge of the plan of Salvation

Parents who love me

My siblings

There are so many more. Really all of us I'm sure could make an endless list. I hope we are all counting our blessing. Especially this Thanksgiving weekend.

The many angles of a 24 week twin belly

2011-11-16T10:10:00.001-08:00

Lots of you have requested belly pics! So here ya go...

(Tommy is out of town this week, so I had to pull out the camera myself.)

The twins are growing!

This is what I looked like at 30 weeks with my other 2.

I just have to keep reminding myself that there are 2 in there!

I am so happy to be to 24 weeks. This is a big milestone for multiple pregnancies.

My gut feeling is that these boys will be here at 35 weeks. I would love to make it to 36 though!

With the holidays coming, I think January will be here in the blink of an eye.

The babies are very active. They move a ton and are very hard kickers. Ashton loves to feel them and giggles every time he gets kicked.

24 weeks stats:

Babies: 2 boys

Weight gain: +9 Lbs. (that was at my last appt. a week and a half ago so probably more)

Movement: Lots!

Pregnancy cravings: none :(

Baby names: Not yet, but some are in the works

Maternity clothes: Most of the time. I am loving leggings though!

***The black and white picture is not airbrushed or photoshopped. Thanks to every stretch mark cream on the planet (mainly Berts Bees) I have been fortunate thus far to avoid them. I hope it lasts.

Picture day

2011-11-15T08:48:00.000-08:00

Ashton was so excited for picture day at school this year.

I had to snap a few of my own before we left.

I love comparing his last year pictures with this year. He has changed so much!

Kims game @ Long Beach State

2011-11-12T19:12:00.000-08:00

Since Friday was a day off, we spent the morning running errands and then headed up to Grandma and Grandpas house.

Aunt Kim who plays basketball for UVU and was able to come to Cali to play Long Beach State. We were all super excited to be able to go.

Great Grandpa Bell came too and we had a great time!

The boys had fun cheering for Kim and giving her hugs at the end.

In 3 short months (or less) the babies will be here, and outings like this will be few and far between. On our walk to the car after the game, we started chatting with a family who was also there watching a family member from UVU.

They had 5 kids, all boys! It was so fun visiting with them and comparing "boy" stories.

We are getting so excited!

Halloween package from Mimi

2011-11-10T10:50:00.001-08:00

Thank you Mimi for the fun Halloween package you sent us!

We love you!

*Please excuse the boxes and bins in the background. That seems to be the place for all of the babies gear that we are slowly getting.

Twin update-They are getting so big!

2011-11-02T12:50:00.001-07:00

Baby A's foot next to B's head (ready to kick!)

I think the babies knew that we had another ultrasound today. All morning they were kicking and punching. Even during the ultrasound they were all over the place.

We were ecstatic after our appointment today. We met with the specialist again and had an hour long ultrasound re-measuring everything to make sure we are on track.

The babies are measuring right on! Baby A is 14 ounces and B is 15 ounces. Almost a pound each! All of their anatomy is perfect, the amniotic fluid is excellent and my cervix is super meaning no signs whatsoever of pre-term labor.

The Dr. gave us an A++ for this visit and said she couldn't be happier with these babies and this pregnancy.

We feel so blessed to have things going so well so far.

Thank you for all of your continued prayers. They are being heard!

Trunk or Treat! or "candy and treat"

2011-10-31T10:20:00.000-07:00

This was such a fun weekend!

Minus the tremendous growing pains I was feeling and one of the babies laying right on my sciatic making it hard to walk, we had a blast.

Saturday was spent getting pumpkins and painting them, enjoying some family time and then going to trunk or treat.

Grandpa and Grandma Bell were able to spend the evening with us.

The best compliment of the night was when a lady in our ward timidly asked me if I was pregnant or if it was my halloween costume! She was shocked because she had no idea and hadn't noticed that we were expecting. And when I told her I was 21.5 weeks pregnant with twins, she almost died! It was too funny.

The boys weren't shy at all when it came to asking for candy.

Weston even changed his "trick or treat" to "candy and treat".

Forget the trick, he wanted candy and a treat!

The boys came home and checked out everything they got and sampled a few treats.

They even slept in their costumes!

Can't wait to take them out again tonight.

Happy Halloween :)

Halloween festivities

2011-10-28T12:27:00.000-07:00

Ashton had a great day at school on Wednesday at his fall festival.

He got his face painted, decorated and ate cookies, picked a pumpkin and lots more.

We are kicking off halloween this weekend with a pumpkin patch/carnival tomorrow morning and trunk or treat in the evening.

Heres to a "spooktacular" weekend!

My brothers keeper

2011-10-26T12:45:00.000-07:00

I love the ages our boys are at now.

I am also loving that they are so close in age. It has been a real help this pregnancy because they are each others built in playmates.

These pictures are of them playing pilot and co-pilot.

They built the plane out of chairs and had a good time flying, crashing, and even skydiving.

Other things they have been playing is school and store. We have a drawer in our kitchen with change in it and the boys love to empty it out and buy things from each other.

I'm sure there will be fights in the future, and times where one will be "cooler" than the other, but for now they are each others best friends.

Update on the babies

2011-10-24T17:04:00.000-07:00

Had a very healthy ultrasound today.

For an update on the babies, click on the '2 is New' link to the right!

Heaven has another angel

2011-10-18T09:01:00.000-07:00

June, 2011

Elwood Canfield Hunt

(November 8, 1925 - October 15, 2011)

Grandpa,
You were reunited with your sweetheart on Saturday! I can only imagine that joyous reunion.
I know that my mom, Shar was also there with open arms to welcome you.
And though my heart aches a little knowing that on this earth you won't ever hold these 2 baby boys being sent to us, it gives me peace to know that you are holding them now, helping to prepare them for their time in this world.
You were a great example. Always loving and caring.
You were always content to just sit and watch and listen.
I am so happy that you are where you are now.
I am so happy to be your granddaughter.
I love you Grandpa.

Great Grandma Monson

2011-10-14T07:50:00.000-07:00

Bessie Woodward Monson

(October 27, 1921 - October 9, 2011)

Remembering my sweet Great Grandma Monson today.
She passed away last Sunday, just 18 days before her 90th birthday.
She was met in Heaven by many loving arms, but mostly her sweet husband who passed 23 years ago. What an amazing reunion that was I'm sure!
Her funeral is today, and though I am not able to be there, my thoughts and prayers are with my family who is.
So thankful for the knowledge of the gospels and forever families-especially at times like these.

