Beautiful month full of soccer, choir, school, soccer, choir, and school. And also soccer, choir, and school.
The month started with some alone time for me. It was a sweet time away for me to breathe, read, hike, and think. WarriorsWhile I was gone, Bill watched some sweet kiddos in addition to oursAnd got to drive their grandparents’ Tesla…I can’t tell who had more fun: my kids, or my friends’ kidsAnd this was the response to Bill’s extrasSoccer game with my parents who faithfully attend every one they can.Celebrating one of my favorite redhead’s birthdaysHe looks so calm and cool. But right before this, the baby was forced into his hands and he flipped out, worried he’d drop him. Leaving pics on our friends’ phonesAnd kids leaving pics on oursFamily walk. This little man is still the cuddler. Trampolines are for more than jumpingOur dear friends had their sweet little nugget this month! She’s perfect, and the baby hog thinks so, too. The baby’s dad and our long-time friend tried to teach Liam how to do a backwards somersault. Victoria left her earrings on her sink for weeks, so finally a child decided to make soap art with it.Such a cool drawing of a Viking ship!Sporting some spirit wear for our favorite soccer team.When you tell the child most like you that her hair looks pretty, she’s going to do something to make her hair gross.Chilling one day in a big chair after busy weekOur soccer crewGangsta coachesWhen your church eats together each week, sometimes you need dessert for dinner.My silly little boysWe’re pretty serious. Emphasis on the pretty.One of our friends pointed out that our choir nametags make him think of a CVS receipt. Now I can’t unsee it. And Aiden had his turn with the teeny baby…Clashing mask problemsBill’s boys. This group makes my heart swell. Never ever ever will I tire of hearing little ones read. Getting ready for Liam to have two teeth pulledI get to teach five sight singing classes online each Wednesday. No matter my mood, I’m always smiling after hanging with these people. Cute new Trailblazer spirit wearI love getting videos from one of my gorgeous nieces who lives in California. Dang, I want to hug her neck. Oldest boy Bell and youngest boy BellPlaying with our little friends againHey, Cap!Headed out for a weekly dateThese two. Cheesy and hard working. They worked over the course of several weeks for one of our lovely neighbors to fill this whole area in with stone. I see this couple almost every day I walk this trail. I’d put them close to eighty. Always holding hands, always chatting with each other with joyful smiles. I tear up every single time. Obviously I don’t know their story, but what a beautiful glimpse of a marriage to Jesus I get to see fully one day. None of these girls share my last name, but does that really mean they aren’t mine? No. No, it doesn’t. More baby snugglesWhen you tell snarky child she can’t bring her food into the living room…Taking this motley crew in the car with me to soccerHe can’t whistle in the normal way. But he watched a YouTube video to try to learn to whistle this way. It didn’t work. Finally a pic with my mamaI’m so proud of this pic because I’m talking to another friend and soccer mom AND I’m watching the field. It’s a rare picture to capture.Face paint on the armAccidentally twinning. Firstborn and baby.When you go to a dairy farm, you gotta wear pigtails.The crew learning about pigs, cows, and poopPiglets are pretty much the cutest thing everA newborn cow!Time with my girls jamming to PentatonixI don’t think I’m going to say anything hereObligatory weird picBeing manly in their pink and purpleAgain, she doesn’t share his last name, but does that mean she isn’t his? Nope!My girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love them with all my heart. Can’t attest to the “like Mom” part, but she truly is beautiful.
If I wanted to complain about being bored, this month would shut me up. Whew!! Everything our family does and loves is in full swing now. Sweet to see others’ faces (even if masked) and to return to something that feels at least a bit normal.
