Bonjour!

Bonjour!
I’m a 51 year old mother of five amazing daughters and wife to a caring, sensitive AND sexy husband. I adore my family. I’m dedicated to my faith. I enjoy a good laugh. I'm nostalgic and love to reminisce. "Remember" is my favorite word in the English language. I love life! I’m passionate about music, food and {dreams of} traveling the world. I wanna be a castle and waterfall chaser. I’m fascinated with anything European. {PARIS! Hello!} I love celebrating anything and everything! I love to read, especially a good biography, mystery, Regency Era Romance or Historical fiction novel. I love thoughtful gift giving. To me the gift wrap is almost as important as the gift itself. I have a bit of an obsession with gift boxes and gift bags. As well as old world maps & globes, apothecary bottles and jars! I love being creative…bolts of ribbon, coordinating scrapbook papers, producing a table scape, or planning décor for a themed party puts a smile on my face. I love the details! I’m a freak for anything theme oriented. I enjoy event planning, but oddly enough do not like to host or entertain. I enjoy fashion, but have to really be in the mood to clothes shop. I love purses and funky costume jewelry. Especially big rings! I’d rather wear wedges or heels any day than flats. I enjoy decorating and searching for the perfect decorative pillow or picture. However, you’ll never see me frequent high-end stores. I'm more of a Ross, TJ Maxx, Tuesday Morning kind of gal. My favorite decor style is an old world rustic Italian chateau/Spanish Villa look with a hint of bohemian! OR a vintage shabby chic French country cottage/English cobblestone farmhouse. My #1 cookie-Molasses! Autumn is my favorite season. I’d go through childbirth a million times. I enjoy biking with my man, Pilates, and power walking. You’ll never find me in a gym working out. I love movies, whether watching them in the theatre or cuddled up on the couch with my family. I enjoy a good chick flick or real life drama! I'm a sucker for movies on the Hallmark & Great American Family Channel. I have a tender heart for the elderly. I adore Disneyland. I enjoy being in the canyon on a summer or fall evening at dusk. I love my friends. While I have some extroverted characteristics. I’m a self proclaimed introvert. I’m generally quiet, calm, reserved and pretty darn private. Why in the heck do I blog? It’s a creative way to record family history. I enjoy photography. I really don’t like to write, although I write in my journal often. My journals, patriarchal blessing, scriptures, quote book, and beloved Christmas tree filled with ornaments of family memories are among my prized possessions. I love the beach. I enjoy WWII history. I love a clean, orderly house, but ours usually looks lived in. ;) PBS Masterpiece is my friend. I adore Jane Austen films. They transport me to another time and place. If I had to choose another time period in which to live, early 19th Century England would be my pick. "Sense and Sensibility" is my all time favorite movie. My 3 favorite TV series are...BBC's Larkrise to Candleford, the 1950's Spanish Drama "Velvet," and the travel/food show "Somebody Feed Phil." My biggest pet peeve is people who blow their noses in public. So gross! {Take it to the bathroom people.} I’d go on a wine tasting vacation if it wasn’t against my religion. I’ve always wanted to adopt a baby from a foreign country. I’m an avid BYU football fan. I'm a Educational Support Professional. I tutor elementary kids in phonemic awareness, phonics, reading, fluency and comprehension. I love our campfires at Scofield Lake. I have a 'thing' for fairy gardens, Gallic French roosters, fresh flowers in a vase, pretty bowls & plates, and yummy smelling candles & soap. I love summer rainstorms and warm baths. I'm a scripture podcast fanatic. I'm also a fan of several Fox News shows; Hannity and Dave Ramsey Talk Radio. I very much miss Rush Limbaugh! I hate when my kids have homework. I'd rather clean 20 toilets than give a talk or prayer in church. I have quite a collection of Madame Alexander Dolls, children's books, Disney pins, and quotes. My favorite quote is "Don't underestimate me. I know more than I say, think more than I speak & notice more than you realize." True True LOL! I always prefer sitting in a back row versus the front. {I'm sort of a seat snob..yikes} I also have high expectations for my lemonade, salsa, and french fries too. HA! I work well behind the scenes. I love a good Dateline, 20/20 or 48 Hour Mystery. I’m a night owl. I'd rather be cold than hot. I love to budget our finances! I enjoy being a chauffeur to my children. I'm not a huge fan of social media. I don't snap, pin or tweet. All I want for Christmas every year is a ticket to the Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert. It's my FAVORITE. I’m an Anglophile…a royal watcher who loves anything English! Especially tea parties! I would like to serve a church mission to England with Jaren someday. I'm queen of paper towel, used kitchen dishrags and sponges kinda make me squirm. You’ll rarely find me out of the house not ready for the day, except when driving the kids to school on the days I don't work. I feel naked without lipstick or lip gloss. Mismatched socks, chipped fingernail polish, chapped lips and brownie crumbs on the floor drive me nuts! I like to organize and BE organized..but not saying I always am. ;) I enjoy hiking to waterfalls, ATV’ing with my family and snowshoeing with the hubs. Although I enjoy collecting recipes and occasionally watch cooking shows... (Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade, Paula Deen, Jamie Oliver, and the Pioneer Woman are my favorites) I’d rather not cook. Eating out is so much more fun. I'm a foodie. I live to EAT! LOL Trying new foods and restaurants is a favorite past-time, and believe it or not so is intermittent fasting. I'm not good at a lot of things... but gosh, if you need help with a themed celebration or someone to enjoy good food with, I'm your girl. I love the joy of anticipation and the celebration of holidays. Family traditions are important to me. I'm a memory preserver. I'm a pathological picture taker ;) a visual storyteller, and a lover of happy lists!