Miramar air show!

2011-10-13T19:59:00.001-07:00

We have enjoyed the Miramar air show every year that we have lived here in San Diego.

This time we invited Grandpa and Grandma to come check it out too.

The boys loved the planes (even though they were really noisy) and they also enjoyed the ground raids that the soldiers demonstrated.

Reuben H. Fleet Science Center

2011-10-11T07:15:00.000-07:00

We were able to go visit a science museum a few weeks ago with our friends.

The kids had so much fun exploring and experimenting with all of the different hands on centers that they had.

It was a fun afternoon out and we hope to get back!

a blog for the babies

2011-10-09T18:53:00.001-07:00

Some of the "multiples" websites that I've joined have given the advice of starting a pregnancy journal or blog. Something to record thoughts, emotions and changes throughout the pregnancy.

I liked the idea of this because someday I would like to print it out in journal form and share it with these little boys. Or at least have for my amusement in the future.

It's nothing fancy, and the comments button has been turned off.

Feel free to check in on these babies by clicking HERE or on the '2 is New' button to the right.

Hope you enjoy!

These smiles say it all!

2011-10-06T09:43:00.000-07:00

It is so nice to be able to refer to these babies as "he's"!

It has been natural for me to call them boys for this whole pregnancy, but now it is official.

The boys were so happy to hear the words "baby brothers".

Yesterday we had yet another ultrasound. We get them every 3 weeks, and yesterdays was so fun!

The Dr. spent an hour with us measuring each baby and getting us fun pictures of feet and profiles. Both babies are growing wonderfully and she said that their anatomy was beautiful. Great news!

Also, all of our genetic testing and screenings have all come back with perfect numbers!

This pregnancy has been extremely high stress. With multiples there are so many things that can happen and so many problems that can arise that we feel so blessed that thus far, everything has been pretty smooth.

Every ultrasound we hold our breaths until we see our little boys and know that they are healthy.

We love them so much already. There is nothing like seeing 2 babies growing and kicking and waving.

We are so blessed that these baby boys were sent to our family. We can't wait to meet them in February!

These are a few of my favorite things (while pregnant with 2)

2011-10-04T09:07:00.001-07:00

I'm sitting here waiting for photos to be uploaded from this last weekend and feeling these babies kick and move like crazy. I thought I would journal some of the things that ensure my pregnancy with multiples is the best it can be.

Item #1-The best book that I have read thus far on multiples and having a healthy pregnancy. My friend Lindsey just had twins over the summer and has gladly let me borrow this book. This book focuses a lot on nutrition and the right balance of food so that you can have healthy weighing babies. This being said brings me to...

Item #2-Thus far, I have unfortunately only gained 4 lbs. By 18 weeks with multiples the goal weight gain is a little over 20 lbs. By 20 weeks you should have a weight gain of 25 lbs. As soon as we heard this, we ran to Costco to get these Ensure drinks. Containing 350 calories of pure vitamins and healthy fats. I have trouble drinking these because they are so sweet, but I am willing to do anything.

Item #3- My friend Magen introduced me to. Amazon moms is great at finding deals on baby gear, diapers, wipes formula etc. And a lot of times shipping is free and you get it in 2 days.
Let's face it, we need double the gear and want to get it all by Christmas. The dr's are saying to have all the necessities ready by the first of February.

Item#4 & #5- Nights have been a lot more comfy with this pillow and Tempur Pedic mattress topper. My hips, back, tummy (i guess everything) is thanking me.

Item #6- I ordered this tummy cradle last week and will be wearing it the second it arrives on my doorstep.

Item #7 & #8- Burt's Bees Mama Bee oil and lotion. My skin thanks me every time I put this on. I have avoided stretch marks with both of my previous pregnancies. Here's to hoping these items will help me with these twins and all of their growing and stretching.

Time is flying

2011-09-26T14:31:00.001-07:00

Weston and I enjoyed the Dr. together this morning while Ashton was at school.
We got to peek in on these beautiful babies and watch them move and tumble.
Next week we will be halfway through (a twin pregnancy) and time is flying by.
I am so thankful for ultrasounds and for healthy babies.

Carlsbad aquarium

2011-09-21T06:50:00.001-07:00

Katie and Ashton building with Legos

Ashton and Katie touching the star fish

Westie getting a turn (he wasn't as excited to touch the fish)

About a month ago, we were able to go to the Carlsbad Aquarium (at Legoland) with Grandma and Katie. Unfortunately, Kim had just flown back to Utah the day before, so we missed her!

The boys loved having them there to run around with and I was thankful for the help (this was right in the middle of peak "all day sickness").

I think the boys liked the sharks the best and of course building with Legos.

Some fun facts!

2011-09-13T10:43:00.000-07:00

Babies @ 8 weeks

Babies @ 10 weeks

Baby B @ 13 weeks

Baby A @ 13 weeks

First off, we would like to thank everyone for all of the calls, emails, facebook notes and blog messages congratulating us.

There have been a lot of questions regarding the babies so I thought I could address some of them on the blog.

Yes, this pregnancy was planned! Tommy and I have talked about having another baby for the last year or so, but we wanted to check some things off of our "list" before we added more to our family. A couple of the major things was our trip to Hawaii and me running in a half marathon. The marathon that I wanted to do wasn't until June, so we decided to wait and see how we felt then.

These twins were not a result of any fertility treatments. We were just lucky to get pregnant right away, and with 2 babies at that.

A lot of you speculated that our chance of having twins was pretty high already because Tommy has twin sisters and on my moms side of the family (the Hunts) there are a ton of twins. But actually identical twins are not hereditary. The chance of having identical twins is about 3 in 1,000.

So there are the facts folks!

Stay tuned for a post about our trip to Texas :)

Some big news!

2011-09-07T10:55:00.001-07:00

The Bell family is expanding!

Our kid count will be doubling because....

Found out the end of June we were expecting.

August 1st showed 2 babies on our first ultrasound.

4 ultrasounds later our babies are healthy and growing strong.

