Grandpa Bell

For my 2 blog fans (a generous estimate, I'm sure,) outside of the Bell family, I just wanted to say a few things about Daurell's dad, Phil Bell who passed away Friday March 16th, in Quincy, Washington where he had lived the majority of his life. This picture of Grandpa Bell was on his 80th birthday. The leather working gloves were his signiture. He loved new leather gloves. Daurell laid an honorary new pair on his casket. Phil's cattle brand was called "The Lazy P" and at the mortuary Daurell fired up the old branding iron and burned it onto the casket. It was very fitting and touching. First thing that comes to mind about Phil Bell is that he was a funny, funny man. I always enjoyed a visit with him because there would inevitably be some good laughs. Our first good laugh together bonded us for life. His fun loving nature was a main theme at his funeral as well as his dedicated service to the church. When ever outside, he always wore a hat, cowboy, baseball but usually something with a tractor logo, fertilizer company or some farming emblem on it. When he would be laughing about something he would take his hat off, rub his hand over his head from front to back and put his hat back on. One summer when our family was staying at Lake Chelan, Grandpa and Grandma Bell drove up from Quincy one evening to have dinner with us. It was a warm evening and after dinner we were outside, the girls were fishing just below the bridge and we were all enjoying watching them. Amelia cast her line behind her ready to throw it forward and just as she did a car came by up on the bridge and her line hooked the car and took off. Due to the fact there was a forest fire down the lake in the mountains and the wind was blowing the floating ash in our direction, everytime Grandpa took his hat off and rubbed his head as he laughed at Amelia hooking a Ford, the top of his head got streaked more and more with the black ash falling from the sky. When I pointed it out to him once we got inside he was the one to laugh the hardest, next to his granddaughter fishing for trout and catching a passing car. In his humor though he was always inclusive, cared about others and made everyone feel at ease with his jovial nature. Even being paralyzed and unable to speak, he was still able to maintain his sense of humor. He was an active Stake Patriarch up until he had a stoke two years ago in April. Dedicated church service was his life.

Spring in Sammamish, I love it

To me Spring is the best time of the year. The earth starts waking up, neighbors emerge and we start greeting each other again. Our Weeping Willow has budding leaves, the Wisteria has furry grey buds erupting and of course the bulb flowers. Our daffodils came up beautifully only because the deer don't like them. The tulips haven't been so lucky. Up here where we live a very common tree is the cherry blossom trees. The pink blossoms are everywhere and it is such a beautiful sight. Everyday I notice more and more trees. A couple years ago a developer bought up a huge portion of wooded land and leveled it for hundreds of home. It was sad to see all the old growth trees falling and the land being excavated. The development is far enough along now they have put in the entry and done the landscape. They a have partially redeemed themselves by lining the new streets with young trees bearing pink blossoms. The land doesn't look so scarred with the young trees and the new growth of pretty pink blossoms makes me feel like there is a possibility the people will be nice and friendly that move into those new houses.

The Process of Purple Paint

Last April we painted the living room purple. All along I planned to do a light color wash over it to make it mottled and suade looking. A year later I finally got back to it. I did half the room one night and the next day it looked so coarse and splotchy I didn't like it. I needed natural day light to see what I was doing. It took me the rest of the week but I finally got it done. I really like it but now I need new furniture and drapes. A great discovery I made was something called Scott Rags. They are handy dandy painter's wipes that I got at good ole Home Depot. They were amazing. I had to add a picture because everyone needs to have them around. It got paint out of the carpet, dried crusty paint. There were places where my sponge flopped over the tape and got paint where I didn't want it and the wipes took the dried paint right off without taking off the undercoat. A must have for any painting project with such a light lemony smell too. (They should pay me for my testimony and endorsement)

Neither picture of the room shows what the paint really looks like. The one with the ladder is the part I did at night and had to do over. The other picture is blurry and if I knew how to take the pictures off of here I would. Amelia.......? Help!?!?BUT I STILL BY THE SCOTTS PAINTER RAGS!!!

What It Is Like to be 12 or The Joys of Mothering a Boy

David is very sensitive. He is 12 now. He would will himself to disappear if he was ever caught not wearing his North Face jacket. I suggested he wear a different fleece for a change and he let me know, "No one wears fleece! They only wear North Face's, everyone would laugh at me if I wore a fleece." Then there's his hair. He goes the rounds with his dad about hair. I reminded Daurell he and his dad went the rounds too. Let's hope David never goes for sideburns, Daurell will have no ground to stand on. Amanda, David and I were at a restaurant Friday night and David, ultra concerned with his appearance and considering he might see some one he knows, wore his "North Face" however, check out his hair....... But as we were walking into the eatery I noticed his fine leg wear. I started to laugh and asked him what was up with the socks and he said he was cold. He has on his PE shorts, baseball socks and Amanda's shoes but at least he's wearing his North Face if any peers should spot him. One thing is for sure, he is a good looking boy and I am in no hurry for him to start caring about all the other stuff yet to come.

Fun on the run in Rexburg

Robin and Emeka

So here you see Robin and her Nigerian prince of a guy, Emeka, (pronounced eh-MEK-uh). As I look at him in this photo he looks so old. He is only 23 but looks like Danny Glover there. Talk about ebony and ivory. It still is taking some getting used to but I have to admit that he is truly one of the finest young men I have ever met. I could not have hand picked some one better for any of my daughters to date. (except for the "continental divide" thing, what is it with my girls and guys from other countries?) He is so thoughtful and considerate, yet funny and witty. Robin is having a great time teaching him American things, like bowling , peanut butter/jelly, and cookie dough and her favorite, slooow dancing. When you tune into General Conference try to find the Nigerian translation and you may hear him as one of the translators. I met him when I went to Mother's Weekend in Rexburg and stayed Friday through Monday last week. It was more fun than people are entitled to. We stayed up late, ate candy for breakfast, frequented Wal-Mart (not the high point, just necessary) hung out with lots of boys, ate candy for lunch, played cards, barely made curfew, almost got caught by the RA's and ate candy for dinner. It was so exciting. (Not really on all the candy, but, almost.) It has been a long time since I got in trouble so almost was good enough. The other photo is Robin and I with her roommate Kelsey Johnson and her mom Susan. They're from Denver. Robin and I slept in her twin sized bunk bed TOGETHER for 3 nights so as you can imagine I was ready for some sleep by the time I got home. She would not even let me think about staying somewhere else. I slept between Robin and the wall because the bed is so unbelievably high I was afraid I would roll off in the night. I had nightmares about it before I even left home.

While I was over in Idaho having such a great time, Daurell was home being a tender parent to a heart broken daughter. Amanda broke up with her boyfriend that weekend and it was a new experience for him to be the one she turned to. It was a rough time for her and he learned a lot about his little girl by just being there to hold her and she came to appreciate her dad in a whole new way. It was hard for me to not be there but on the other hand it was good for both of them. Even David stepped up and told her she was still pretty.