My Fam!

My Fam!

The Hubs and I

The Hubs and I

My Girls!

My Girls!

Kyleigh Dawn (28)

Kyleigh Dawn (28)

Emma Abigail (26)

Emma Abigail (26)

Hannah Isabelle (23)

Hannah Isabelle (23)

Brielle Olivia (19)

Brielle Olivia (19)

Kate Evangelene Lyllie (13)

Kate Evangelene Lyllie (13)

Mr. Charles "Bingley" Wentworth III (4 yrs.)

Colonel Edward Fitzwilliam "Darcy", Duke of Westridge (3 yrs.)

My Man!

My Man!

Good Times!

Good Times!

Wedding Day 5*17*22

Lillian "Lilly" Belle

Disney Food Fun! 2019

Disneyland Tips

What I Believe!

Our Missionary

We Bleed Blue! {Except for the Poppi}

My list of favorite movies!

Learn more about Dyslexia!

Music To My Ears!

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

What's On My Happy List?

Christmas Time at our House!


My favorite site and place to be at Christmas time...

This place... at the Conference Center...a very close second... 
You all know by now how much I love the Mo Tab Christmas concert. 
One of my favorite things in the whole wide world. 
Once again, by a small miracle, we scored three tickets to the first night of the concert. 

Deseret News

This year's concert was so creative, and magical and just plain FUN. Different than any concert they've done before. I was SO pleasantly surprised how well they pulled off having the Sesame Street Muppet's come. At first I thought how odd to have them come as guest artists. 
But by golly they stole the show! 
So stink'in sweet and endearing. And then there was Santino Fontana..what a cutie patootie with an incredible voice!  It was an entertaining evening to say the least. 

Deseret News


Out of the gazillion people there, we ran into my niece and nephews......

 It's tradition to take my girls to the Christmas Music and the Spoken Word broadcast followed by a mini concert of the three previous nights. So Sunday morning we got up EARLY to get downtown to wait in the stand by line. 
{this time we didn't have tickets}

About 1, 500 people had the same idea. At 7:40 in the morning we had about 300 people in front of us. Bleh!

We waited and waited in the Tabernacle to see if any seats would become available in the Conference Center. {Only 200 got lucky enough to go over.} 

So... we had one huge viewing party in the Tabernacle, on the big screens, with all the others left behind. It was great. I was just thrilled to be able to see it again and walked away one happy camper!


Emma took this snap shot on a trip downtown to see the lights with YW/YM. 

 So besides our MO TAB party haha, we've had a few other celebrations recently. Some of my daughters and I are crazy Jane Austen fans. I mean who do you know that celebrates her birthday? {Which is Dec. 16th btw. like 239 years ago. lol }  We are sorta nuts. I know. That, or we just needed an excuse to eat tea party food and watch Sense and Sensibility. Hannie made choc peppermint bark, we had English cookies from the world market and Mormon tea ;) with floating cranberries..