And they are IDENTICAL!

Due the first of March (but probably sooner as twins tend to come early!)

Bye, bye summer

2011-09-05T10:22:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Khols taking Ashtons picture in the "Rainforest"

Mrs. Khols giving Ashton his new school t-shirt

We are so excited for this new school year.

This will be Ashton's 2nd year of preschool at P.C.P. and we are so glad that we are returning.

This year Ashton is in the Toucan room and will go 3 times a week. His teachers are Mrs. Khols and Mrs. Kennedy.

We had a one on one meeting with his teachers last Monday and they seem wonderful.

Thursday was orientation and Ashton got to spend some time in his new room and meet all of his new classmates.

School starts on Wednesday and we are happily counting down the days!

Fun in the sun!

2011-09-02T15:11:00.000-07:00

Summer is nearly over. Things have been a little crazy here at our house (more on that to come in a later post) hence the lack of blog posts.

Early August Grandma and Grandpa Bell moved out here! They are actually in Huntington Beach but that's only a little over an hour drive from us.

We have enjoyed seeing them regularly and are looking forward to having them so close.

We got the opportunity to go visit them at the resort that they were staying at while they were waiting for their things to arrive.

Kim and Katie were out here too before school started and the boys loved having them around.

We spent the day swimming, going down water slides, ordering food poolside and just enjoying the nice weather.

After dinner we headed out to one of the fire pits and made s'mores.

It was a fun day and we were all happily exhausted when it was over.

Final chapter of my families visit

2011-08-18T17:25:00.000-07:00

Our last 2 days were spent at Legoland and Legoland water park.

Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures at the water park, but everyone had a great time.

The boys thought all of the rides were cool, and they loved that Legos were everywhere!

We sure do miss having everyone here. It was such a fun filled week and we went non-stop.

We love you all and can't wait to see you again!

Family vacation continued

2011-08-09T09:08:00.000-07:00

Grandpa soaking up the rays

Jameson burying Ashton

Everyone burying Jameson

Jameson and Ashton trying to make a "pool"

Grandpa taking a little nap

Alexa and Mimi

Ashton and Alexa

Weston got tuckered out

So as a recap of our week so far, Saturday was the day everyone arrived.

Sunday we headed to church and listened to Tommy speak in sacrament :)

Then we headed off to visit Old Town San Diego and the Mormon Battalion museum.

Monday was Disneyland, and Tuesday was the beach!

You can't come to Southern Cal without a day at the beach.

Everyone had fun digging and splashing and relaxing. It was actually a little windy which made it hard to get in the water. But all the kids didn't seem to mind.

Next up, Legoland!

Family vacation part 1

2011-08-03T10:51:00.000-07:00

Me and Weston "driving"

Me and Westie on Donald Ducks boat

Weston and Tommy waiting in line for a roller coaster

JJ and Weston

Ashton, Weston and JJ waiting for the parade with their yummy treats!

Sharielle and Ashton

Mimi and Weston doing some shopping

Weston or Spiderman?

Gift time

Mimi and Westie bear

My whole family came out to visit for a week full of fun.

We did Disneyland, the beach, the boardwalk, Legoland and Legoland water park!

We were exhausted at the end of every day, but it was well worth it.

Ashton was tall enough to ride every ride and roller coaster. He says his favorite was Space Mountain and Splash Mountain. He is brave!

We were also able to celebrate Westons 3rd birthday.

He was very happy and excited to have everyone here to party with him.

This post only includes Disney and Westies birthday.

More to come...

4th of July at Sea World

2011-07-22T08:36:00.001-07:00

Sea World always has great fireworks.

Where we were sitting this year we were able to see a show going on downtown and then again at Sea World.

The boys loved it.

In about 24 hours our house will be filled with visitors. My whole family will be here for a fun filled week of Disneyland, Legoland, the zoo, swimming, beaches and I'm sure a lot of late nights.

Get ready for a picture overload:)

Gma and Gpa visits!

2011-07-18T15:06:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa Bell are moving out this way in about a month.

While they were here on their house hunting trip, we were able to spend a few nights with them.

Grandma brought the boys some cute blankets that she had made for them. Ashtons is a shark one and Westons is a monkey one. They had fun wrapping up in them.

Thanks Grandma!

Just a glimpse of our summer!

2011-07-03T16:52:00.000-07:00

Riding bikes and scooters has been a highlight

See the lizard on our house?

The boys searching for Mr. lizard

Play dates with friends

Baking and decorating with friends

Can't forget Fathers Day!

Ashton LOVES babies....especially this one!

Bear hunts with friends

Pizza chefs!

Arts and crafts

And of course, the BEACH!

It has been one full summer! And we wouldn't want it any other way.

The weather here has been great and we can't get enough of being outside.

Parks, beaches, pools you name it we are there everyday.

And of course doing it with good friends always makes it better!

The best part is is that it's only the beginning of July.

We still have 2 whole months left of our favorite time of year :)

Ashtons last day of preschool

2011-06-26T11:00:00.001-07:00

Ashton and Cole

Ashton and Petey Panda

Mrs. Kelly and Ashton

Weston, Brandon and Ashton

Sharielle and Ashton

Ashton and Mrs. Dutton

Ashton had a great school year and it was sad to say goodbye to friends and teachers.

Luckily, we will be back again for more preschool next year!

Summer has been fun and busy but Ashton definitely misses his routine of going to school.

I think he is already counting down the day until September.

I of course think that time needs to slow down. We Can't believe how quickly the year flew by.

Rock n Roll Half Marathon 2011

2011-06-09T13:42:00.001-07:00

4:00 am before run

The rock n roll marathon was one of the coolest experiences I have had.

As a whole, the marathon raised $9 million for leukemia and lymphoma research.

I woke up early, like 3:00 A.M. early and left the house around 4.

The run started around 6:15 and continued throughout the day. They had bands set up almost at every mile playing away.

I felt pretty darn good the whole run. My mind kind of went somewhere else and I just ran.

Around mile 8, Tommy, Sharielle (so glad my sister was here on vacation!), Ashton and Weston were standing along the sidelines with all of the other supporters cheering us on. I think seeing them helped me run the 5 miles I had left.

Crossing the finish line was surreal. I as so happy, tired, exhausted, proud and so much more!