Our kids’ “Uncle” Tony makes beautiful pens. Now he’s teaching the kids to turn their own pens!! Esther and Heaven got a turn this month.Thug youth groupHaircut timeDouble snuggles on the couchAnd our fourth teen!!! She asked for an oatmeal cream pie cake. Creative as always for Cheyanne. And maybe the easiest cake I’ve ever done because it didn’t matter how messy I was!“Aunt” Holly and “Uncle” Tony supporting our first day of choir!!!! Choir is long and tricky this year with COVID. In the past, all the kids were in the building at the same time for a couple of hours, and that was it. Now, there can only be two ensembles at a time spread far apart, and with all ten kids involved and Bill and I as directors, it means we’re at the building five hours one night a week, most of which is spent in the van. These two made shirts, bought a transportable grill and a million hotdogs and chips, and had a choir tailgate party in the parking lot!!!!! Because they are the best of the best.Our dear friends who moved in behind us wanted to paint their door yellow. She went around to neighbors asking us to hold a sign to convince the HOA to let her. It worked! Their door is now beautifully yellow!!!Double date night with two of our favorites!Went to hear our friend sing on Sunday morning. We segregated boys and girls so Lee could get his man snuggles.We started having our kids who were done earlier at choir go to our close friends’ house until the rest were done. Oh the bravery of Barb to take this motley crew…How we found Miriam one morning…Sweet sunflower date with this ladySome of our Micro Blazers (kids too young to play on the official soccer team)A pic a friend sent me when her daughter couldn’t get online for my sight singing class. She was stressing that I’d kill her. I’m pretty hardcore, Emma, so stress on. New specs!!These two had a fake wedding in our basement officiated by an older brother. Josiah got to hold another friend’s baby one night, and I’m wondering if this pic is prophetic as to how their future will be if married for real with kids. Dunes Day!!!!And eating at our traditional restaurant afterwardI’ve faithfully mocked Bill’s dance moves for 19 years now. Lee joined him, intense dance face and all.My Dunes traveling crew!! So much fun to spend six hours with this group. And this lady is balm for my soul.We didn’t get a single pic of all the kids together at the beach, so we took a rest stop photo instead.This picture fills my heart. I don’t think we have a pic of just these two. Bill and I have been blessed with fabulous relationships with both sets of our parents. He treats and loves my parents as though they were his own, and I adore these two together. Fun selfiesTaking my choir outside for a mask break. These girls are amazing!Forlorn little brother waiting for older siblings to finish soccer practice.Seriously beautifulI tried to take a selfie. I have ten kids. These are a few of my favorite things.The smallest Bell giving his all!This was so fun!! A hot air balloon landed close to us during one of our soccer games!Trailblazer family attempting a pyramid during halftime…Ending in total success.“I want Aunt Courtney to hold me!”School projectsSweet playdates with friendsI’ve been sick half the month with a Crohn’s flare-up. This little man comes for snuggles and to pray for me often.Last minute hugs before heading out for an overnight with BillHiking trip with this guyI keep my door closed in the mornings while I have coffee and read. This is why. These humans were in my room within three minutes of the door opening. Two minutes later, I had seven kids on my bed. I adore them!No caption, except the caption I’m currently typing…OK, these two. They have this fantastic relationship where they’re the most like each other, which means they understand each other and also totally rub each other the wrong way. This was Bill going over Malcolm’s logic one night. After several minutes of Bill trying to explain a concept to Malcolm and Malcolm mistakenly sure he’d gotten it right, this was the moment when comprehension finally set in. Bill’s at the end of his rope, and Malcolm is dying laughing at the whole exchange. They’re so good for each other…I sat on the ground to watch a game. Some of my favorite little people lost no time making sure I had my priorities straight about who should be getting my attention. My heart overflows when I see these faces!Teaching my online sight singing classes!I’m not obsessed with this baby–you are!Double date night!Cheering on her big siblings, or just talking it up with Aunt Holly?Taking two of my kiddos home after soccer and treating them to Taco John’s The only time you’ll see this crew serious… I love this team and cheer myself hoarse each game!
This month almost felt normal! With COVID still going strong, life is still a bit different, but it’s been sweet that some restrictions have begun to be lifted.