Our Elf inspired "sugar party" ! Sugar cereal {which I rarely buy these days} FOR DINNER, with waffles and pure maple syrup. 







The sugar rush was followed by a family game of Christmas pictionary and watching Elf.. The game was a riot. We were split into two teams, the ELF KINGS {Lord of the Rings inspired} against the ICE QUEENS {Frozen inspired}..It went down to the wire in a close battle with Good King Wenceslas as the winning guess. 

We played this another time for FHE. One round we did Christmas songs...This is dad's version of I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus. ;) 

They had to guess my Christmas drawing? {I'll give ya one guess!}

cookie party with the neighborhood ladies....

And a sushi party with two of my dearest childhood friends. 

The partying continued as Kyleigh and I got to help in Kate's preschool class on the last day before Winter Break. {PJ DAY}


Kate gave her teacher this book as a gift to the class! 
{she's sorta embarrassed}

















Meanwhile Dad was at work party!

On Brie's last day of school, I got to go with Brie's class to the Nature Center where they had their class Christmas Party. 

They exchanged secret Santa gifts! and played some fun Christmas games...


Hannah had a full out dance party for a couple of weeks. The Starlette Company danced in the Murray High Dance Co Christmas show for two nights, plus rehearsals and their own recitals the following week. I think I'm pro now in doing the Starlette bun. By the time I'm through getting her performance ready, my fingers {and the bathroom for that matter}, are plastered with hairspray, makeup, glitter and glue, gluing 14 stars around each eye! 




Hannah danced in a tap, jazz and ballet number in all four shows. Brie danced in the first two shows and Kate the last two shows. IT was an ALL DAY affair. Add helping as parent in charge for the two A shows. It was a humdinger of a day!

First time on the stage!!


With Grandma and Grandpa and my niece's daughter. 

I don't have a pic of Hannah in her tap or ballet, {they are constantly changing costumes}, but her Jazz number and costume I do. It was my favorite of all her dances!





One more party to post about. {I've saved the best for last.} 

The Bell Family Christmas Party! 


Prepping for the Nativity...Bell Family style 31 years and running...

My angels!


 Emmsie, Abby and Hannah were good sports and played the part of the wise men. My oldest nephew, who is now 34, made some funny comment that he had to play the role of Joseph til he was a Senior in high school. bahaha. Which very likely is true since our family, as a whole, has way more girls than boys. There was probably no one else to take the part back then. "But grandma my girlfriend is here!" he pleaded....

We had a surprise visitor! Best moment of the night! 

Look at those little faces! 



My brother Brad doesn't fly in from New Jersey until Wed. He watched it all by Skype. He played his guitar to Feliz Navidad. We sang carols. Played the chimes....had yummy dessert. 

We even had carolers come to the door. Good times!!  #bestfamilyever


Just because!
....helped my mama put up her tree and her Christmas village. :) 





The Waffle Love truck came to Murray! Emmsie was soooo happy. 
{Waffles could quite possibly be her favorite food.} 



Emmsie had to memorize all of this for a test in her AP US HISTORY class. She nailed it! 

 In more Emmsie news...She heard on the TV about a 6 yr old girl in Fountain Green, Ut., named Addie, who is dying. Her grandmother asked for people around the world to send her cards...Emma made a card to send to her. IT was darling.  

She made the roof look like snow with white tissue paper..

Love the gift giving this time of year, although some of the shopping I could do without. 
Gonna show you some random gifts we are giving around here.....

I'm a sucker for anything vintage Christmas. I found vintage wrapped chocolate bars! for the hubs to give to his home teaching families :) 
I'm telling you. I've had the best luck Christmas shopping at TJ Max, ROSS, and Burlington this year. 


Visiting Teaching Message from marcicoombs.com {She rocks!}

Also found this neighbor gift idea on her site as well. {Although we adapted it a bit.} It's just a box of Puffs tissues. Easy Peasy!

Gave a jar full of Swedish fish to Brie's swim teacher...
From one fish in water to another...Merry Christmas!

 My parents gift! I have a slight obsession with decor boxes. Just say'in!

Found Scottish soap for Emma's bagpipe teacher. What a find!

We are excited for the big day! Only one more sleep! 

                            Have a blessed Christmas!

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