My time was awesome (yes, I feel I can brag about it) at 1 hour 58 minutes. So that means my pace was an average of 9 minutes for 13.1 miles straight!

I'm so glad I did this race. Not only for the cause but for the experience.

Stats:

Time: 1:58

placed in the top 10% of all the women racers

placed 311th out of 3,000 in my division

Overall placed 2,800 out of 17,000

24 hours from now....

2011-06-04T06:39:00.001-07:00

I will be running in this to benefit The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

(Grandpa Hunt, me, Tommy, Grandma Hunt on our wedding day)

I Couldn't pass up this marathon when I saw what it was benefitting.

I will be running in honor of my Grandma Hunt.

Cheers!

My extra long weekend vacation (sisters graduation)!

2011-05-31T21:38:00.000-07:00

My Grandpa Hunt and I

Our garages decorated for the after party/luncheon

Sharielle and Ethan

Sharielles cap (decorated against the rules ha ha ha!)

Shar and the 'rents

Me and Shar

Sharielle and her best friends

This was from my senior year. State champs baby!!!

Dad trying to help Shar up onto the tiger

Dad high fiving the tiger

Sharielle getting ready to head to graduation

Tiger flags in front of my house. (do you see the clouds in the sky? Those are snow clouds)

Shars graduation gift!

Her new car!

Sharielles gift from my mom and I- a week in San Diego

I had a really, really fun looooong Memorial day weekend.

It was cold....like very cold. Like SNOWING cold.

(snow on Saturday night, Sunday and Monday morning)

I was able to spend 4 days with my family for my little sisters graduation.

I had a great time and the fun lasted all weekend.

There were graduation parties, the senior all night party, seminary graduation, a few concerts (my little brother is the lead singer in a band) and much more.

I think the first 2 days I was there I only got about 8 hours of sleep. There was so much going on and who needs sleep anyways?

Tommy gladly kept the boys at home, so I was able to take advantage of late night game playing, movies and visiting. Sleeping in was also an added bonus.

I was also able to visit my grandpa Hunt. I am thankful that I got to stop in and be with him for a while.

All in all I think Sharielle had a great graduation weekend. It's always a bitter sweet time as you say goodbye to high school and friends and move onto bigger and better things.

Can't wait for the next sibling graduation....in 2015!

These two are not themselves...

2011-05-23T23:23:00.000-07:00

Our babies are sick.

We spent the day relaxing, napping, watching movies and eating homemade chicken noodle soup.

I hope everyone wakes up feeling better.

I miss my little energetic guys!

Fun pics!

2011-05-17T18:43:00.000-07:00

We decided to do a little outdoor photo shoot around our house the other day.

It was overcast and perfect lighting for some great pics.

I hope to get some of these printed and framed soon.

Enjoy!

Mothers Day tea party

2011-05-07T07:39:00.001-07:00

I received an invitation last week from Ashton to join him for a Mothers Day tea party.

So Thursday morning, I got to spend some sweet time with Ashton and his class (and other classes at the school).

Ashtons teacher had each child greet their moms separately with a pretty hand made corsage and an "I love you and happy mothers day".

Then we got some pictures and headed in to enjoy some cookies, ice cream and lemonade. I got a cute placemat with Ashtons picture on it and then the kids sang 3 songs that they had been preparing for that day.

I felt so lucky to have this time with Ashton. His school really made it such a nice time for all of us.

Grandma Bells visit

2011-05-05T16:49:00.001-07:00

At Mommy and Me

Easter egg hunt

Grandma Bell came to visit the boys back in March and they had a good time.

She was able to visit Ashtons school again, help with Westons Mommy and Me class, do an Easter egg hunt for the boys, and visit some fun sights around San Diego.

One visit was of the U.S.S. Midway that is in San Diego bay. The boys loved looking at the big ship and all of the airplanes on it. And of course they loved playing with all of the switchboards, buttons and computers that are on display.

Thanks for coming Grandma Bell!

Tommys Birthday and Spring Break with my Family

2011-04-26T17:35:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Splash park

Jameson getting some hoops in

Watching movies in the theater room

The boys love this room because there is a real popcorn machine with unlimited popcorn!

Present time

Weston and my Dad. (Westie wanted more cake. )

make a wish

We enjoyed our spring break this year visiting my family in Utah and Wyoming.

Tommy also celebrated his birthday while we were there, so he got some snowboarding in.

My sister, Shantel who is going to B.Y.U. now announced that she had gotten all of her mission paper work turned in. She has since gotten her call and will be going to.........

Johannesburg, South Africa!!!

Holy cow! (Congrats Shantelly)

(she will report to the Johannesburg MTC on October 13th)

We made our way to Wyoming and it was a little chillier there than what we are used to here.

The boys love going to my parents house because there is so much to do. Between all the toys, video games, sports games, movies and fun with my siblings they never want to leave.

We were even able to go swimming in the rec. centers new indoor splash park/pool.

It was a great week and we look forward to this summer when they come out to visit us!

Love you guys!

Easter

2011-04-25T10:03:00.000-07:00

We are a little bit behind on our posts so I thought I would start with Easter then work my way back...eventually.

Easter weekend was great. Tommy and I celebrated our 7 year anniversary on Saturday (more on that later) but we were able to dye eggs and get ready for the Easter bunny before we left for the night.

Sunday was filled with chocolate for breakfast and lunch. Then off to church to celebrate the real meaning of Easter. We heard some great talks and musical numbers.

The lesson in Young Women's was especially spiritual for me and I am glad that I was able to be there for it.

Hope everyone had a blessed Easter!

Cheerleading Nationals!

2011-04-06T16:23:00.000-07:00

We were able to go and see my cousin compete in Cheerleading Nationals up in Anaheim a few weekends ago.

I was amazed at the talent and "moves" this team has.

I am so glad that I got to see Caish and my Aunt Suz while they were here.

The boys had never seen anything like it and loved the music and all of the flips the performers were doing.