Choir auditions outside in a parking lot!Pretty hair on her 9th birthday.This made me laugh so hard!!!Snickerdoodle CakeThis was her first attempt to blow out her candles. Notice they’re all still lit…I took my boys to paint wood signs! While Bill took the girls out walking and shopping.Lots of water play this month.Soccer meeting!!!While the kids played in the fields.Josiah sporting his green hair preparing to cheer on his siblings in soccer.On one of our favorite neighbor’s motorcycle. Barb doing crafts and lessons with the little ones during youth group.Youth in the basement.Working hard to win a scavenger hunt sent out by their youth leaders.Bill got to lead music in a sweet friend’s wedding.I had a quiet morning outside, which meant I had a buddy. Nothing was wrong with her, btw. She just didn’t know I was taking the picture and was chatting. Giving blood to the vampires.Reading and listening at the same time. I’ll never understand you types.Got to have dinner with one of my favorites!!!! Miss this lady and the laughter and the depth and the way she points me to Jesus.Again, a quiet morning to myself. They always find me…Hiking!And a wound. Because we were playing a game on a parking lot. And I was trying to catch Bill. Which meant I ended up on my back bleeding and cackling.Hanging with friends!And playing wonderful games that where we chose a more hands-on approach than the rules called for…Four Square with my kiddos. And a stray.And GaGa Ball.Random selfies.ConqueringWater balloon pinata as a family.A visit from some of our Indy friends!!! It was exactly what my soul needed.A super serious play the kids performed.A weekend with my Victoria!!! Getting our nails did.Bill got some individual time with the older boys while I was out of town with V.Legos in the hotel room.LOTS of food.Picture books are still my favorite.Cute children’s section at the zoo in Evansville.Pretty hair.Decked out in new clothes and accessories.Getting her ears pierced.And happy relief!Hotel pool.More pretty hair.Love this little girl who’s growing too fast.Ariana captured this pic. He’s my favorite laugher. And this made us all happy because anyone who know Bill knows how much he talks using his hands. This is his classic pose.Catching up with other kids after my weekend trip with Victoria.And making up for lost time.Father’s Day breakfast. I was so proud to get a pic of him and all his kids. Until I realized Miriam was still in bed… Oh well. 90% is an A at the college level!Yes, Josh. Yes, I do.Ba dum ch!New braces!!!More fun with hair!Three Esthers in one pic!Family SkyZone day!The baby turned 8! Uncle Tony and Aunt Holly got him a giant dinosaur…And a kite! I love the delight on his face.And this pic of the kids watching the kite.They’re so fly.Meeting friends at Versailles State Park.This is what 19 kids look like. Three families…Victoria got her besties a three-part friendship necklace.Perfect hotdogs.The kids have assigned drills to get ready for soccer camp. They are 100% leading them on their own, including jogging together each week!
Such a weird time in our history where we’re mandated by government to be quarantined. Probably the fewest pictures we’ve ever had in one of our monthly blog posts, but these pics reflect joy in togetherness. Oh so ready to be with friends and family again, but thankful to God for sweet time with my people and growth in him.
Working on a weaving school projectWe made a challenge to take an hour-long walk away from our neighborhood each day in April.Because of that challenge, we felt like we literally got to watch spring happen! Most Aprils we’re maxed out in stress finishing up our activities and school. What a gift to have a slow April where we got to see God’s beauty!Kids and water is always blissPracticing on bikes in our neighborhood to prepare for a rail trailSocial distancing with some of my besties!This was made to be climbedState park day, even if most trails were closedEaster with our church!And our Easter birthday girl!!!I wish I could have a real party…Day trip with this beauty. Walks, bikes, soccer, Gray Havens YouTube concert, Little Women on the phone, and lots of yummy carry-out!SeefoodSelfies for daysThe beginning of an adventure!Twinning with this sweetieTwelve bikes in a friends’ truckAnd the super fun and successful bike ride on a rail trail!Google Hangouts game night with our churchChoir practice with Daddy
Clearly, I’ve not stayed on top of these… So here goes! Four months of pictures of our crazy lives.
Sending Mom tie pictures for her opinion. Which Mom then just made another mom decide.The guys on Liam’s soccer team who got awards. He got Man of Honor. Little man arm wrestling with his Uncle Tony.Victoria and Josiah with their choir listening to a book by their fantastic choir teacher and my friend.Our third teenager!!And her birthday “cake.” Yep, 13 candles on a sugar cookie.She wanted to decorate sugar cookies for her day.Even Aunt Holly participated.These six did choir this year and took this picture for a fundraising brochure, offering to do jobs around the neighborhood.Aiden’s way to clean my bathroom mirror.School with my littles.Day date with DaddySkyZoningA Children’s Museum day with some of the kids.A weekend visit from Bill’s brother, Paul, and family.Cousins!Victoria being big and reading her cousin, Sarah, a book in the morning.Stacking bearsOne of the hundreds of pictures I find on my phone every month that I didn’t take…Working on our