I know I am a day late, but I just wanted to share some pictures that illistrate why our daddy is so great! Maybe he learned it from his dad? Anyhow, we sure do love him!

I can't even imagin how I got so lucky to find this wonderful man! How greatful I am that my kids have him as their daddy!

459 forever

I missed getting the kids school pictures done this year, and well I thought something that blessed two families might be nice. So last week we got as dolled up as we get and took the kids to the temple where we met with a friend of mine. She did an amazing job considering we had just left a pool party at a another friends house. Also, Genevieve was asleep when we got there and had some serious bed head, and car seat face printing going on! Ben, as usual could hardly stand still, and well if you have kids you know how it goes. With some talent, a great camera and some serious editing, here, without further ado, are my cute kids! Enjoy! [ These are just a few of the great ones.]

Because of some sad, recent family events I have been inspired to write a eulogy for my sweetheart so he can hear all the lovely things I feel about him while he is still in my arms.

The first thing I noticed about Daniel was his smile! He has a great smile. The first time I met him I knew he was the man I would marry. But I set that thought aside while we took our time to get to know each other. It took nearly a year for Daniel to propose to me. Now that I know him better I know that this is about how Daniel does everything. It took him about as long to research the first DVD player he purchased and our latest phones. Daniel is thoughtful, intelligent, and hard working. He is good with his hands, and loves to solve puzzles.  We never go very long without someone calling him on the phone asking him to come fix some computer problem or mend some appliance or what have you. I was proud of him recently when he finally through away one of the old Commodore Monitors he still had. But, only because I broke it. Daniel is always up for adventure and is ever willing to pack up our little circus and take us with him. A while back he took a job that took us all over Washington and Oregon for nearly two weeks of driving and hotel stays. The kids had a blast! Daniel worked himself nearly to death moving tons of steel displays out of cell phone stores.

Some of you may not know that one of his favorite jobs was the house he built at Nesika Beach, Oregon with his father and grandfather. His grandfather, Oral Bell died before the house reached completion and Daniel was glad to have had that one last chance to work construction with four generations of family! ( Anna helped too)

Daniel spent much of his childhood roaming the hills and river in Gold Hill, Oregon. He still has strong friendships with the kids he hung out with. Once he picked me up from the airport and took me with Ryan Brown to hike the hill behind Ryan’s house. It was a fun day. If I remember right he even packed me a lunch complete with warm yogurt.  I had been visiting family back in Missouri, and telling them all about this tall handsome stranger I was in love with. While I was there he e-mailed me several times.

After we had been dating a few months he took me to Barnes and Noble to ask if it was okay with me if he took a job in Colorado. It was the hardest thing I ever did to say yes and let him go hoping he would come back to me soon. We developed a code: 459 that I could send him on his pager to let him know I loved him. When he finally finished the job and came home, he was ring shopping. That was December but I didn’t know. He finally asked me on February 13^th 1999 after breakfast with his family. I was completely surprised. Daniel is an excellent secret keeper.

What fallowed were years of the usual newlywed struggles, new parenthood, job changes, moving into our own home, starting our own business, and more and more kids. The days were not all sunny, and a few times the car, the washer and drier, the dishwasher, the oven and I all broke down. But, we never quit, and Daniel never gave up on me. Daniel is not a quitter! I will forever be grateful that God managed to find me the one good man who could put up with all my crazy!

 Daniel I love you!

 Your wife:

 Georgie Lynn Bell   

So Ben was asking me about pictures of himself today and I opened my blog to show him what he looked like as a baby!  I was dismayed to find it has been almost a year since I added anything new!  Getting pictures uploaded is an issue, as is time.  Also, once again the laptop is being held together by a hope and a prayer!  But I took a moment and found some fun pics of one day last year when I took the kids out for icecream probably as a bribe for good behavior!  Ben just really got into it and ate every bit!  What fun!

It has been a long time but the blog is back up

Daniel grew up in Gold Hill and played all over the hills and river there with his childhood friend Ryan.  Time goes by, and kids grow up,

get married, have kids, and move away!  But, if you are really lucky, they keep in touch!  And, even more lucky if they bring the wife and

kids to come back and visit!  We got pizza and Popsicles, and met at a park where the kids could run, and we could chat!  It was a blast,

but the best part was the pictures to help us remember.  When the day comes that our kids have kids, we will have the photos to remember

this hot summer day, full of nostalgia!

Ben helps himself to some cups and bottled water!  Drool, anyone?

The kids try out some daring play ground equipment, and go for a run!

Safe with Daddy

The slide was a blast!  Perfect for races!

Everyone has a blast getting into the picture!  It was great fun, and we were all sad to see them leave!

This is the sort of shenanigans that go on when I leave the kids at home with Daddy!  Yup, they might never get dirty if it were not for their Dad!

Here is Ben, demonstrating the proper way to drink from the sprinklers! 

The girls water the strawberry plants, and the flowers.  Maybe, for the first time in weeks!

I focus on the inside of the house and it's occupants!  The only time I take a break is to sleep!

They do look like they have had fun though! 

Maybe next summer the lawn will still be alive!

Or, we will keep mowing the dandelions!

The other day I took a Netflix movie to the post office after dropping Anna off to school, and lo I saw fall!

Yes, all over town your could see leaves of every shade littering the ground, and smell smoke from chimneys,

ripe apples and pumpkins with candles sending their warm welcome smell into the air.  When I was in college I

had a crush on a guy from Alaska!  We were out in the cool fall air, studying for some test we had and I began

to go on about all the lovely things fall reminded me of!  Then I asked him what memories of fall he had!  He

laughed and said that fall didn't remind him of anything, in Alaska they have 10 months of winter, and two of

spring/summer!  No fall at all for him to recall!  How sad!  I am glad we live here in Oregon where my kids can

have a blast exploring all the fun of this special season.

The leaves on the ground by the Post Office were so lovely I went and got Ben and Kate and came back with them

for a fall photo shoot!  The leaves were wet from the fog or the sprinklers, but it didn't slow us down!  Ben

did have a moment where he wanted to lay down like Katie but found the cold, wet leaves too slimy for him!  " Bleck", he said!

Then he tried to put them back on the tree!  He did find some he really liked!  And Katie had to

bring some home in the car.  I think they are still in there now.

Aren't big sisters the best.  You better agree with me, or else!  =]  Besides, you know I'm right!

What a cute kid!  I took them home and cleaned them up with a warm tub, fresh clothes and hot chocolate!   Then we snuggled up in my bed and watched a movie

on Netflix!  And we turned up the heater!

My kids have it so good!  Don't these kids look hungry, sad, and uncared for! ; ]

 Yes Ben, those are shells!

Ben gets down and dirty!

Katie makes a "sand angel"!  This may be why it takes 2 days to get the sand out of her hair and ears!

This one just made me laugh!  This is why she had a sun burn in a place I didn't

think to sun block for her!

Here I think Anna has sea shells, or maybe a new addition to the sand castle!

My kids here are out running the waves, and trying to keep their pants dry!

I love this shot complete with their reflections on the wet sand!

Anna looks like waves are the most amazing thing she has ever seen!

And here to round out the set, is Ben with yet another stick!

It really was a fun day!