Great job Caish! Love you guys :)

Mixed feelings

2011-04-01T16:51:00.001-07:00

I love this show. I have been with Grey's since the beginning. It's my show and I watch it every week.
I have to admit that I was a little shocked to see the musical episode last night. At first I wanted to laugh-especially when Dr. Hunt (a.k.a. weird looking red head married to Christina) broke into song. He just looked creepy. But as I watched and the show progressed I kind of enjoyed the twist of the episode.
Callie has an amazing voice. Hence the episode written around her and most solos given to her.
I don't think a musical Grey's Anatomy would be appreciated every week (I can't stand Glee. Yes, I really just wrote that) but this was shall we say, refreshing.
What did you all think?

**I am really behind on downloading/editing pictures, and postings. More to come about Grandma Bells visit, Cheer nationals in Anaheim, pool time and more.

Our Ashton

2011-03-25T10:47:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, Tommy and I enjoyed a visit to Ashtons school for parent teacher conferences.

I cannot say enough about this preschool, and I am over the moon about his teachers.

Ashton has 3 teachers in his classroom, but his "main" teacher is Mrs. Dutton.

She is so kind and sweet and we can tell that she is so passionate about being a teacher-especially to small kids.

We had a nice visit with her, and were able to hear descriptions of how Ashton is doing Socially and emotionally. We also got an observation report of his fine, gross,cognitive and language skills. It was lovely hearing all of the great things Mrs. Dutton had to say, and we are beyond proud of Ashton and his continued excellence in school.

I am so thankful that Ashton goes to this school. I am thankful that he LOVES going to school and learning.

We couldn't wait to take Ashton out for a special lunch then park day when we were done.

He deserved it!

Ashtons 4th birthday and Mimis visit

2011-03-03T09:27:00.001-08:00

We had quite a weekend!

My mom (Mimi) flew into town and surprised Ashton at preschool on Thursday.

He was so excited and couldn't wait to show her around his classroom.

We spent time playing and getting ready for Ashtons friend party on Saturday.

We had the birthday later on in the evening because Tommy headed to the BYU/San Diego game that morning.

We had quite a turnout on Saturday and it was such a fun party. Ashton wanted a Pirate theme so we gave out bandanas and went on a fun treasure hunt.

My mom made his awesome cake and it was the hit of the party!

Combine pizza, games, cake, ice cream, 15+ kids and parents and it was chaotic fun.

Ashton was in heaven with all of his friends coming to celebrate his birthday.

On Monday we took my Mom up to L.A.

Unfortunately my camera's settings got changed so the first few pictures are dark.

We stopped in Orange County for lunch, then drove to Beverly Hills, down Rodeo Drive, walked down Hollywood Blvd. and we were able to see the Oscar red carpet and all the props being taken down (the Oscars were the night before).

Then we headed to the Santa Monica pier and walked along the beach (it was coooold) and headed down the pier. Of course we had to stop for a funnel cake!

It was a great weekend and we were so glad the Mimi was able to come!

I don't have a title

2011-02-07T08:46:00.000-08:00

This is how I feel on Mondays too!

We had a good weekend-nothing too exciting, but it was a nice break and we feel refreshed for the busy week ahead.

I thought I would post a few pictures of some of the boys' school projects as of recent.

Ashton has been "woodworking" in school and has been having fun gluing different shapes together. I was impressed by this project when he brought it home in his bucket.

Weston has also had some great crafts and such coming home with him. You might notice "Weston the octopus" (he named it) and the cute green lizard magnet .

Speaking of lizards, we have quite a few living in our backyard/garden. As you can see, they like to sunbathe on our window shades (at least until the boys spot them and disturb them with bangs to the window). Ashton named these lizards Ironman and Lizard girl. When asked where they went when I noticed them gone a while later Ashton answered "They probably went to find their parents. Or maybe they went to Costco by themselves" (do you think we maybe visit Costco frequently?).

Happy Monday!

What have we been up to?

2011-01-31T11:02:00.001-08:00

Weston with his friends and their mommies. I love his tongue!

Ashton on a play date with his friends from preschool

Painting!

Getting into moms make-up

Climbing and the park

Enjoying 75 degree weather

It has been great having such a warm winter.

We can't get enough of parks, bike riding and our back yard.

Ashton is still beyond enjoying preschool. He can't get enough and has really excelled. He has made so many friends and I have really enjoyed the friendships I have made with the moms of his friends. He also is in love with sunbeams and likes primary.

Weston is still a little guy, but growing quickly. We have loved the Mommy and Me group that we are in (we go on the days Ashton is at school) and he loves his friends too! It's an extra bonus that he sees them in nursery too!

San Diego has been treating us fabulous and we are getting everything out of our time here.

We should know our next assignment soon-hopefully Tokyo, but we will keep our fingers crossed.

Thank you San Diego police, but most of all for Tommy

2011-01-20T13:04:00.000-08:00

Who here is like me and can't watch their local news before bed (or anytime for that matter)?
I am a diligent G.M.A. fan and enjoy my morning updates on world matters, but hate hearing about what's happening in my city.
Recently here in San Diego a "groper" has been on the loose and has been singling out women joggers/walkers. I know these types of people are everywhere and can "strike" at any time, but hearing about it numerously and hearing that it's around close neighborhoods just makes me even more nervous.
So today when I returned from mommy and me with Weston, my heart skipped a beat when I saw an unfamiliar guy in an unfamiliar car sitting about 30 feet away from our house parked in a visitor spot.
In our neighborhood, it's easy to get familiar with the cars that are usually parked around and about, so that was the first red flag-unusual car, unusual guy.
This was at 10:30.
I told myself that he was probably just waiting for someone and would be gone soon.
At 11:10, I walked out to the driveway, put Weston in the car to go pick up Ashton from school and still noticed the car parked with the window down and the guy still sitting inside.
I then noticed that there wasn't a rear license plate on his vehicle.
As I pulled down the street, I glanced in the rear view mirror right after I passed him and saw that there wasn't a license plate on the front of his car either. Hmmm, kind of scary.
After observing that all I could think about was why was he there and why did he have an unmarked car?
My only answer was that he obviously didn't want someone taking down his plates to report him to the cops.
When I pulled into our neighborhood after getting Ashton (slightly hoping he was gone, but knew that would probably freak me out and keep me up at night even more) I rounded our street and there he was. Still sitting in his car, with the window down. As I passed he just kind of stared at us. No smile or wave or friendly acknowledgement whatsoever.
I got inside and started making lunch and decided to talk to Tommy about the ordeal.
Without any hesitation he came home, checked it out as he was pulling down our street and then decided to call the cops.
I forgot to mention that we could see the guy in his car from an upstairs window in our house, so as Tommy was talking to the dispatcher, he was literally telling him the exact description of the guy and car and what he was doing. The cops were concerned that he was casing the neighborhood and houses. After he got off of the phone Tom came downstairs to tell me what was going on then returned to the upstairs "lookout point" to see what the guy was doing.
He was gone. The window was now rolled up and the car was empty.
Great. Now what will the police do? I wanted to know why the guy was there so that I could get on with my day (and life) without being paranoid and scared.
10 minutes later the cops arrived and started casing the car.
Literally 3 minutes after they arrived the owner (a.k.a. creepy guy) came outside of a house 2 lots down from ours (I think) and the cops started talking to him. After the mystery man drove off, Tommy went outside to see what the story was.
Thankfully he was an "at home counselor" doing a house call and his couple never showed up. And about the unmarked Subaru? He had just bought it. I guess after checking the cars v.i.n. # and calling his office number found on the I.D. badge he presented the officers his story checked out.
The whole time I was hoping that this is what was going on. I was hoping that he was just waiting for someone. It just seemed a little strange that it was for 2 + hours.