basement. Bill made a marketplace!And our new hanging tent!I know this is super exciting, but I had this designed for our laundry room. Oh my stars I’m in love!Earrings made for Ariana’s birthday party.Some of the food for her Gilmore Girls Birthday party. Cause Gilmore Girls know how to eat.Have to have coffeeAnd a pop tart cakeThe girls made hair ties along with the earrings.And tried to answer these questions.Did I mention Gilmore Girls know how to eat?Al’s Pancake World!Then the second November birthday–Nana!!! She wanted a smoke machine. We just had her blow out all her candles instead.Did I mention hundreds of pictures?Decorating for ChristmasThey wanted me to take this picture and make it my screen saver. Cause they’re more special than their siblings…Bill and his man crush. Christmas mantle. I WILL get all twelve knit someday. I WILL get all twelve knit someday. I WILL get all twelve knit someday.Already beautiful girl wearing makeup for the first time.Getting to attend a friend’s gymnastics eventHer dad and little brother. I love that little man!Legos with my girls.Ariana at a Christmas partyConcert day with three besties!Victoria decided Noah was her best friend.Two Bells (and a Grunden and a Bagnall) playing bells for the kids’ choir concert. Cause Bells play bells. In case you didn’t get it.It’s not yellow.Ariana took this picture at a children’s museum in Dayton, OH. I think it’s beautiful!And so is sheShe took this one, too.These three pastored together for a few years. So good to have them together again celebrating Dan becoming an elder at his church now.Creating togetherAnother surprise pic on my phone. And it makes me laugh every time cause my Cindy friend got in on it!Do you think Santa will leave that under the tree?We are so special…And so is heAnd they are, too.Taking Miriam out to shop for a gift for Heaven’s birthday.Double date to Taco John’sWhile our sixteen kids held down the fort. Without adults…January bubblesI wasn’t there. I don’t know what’s happening.They’re so pretty!This looks so sweet. I’m pretty sure, knowing these two, there was more to the story.When you go in for a selfie but bump heads instead.Our sweet neighbor who’s become an eleventh Bell kid. We love her!So flatteringLike I said, an eleventh Bell kid. Lol!Right after I had my hair dyed darker.Visiting the Home and Garden Show with one friend and seeing another!And seeing Shannan, too!It’s science reallyThe kids took this when I was in one of my infamous laugh-can’t-breathe moments. Kids aren’t the only ones who find your phone when you aren’t around…Another pic with my oldest girlMe on the trampoline with the kidsWe’ve joked for a bit that these two couples will get married someday, so we cracked up to see them at the island together. The parents called it a double date. I think the kids just gave us dirty looks.Birthday dinner with BillHe took me downtown for a couple of nights in celebration of my 40th.Downtown Indy one morning from our hotel roomThe welcome home from the kids. Best birthday gift.Lincoln Square Pancakes family breakfast on my birthdayAnd a family walkMy mom made my birthday cookie, and Ariana decorated it!And the final part of my birthday–a surprise 80s party!!! My friend, Cindy, took all these pictures. They are so gorgeous and fun!!!Homemade earrings from a sweet teen friend of ours!I’m obsessed with my new dot to dot book.Our girls cleaning toys at our local library.Attending our friend, Sean’s, masters recital. Josiah was totally into it.Walk with friendsCelebrating each other’s 40th birthday! I love this friend.Cause it wouldn’t be a family update without sleeping kids.We’ve made the same future joke about these two getting married someday. Same dirty looks afterward. This pic will go in the slideshow.There were sweeter pics of these two on my phone, but this one was the most real.Got to spend a weekend in Cincinnati with these besties! So much fun. And so quiet with no kids around.
Maybe I should have just titled this to be our spring update. We’re maybe possibly in the middle of transition right now, and we maybe possibly have little regularity in our lives, including family updates. We sold our house, are living in a rental home for four months, and building a home that should be complete at the end of the summer! Though transition has been real for sure, we’re actually in a pretty sweet restful season while we wait, and we didn’t realize how much we needed it.
I finished up the year teaching my preschoolers. I will seriously miss them more than I can say. What a sweet year with two littles who made me laugh hard every week and put me in awe of God and how he created little minds and hearts to delight in him! This was my absolute favorite pic from the year because it sums them up perfectly. Both being rascals during prayer and the best of friends. I love them deeply.Got a day out with my oldest. Ridiculous laughter and fun. Here we are racing at K1 Speed. Or was this when we robbed that casino?At Comedy Sports with our super candid reactions to the show…Visited some of our dearest friends during their church gathering.A yard sale we had to prep for moving.My mom’s choir concert.First step for our new home–digging the basement!Twin boy and girl born to our friends!!!Pizza out as a famPi Day!!!Girl/Boy Weekend–Girls mining for gemsGirls crawling through a “cave”Hot chocolate!Boys eatin’ it upGirls can make campfires, too!My sons are super serious.See, super serious.Girls on