I am really thankful that I have never really had to live in fear because of the neighborhood I live in. I'm thankful to have good friends and family who are honest and live good lives so I don't worry about scary things.
I know the world is filled with horrible things, many of which are happening right under our noses.
Today I am thankful for the good in the world. The policemen who came to check out some suspicious behavior and also for Tommy who kept me safe, calm and let me know everything would be ok. At one point while we waited for the police Tommy could tell that I was nervous and scared and immediately reassured me and told me that he had numerous F.B.I. friends and colleagues that would be here in 30 seconds with guns and haul the guy away if we needed it.
He never hesitated or ignored my concerns. Instead he took control and handled everything.
Thank you T. You keep our family safe and we love you for that.

Disney 1-1-11 (and San Diego Children's Museum)

2011-01-03T11:01:00.001-08:00

These Disneyland pictures are mixed in with the boys at the San Diego Children's Museum.

We thought that we would wait until this next summer to take the kids to Disney, but while we were at the children's museum, we got a call from Tommy's boss offering us 4 free passes to Disney! How could we say no?

After enjoying a full day downtown at the museum, we rested up and headed out the following day (New Years day) to L.A. for some fun!

It was a blast to say the least! All of us had so much fun!

Ashton was tall enough to ride roller coasters and he couldn't get enough. I think all of our favorite was the Buzz Lightyear ride!

As it got dark, we got our seats for the Christmas parade. The boys were able to see a lot of their favorite characters.

We even spotted a celebrity (Teri Hatcher) on the train with us.

What a fun, full day. We can't wait to go back and see more.

Christmas 2010- Bell style!

2010-12-29T10:54:00.000-08:00

Christmas eve pajamas!

The boys finding the milk and cookies that Santa ate

"wow"

Daddys big gift

Weston loves his trains

The aftermath

Another Christmas has come and gone but they keep getting better and better!

Rainstorms flooded a lot of San Diego the week leading up to Christmas, but stopped just in time for Santa's travel.

Tommy and I couldn't wait to wake the boys up Christmas morning so around 7:30 we pulled them out of bed and let them run downstairs.

Our day was filled with good food, gifts, watching movies, relaxing and just being together.

We stayed in our pj's all day long and it was great!

We are now looking forward to the new year, and hoping it's as great as 2010!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

2010-12-23T11:31:00.001-08:00

Our hearts are full and the excitement is rising.

We are so grateful for so many things and are blessed to have so much.

There truly is magic in the air, especially having our little boys and the spirit they bring this time of year.

It has been so fun shopping, decorating and getting into Christmas.

We have also enjoyed seeing Ashton really understand the true meaning of Christmas and remind us about Jesus. We are lucky to teach him in nursery and I am astonished at the things he remembers and applies to everyday life.

My mom (Mimi) sent us a package yesterday and inside were 2 M&M filled candy canes. Ashton immediately turned the candy cane upside down and said "J for Jesus". We had learned about the shepherds on Sunday and I had given out a candy cane craft and told a few things that the candy cane symbolizes. I'm so glad that he remembered.

As fun as it is to talk about Santa and the fun gifts and treats he may bring (if they are good) it also warms our hearts to see the boys play with the nativity and repeat the story while acting it out.

We hope you all have found the magic of Christmas-the light of our Savior. Count your blessings this season and remember why we celebrate.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Our Thanksgiving, 2010

2010-12-16T16:51:00.001-08:00

Ashton getting his gift from Santa

Shantel, Ashton and my Dad(throwing up his gang sign again)

Shar Shar and Ashton

Weston with his horse

Ashton with his horse

Grandma Bell and Weston at UVU

Me (in the white) doing a free throw contest at the game

Ready, set, SHOOT! I lost by 2

Daddy and Weston with the "monkey" a.k.a. the UVU wolverine

The wolverine really liked our family

We had such a fun and busy Thanksgiving. We spent half with my family and half with Tommy's.

I was also able to visit my Aunt, Uncle, Cousins and Grandpa in Lehi and enjoy a yummy dinner with them.

Thanksgiving was delicious as usual and it was great to see so much family. Santa also made an appearance and the boys were good but skeptical.

I went with my sister Sharielle to see Burlesque (soooo good!) late Thanksgiving and we got home about 1:30. Then we woke up at 4 to go black Friday shopping with my Dad and Brother. We were all tired but had fun! And got some great things.

We also spent some time watching Kim (Tommy's sis.) play basketball at UVU. I was asked to participate in a free throw shooting contest and the boys got to root me on. It was fun!

We were suppose to start our drive back on Sunday, but got snowed in and ended up doing the drive all of Monday. 11 hours really wasn't so bad, but we were ready and happy to be home!

We are home for Christmas which is the only way we would have it! All of our shopping is done, decorations are up and we are enjoying the season.

It has been averaging 80 degrees here in San Diego until yesterday. The temps dropped and I think it ONLY got to about 62 today. BRRRRRR ;)

L.A. auto show

2010-12-03T08:19:00.000-08:00

Tommy and I have always had a mutual love and appreciation for nice cars. So of course when the huge auto show came to Los Angeles, we were there.

The kids did great wondering around and admiring all of the cars. They also enjoyed sitting in them and pretending to drive.

My favorite was of course the showroom full of Porsches.

I love those cars and was in heaven surrounded by them-one in every color!

I think we will make this an every year tradition while we are here in Cali.

Halloween 2010

2010-11-22T12:36:00.000-08:00

Yummy halloween mummy's we made

The boys package from gma and gpa

I have been avoiding our blog like the plague. I have finally downloaded all of our pictures, but have had no motivation to sit down, go through them and blog about everything. Today was the first real "cold", fall day here in San Diego. So with the heater on low and the boys snuggled up next to me on the couch I will write a quick post for Halloween.

We enjoyed making treats and sugar cookies to celebrate. The boys loved having fun halloweenish activities to do during the day. We were in and out of our wards trunk or treat because Weston was overwhelmed with all of the "scary" things going on.

Ashton was a knight and Weston was a train and batman.

We are doing great, just extremely busy. We love the weather here and are rarely inside. We ventured up to L.A. this weekend to experience the biiiig auto show. It was so much fun and the boys did great. We didn't use a stroller (which was extremely nice) and just packed a small backpack with the camera, a drink and a few snacks. Let me tell you we are loving this new stage of parenthood. No bottles, huge diaper bags, tons of treats, toys or snacks. It is awesome just being able to pick up and leave and enjoy our outings with our 2 favorite boys. The boys were in love with every car and I didn't mind seeing all of the nice rides! We will post more on that later.

Update sans pictures

2010-11-03T11:02:00.001-07:00

My photo program won't let me open it, let alone download my card full of pictures from the past few weeks, but we have been BUSY.

We have had visitors, been sick, healthy, had parent teacher conferences, had a fun Halloween and trunk or treat, and are still enjoying our shorts and 70+ degree weather!

Check back (hopefully soon) for pictures!

Pumpkin patch

2010-10-22T08:19:00.000-07:00

The playground at Ashtons school was transformed into a pumpkin patch last week.

The boys were so excited when they walked through the gates and saw all of the pumpkins, hay and scarecrows everywhere.

Weston was a little reluctant, but finally gave one of the pumpkins a hug.

We have been enjoying this great fall weather here in San Diego.

It's just cool enough for long sleeves, but we can still be outside and play in the sun.

We are looking forward to Halloween weekend at Sea World!

Happy Fall :)

Quick trip

2010-10-14T19:00:00.000-07:00

"King and Queen"

My mom and Shar

We took a quick, last minute trip to Utah this last weekend.

Unfortunately, it was for a funeral. We are glad that we were able to go and support our friends in this difficult time.

T was able to go to the BYU football game on Saturday evening and I decided to head up to Wyoming with the boys and my sister for a short visit.

Like my previous post says, Sharielle was homecoming queen this year, and of course we had to go support her at her dance. We may or may not have gotten our groove on for a brief minute on the dance floor (gotta love a good dance opportunity).

And of course you can't get together with your sisters without a photo shoot!

Yes it was a quick trip, but a good one.

Announcement!

2010-10-06T19:30:00.000-07:00

When my family was here in August, I was able to take my sisters senior pictures.

Isn't she so photogenic?

I have been meaning to post some of these pictures but now seems like a good time to dedicate a post to her because she is HOMECOMING QUEEN!!!

How exciting is that?

She is so beautiful, kind, loving, and sincere.

We are so much alike, and often have the same thoughts, opinions and attitudes about things.

This is great news!

Congrats Shar Shar, we love you!

Air show 2010!!!

2010-10-05T15:00:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Miramar Air Show has come and gone and once again was a blast.

We have been looking forward to it literally since we left last years show.

It was extremely hot this year due to a week long heat wave that was on it's way out, but we still had such a fun time.

Weston was a little unsure about how noisy the jets were but he was still happy to be there.

The owner of one of the jets pulled Tommy aside at one point and asked him if our boys would like to sit in his plane. He wasn't allowing anyone in his plane and normally never does but he thought our boys were so cute that he had to let them sit in his plane. He even let Ashton put on his helmet-he was in heaven!

It was another wonderful weekend in San Diego and once again we can't wait for next years show!!!

2010-10-03T09:46:00.000-07:00

“Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend.”

This picture says a lot.

I love how content and happy all of these "friends" are.

They truly are the best of friends whenever they are together.

And I have to admit that I enjoyed more "girl" at my house too... even if it was only for a few hours!

Our kids

2010-09-29T16:17:00.001-07:00

Summer is slowly coming to an end.

It feels like it just started and now halloween is almost here-YIKES!

We have really started to feel the grind of things to come.

The boys are only 3 and 2 and already they have pretty full schedules.

I couldn't help but think ahead to 10+ years from now when they are even busier.

Or even when they are both driving and dating and working and....

Oh boy, I get emotional just thinking about it. But it also excites me.

I look forward to our boys and their future activities and life experiences.

But for now I will focus on preschool and t-ball. Mommy and me and playgroups.

But with as quickly as summer flew by, who knows how fast the next few years will go by.

So here is to this next school year and not taking the "every day" grind for granted.

Because summer 2011 will be here before we know it :)

Boys trip!

2010-09-27T10:25:00.001-07:00

Tommy was able to go to San Francisco with his friend Josh last week to the 49er Monday night football game.

As you can see from the pics their seats were very close so they had a great time near all of the action!

It was a close game and one that they were both glad they got to see live.

Fun trip!

Cute show, cute family

2010-09-22T09:38:00.000-07:00

Quints by Surprise on TLC is one of the cutest shows I have ever seen.

I was reluctant at first, but this is NOT another Jon and Kate plus 8.

This is a cute southern family, with practically the same story line as J&K+8, but they are so dang cute (and I can actually watch and enjoy).

The husband and wife ( Ethan and Casey Jones) are a young, funny and down to earth couple with a crazy life. But they make it work and seem so normal.

Check it out!

We love our visitors!

2010-09-17T18:56:00.000-07:00

Tommy and Mamma Bell

Grandpa relaxing in the shade

Westie and Grandma at Ashtons preschool orientation

Grandpa and his boys

Hi Grandma (at La Jolla cove)

The boys LOVED wrestling with Grandpa anytime, anywhere!