a train!Boys at a science museum.Love cooking helpers. And yes, that amount of butter.Retrieving a tennis ball stuck in the fence.Delivering cookies to neighbors to say goodbye. Sniff.Our temporary home! We call it our vacation home.Moving truck buddies.Lots of helpers. All sizes worked hard.The library by our “vacation home” is awesome!I love movie laughter!Great little cooking helper.Volunteering at the Gospel Coalition Conference with my love and one of my besties.Clapping gamesSpoon battles to knock off fruit prepares them for real life…Lots of bike rides at our vacay home!Tabletop Curling.Helping Victoria with her Bible study.Chicago vacation!!!The progression of losing to Mom.Riding the L!Willis (Sears) TowerLoved this sweet man I got to sit next to on the L. I could have talked to him all day. People have the greatest stories.AquariumShe wanted Daddy to buy these for me on vacation.The BeanWhat is this??? We just saw it out at a park. Seemed too big to be a mouse?Our friends told us we had to get Garrett’s popcorn in Chicago. Oh my goodness it did not disappoint!Rare all family pic someone volunteered to take of us!Frank Lloyd Wright’s HomeThese are our daughters’ absolutely favorite Christian artists, the Gray Havens. We got to see them in concert, and it was amazing!!!Ariana started crying when she met Licia. She was amazing with our girls, hugged them and let them talk to her as long as they wanted. It was so sweet!Get it? The Gray Havens hat? Cause it says “Havens” and it’s gray…Miriam’s tenth birthday! Um, I just realized Malcolm and Liam also had a birthday but I don’t have any photo evidence!Our friends were leads in Peter Pan!Egg hunt!Dad has no mercy when hiding eggs. It sometimes takes a group effort.Spring cinnamon roll bunnies.Dying eggsHave I ever mentioned I have the cutest mother?? She’s the best, and I dare you to argue, cause here she is learning a clapping rhyme. I love her!These three baked and decorated a cake 100% by themselves!!! They did amazing work!Another friend had a baby! My heart has had a happy spring.Zoo day!!!Homeschool convention time in Cincinnati. This beauty filled my heart. Talking on adoption and then letting me continue talking to her in her booth afterward. And her history curriculum is fantastic!!!Our friend turned five, so we got to celebrate with her in style.Sherlock BonesPreschool while getting to visit with one of our dear friends.Bill getting his baby time in, too.Why are my kids huge?This friend who is more dear to me than I can type here without ruining the laptop with tears has taken our family’s pic on our front porch every year since she’s lived directly across the street from me. The man who bought our house let us come back for one more pic. When we got our phone back, we found this gem she left for us! Lol!!!Officially said goodbye to this house that is full of sweet, hard, and fun memories. It was the hardest move I’ve had. Excited for the next chapter, but this place taught me to love in ways I never thought possible. I think I grew thirty years older here.Don’t snap, don’t snap, don’t snap!StyleWhen your fourteen year old knows you’re taking his picture.Never too young for coffeeThis pic makes my heart sing every time I see it! This young woman and her sister babysat our kids for two years, their mom is one of my closest friends, and their whole family is delightful in every way. We got to attend her graduation party, and the love between these two radiates here.Bill, Liam, and I got to see Frank Reich (head coach of the Colts) speak during an Indianapolis Theological Seminary symposium. He was fantastic!!! Faith-filled, solid believer who is a stinkin’ amazing coach. He used to be president Reformed Theological Seminary and a pastor!Creek stomping!Never too many on a slideThe bones at Hundred AcresTwinning with my oldest girlie.Hiking, hiking, hiking.When Liam and Miriam think there’s an opportunity for fun, they take it. This tractor was randomly in a field on a hike, and they climbed in it looking for keys… Don’t know what would have happened if they found them.The nineties pose never gets old.Snuggles with a sickie on Mother’s DayOur house is coming along!!!CreationsLiam volunteering at the Children’s Museum as a teen apprentice. Totally candid fighting…More creations. She’s so gorgeous.Last day of preschool with two of my favorite littles on the planet.Children’s Museum fun.An end of an era. Liam was the first Explorer (after school program) to walk through the Children’s Museum’s doors when the program was started 5 1/2 years ago. Because of our move, this is our final year to be part of this fantastic group with its amazing leaders and friends. We love them.When the baby girl shares a bathroom with only boys.Our sixteenth wedding anniversary!!! We celebrated with a trip to Colorado.Indiana farmland.Gorgeous and unique plants in a botanical garden in Denver. We were surrounded by mountains in our cabin!Our backyard.So many amazing animals!Well that was a close one.Truly the Rocky MountainsCataract FallsWhile we were away, this queen watched all ten kiddos for four whole days!!!Crafting with Nana.Synchronized swimming teddy grahams.The kids made us gifts and a scavenger hunt to find them and planned a party to welcome us home!Exercising with Bill. Work it, Esther!Dairy Queen with Bill while I spent the day with my mama!Mom and I spent the day at Garfield Park and Newfield. How sweet that my BFF is my mother!
The Bell Family 