We were so happy to have GREAT Grandpa and Grandma Bell join us for Sunday dinner

The "show me your muscles" pose

Grandma and her boys!

The boys loved digging in the sand with Grandma

Me and Ashton

Me and Weston

Grandma and the boys making my birthday cupcakes....YUMMMO

Our summer wouldn't be complete without a visit from Grandpa and Grandma Bell!

We were lucky enough to have Grandma Bell here for 2 whole weeks and Grandpa for 1 week.

We had so much fun playing, visiting, beaching and everything else we do here in San Diego!

The boys LOVE the beach. Weston actually was a little afraid of the ocean, but Ashton, Grandma and Grandpa showed him it was too fun to be afraid. He is now an ocean/wave pro.

Thanks for the fun visit! Come back soon:)

Fam's visit to San Diego!!!

2010-09-13T21:46:00.001-07:00

Jameson and Tommy playing Xbox

Can we say M&M's?

"JJ" and Ashton

Boogie boarding!

Alexa and her mermaid sand sculpture

"MiMi", Alexa and the kids

"Shar and Shay" foreva! Ha ha

Love this picture! So animated

Sharielle, Mom and me!

The boys burying JJ

Shar and I

MiMi and Westie bear

Jameson getting burried

Tommy and Jameson stayed home and let My Mom, Sharielle and I go to the movie 'Eat, Pray, Love'. It was awesome, but we went to the late show and didn't get home until 1:30 A.M. This is how we found Ashton and Alexa. All tuckered out!

Boys playing Wii.........gotta love Mario Cart

My family (minus my dad and one sis) was able to come to San Diego and spend a whole week here. We did so much and the boys were in HEAVEN with all of the attention and the week full of play.

We did Sea World, the beach, ate out, ate in, played games, went on walks did the beach some more...it was awesome!

I was also able to take my sisters senior pics while she was here and we had a great time at La Jolla cove doing that. Man did we get some great shots (we will save those pics for another post).

Can't wait for you guys to come out again! The beach is calling!

A water a day...

2010-09-13T07:45:00.000-07:00

...Keeps the Dr. away!

I am a little behind with my blogging, so instead I will share a few of my recent favorite finds.

I set a goal a while ago to drink more water. It is so good for you (duh!) and I have found that it keeps my headaches away (for the most part).

I have been trying to drink 2 of the tall SmartWater bottles (equivalent to 33.8 oz.) per day and it is so good and refreshing. I could do without all the trips to the bathroom though :)

Also, I would like to rave about Muscle Milk Light. It is so delicious. Super rich and creamy, and keeps you full! It also is amazing to drink before or after workouts because it is full of protein!

Enjoy!

First Day!

2010-09-08T21:54:00.000-07:00

Ready for school!!!

Brotherly love! Weston was SO excited when we went back to pick Ashton up.

Ashton and his bucket for preschool. We had fun decorating it over the weekend.

This is what I found when I walked back to my car after dropping Ashton off!

I had to play "pick the right van" (ours is second from the right).

Ashton starts school!

2010-09-03T22:21:00.000-07:00

We have a very excited 3 year old on our hands and he cannot wait to start school next week.

This last week was a "pre" preschool week full of orientations and meeting his teachers. Ashton had a great time and seems to be a pro at the whole school thing already. He is also a good head taller than all of his other classmates so that made his daddy happy:)

Grandma and Grandpa Bell were able to be with us on Tuesday to meet Ashtons teachers. We were very impressed with them and he was so polite.

I have to admit that I was a little emotional the night before orientation. On Thursday morning after all the parents dropped the kids off at their classrooms we were directed to the meeting and I felt so at peace. I love this school. I love all of the directors and teachers (thanks again Melanie for your sweet recommendation. We couldn't be happier) I love how structured, clean, and organized the campus is.

Ashton is in the Panda room and will start full time next week!

Here is to the 2010 school year starting off well!

Wish list

2010-09-02T13:28:00.000-07:00

I have been obsessing over....

This and...

(Owen dining room table by Oly)

This

(2011 Infiniti QX56)

May every wish come true (someday)

I LOVE THIS MAN (and happy birthday to me)!

2010-08-30T16:43:00.000-07:00

You are mine-forever.

What are birthdays without the people that you love?

I have been showered with birthday love all month-literally.

Our August has been full of visitors week after week, and we are still enjoying them now.

So consequently my birth"day" has turned into my birth"month".

My handsome husband has made this birthday one to remember and didn't forget one single detail.

I can't forget my little sweethearts that helped add to the celebrating.

Thank you

I love you all.

Hawaii overload!!!

2010-08-19T07:47:00.000-07:00

WOW!!!

Hawaii was amazing. Sky diving, snorkeling, swimming, paddle boarding, pearl harbor, luau's and so much more. We had a great time!

Our first day we were picked up at 6:15 by the sky diving co. and taken to a private airfield. We got a quick speech about sky diving and then got to decide on what height we wanted to go on.

Most people (and first-time sky divers) only jump at 9,000 ft. I say only because the other choice of the day was a 14,000 ft jump. Normally a lot more expensive, but lucky for us they were having a "special" that day. So all of us (everyone in our group) opted for the higher jump. I mean why not? We are already jumping in HAWAII, why not go all out.

At 14,000 ft you get a little over 60 seconds of free fall and over 5 minutes of glide time.

Once again WOW!

We rented a convertible one day and drove all over the island. We were able to stop wherever and whenever and it was great. We saw so many different beaches and landmarks.

It was fun to just cruise.

We were also able to go snorkeling in Hanama Bay, wander around in awe at Pearl Harbor and go to a luau.

In between all of our activities we made sure to enjoy the sun, sand, water and shops.

Hopefully we can make Hawaii a tradition (of some sort).

We can't wait to take the boys!

T paddle boarding

Touring the Missouri

The Missouri

The Arizona

Pearl Harbor

BYU/Hawaii

Hanama Bay

Cruisin' in the drop top

Pussy Cat Doll Nicole Scherzinger's house

Our view from the balcony in our room

getting a henna tattoo

checking in on the kids while loungin'

T in the pool

"We did it" after sky diving

Post sky diving

Pre jump