Photo Shoot

In preparation of the photo shoot/shoots we had this weekend, Randy & Ryan went outside with us and did some posing to find good places to take pictures. I'm not sure it actually helped we us looking at the background and figuring out good places because I was too distracted by the subject. I'm not sure that muscle posing and poppies are generally seen as a masterful combo but I enjoyed it. :O)

Sometimes you get the best pictures when you are just playing around. Aren't these sweet!!
I know Alyson already posted cute pictures of her kids on her blog....however, they are so stinking cute I wanted to brag about them on my blog. :O) I'll put a few different ones so it's not as boring. :O) Not that they can be boring because they are soooo stinking cute.
I LOVE mom & dad's poppies....aren't they beautiful....ok the kids are cute too. :O)
Al posted the picture of Delayna peeking out through the railing but what she did show you was this....aren't they cute.
Here's my beautiful girl. While we were taking these pictures and I was looking at her I felt like I was taking senior pictures....very scary.

All the kids together

Here are a few of my favorite Alyssa & I's family pictures. These were a lot of work...for some reason sometimes when I take photo's I don't look like myself....it is a very strange phenomenon but it's true, you can ask Al & Ry. :O) Anyhow here are a few of my favorites.
We had some problem with sunspots in our first photo shoot so Ryan came out and held an umbrella for us in the second to help avoid that. Of course he is a huge help if you want your photos' to be of you totally cracking up :O) I can't put all of them or the blog will be too big. :O)

The last photo shoot shot. Luckily dad walked out and we got him in it. I just noticed mom isn't in any of my pictures.....No worries I'll get you next time. :O) I was going to talk about how when dad went to get in the picture he fell backward while trying to sit down....but I know how we tease him all the time and I thought I'd give him a break. :O)

Weekend at Grandma and Grandpa Bell's

We are having a great time in Hermiston. We got in late Friday night, did a little talking and headed to bed. Saturday we got up and played some tennis. (Sorry I was too busy playing that I didn't get any pictures taken :O) Alyssa headed off to the swimming pool with her friends. Dad, Randy, Ryan, and I headed to the Echo golf course. (Check out that forearm) So I don't play very well but I have a fun time, I did get one par in the nine holes and a few really great drives right in to a couple of trees....that takes talent, those tree trunks aren't very big. :O) Randy is even more talented than I am, he actually sliced right through a branch. Well done Randy!!!

Randy actually ended up playing not badly however his drives weren't going like he wanted.....so he decided to call on the tee gods to help him. You'll have to look closely to see what calling on the tee gods entails.

I can really remember what our conversation was that prompted this video but it was funny so I thought I'd throw it up.

I didn't get a lot of pictures taken this trip. Ok we took a lot of pictures as we had photo shoots of the kids for their yearly pictures. You can take a look at Alyson's blog for the highlights of that. Speaking of Alyson's blog....if you have read it already you know that there was a small little incident involving myself and the trampoline. Luckily I didn't not break my leg in two as I thought I was going to when I was upside down in the air and realized my folley. However I thought you might like to see the successful flip prior to the crash. :O) Yeah I'm not sure if I will be doing many more flips on the trampoline as I'm a little scared....I think I'll stick with flips off the swing.

Choir Concert

Alyssa had her last choir concert of the year. She sang a solo (Wide Open Spaces - by Dixie Chicks). She did a great job and I was glad I actually made it out of work on time to go. They did a medley of Grease Lightning Songs that was very fun....too bad I never made that poodle skirt I was going to make so she could have used it. She was still cute though. Here's a picture of her and a friend after the concert.

And here's her performance. I told her after the last performance that she sounded good but needed to work on her confidence and really get out there and sing and look up. She worked so hard on improving on that and I think she did AWESOME!!!

Weekend Visit From Trevor & Bethany

We had a WONDERFUL weekend. After a "I don't even know how many hours I put in at work last week" last week Trev & Beth came to visit. They got there Friday night late, we sat up and talked for a while. Then up Saturday morning for a day at the soccer fields. It was the last day of soccer for the year and they do a really fun day at the park with lots of business with booths up...lots of spinning wheels and prizes.

We started the day at Cailah's soccer game. She is extremely fun to watch because she smiles ALL the time and she just looks like she is having tons of fun. Last time I took her to her game and watched she took it 3/4 of the way down the field and scored. She performed again today to Trev and Beth and scored a goal.

Here are a few cute pictures of some of the spectators

Cailah in action.

At the end of the game all the family members get together and make a tunnel for all the players to run through as we cheer. As you can see by Cailah's face they love it.


Right after Cailah's game the kids got there face painted. This was by far the best facepainting I have seen, they all looked so cute.

Then a little fun around with Trevor time. Does it get better than this...I submit that it does not.
Stop to see the firetruck.
We spent most of out time between Cailah and Abby's game at the blow up obstacle course. The kids all raced each other. Trev and I went down together and thought it would be a good idea to do a summersault down the slide at the end....you'll see how that worked out.

Abby and Cailah started it off. As you can guess Abby was a little faster but she waited up at the top of the slide for Cailah and they game down together.....so cute...what great sisters.

Then Braydon and Abby had a race.....well it started out as a race but as a crying child blocked Braydon's path it ended up just a fun run and they came down together.


And for Trevor and I.....ENJOY!!!


Bethany headed down with Cailah and just in case your wondering what Cailah was saying to Bethany as they were headed down the slide....it was something to the effect of, "I beat you" with again the big Caliah grin.
Saturday night we attempted to watch a movie...I think the only one that stayed awake was Bethany...I know I watched about 10 minutes at the beginning before crashing and maybe the credits at the end.

Sunday of course was church..I got a helper for my class. YEAH!!!!!! you may not have any idea just how enthusiastic that yeah was. Sunday night we played games....let's just say Trevor was not the winner and I'm not sure he enjoys playing Hand and Foot anymore but he was a lot of fun and we enjoyed laughing at him....or with him. Apparently our glasses are just not big enough for him around here. :O)


We will miss them but THANKS for visiting....it was TONS of fun....I think I can got to work tomorrow without too much pain now taht I had such a fun weekend.

Zoo

It was a beautiful day at the zoo today. Cailah, Delayna and I had a great time. Besides it being allergen heaven it was great. Here are a few little pictures from our day.

Not a bad self portrait for us. The first picture Cailah had her sunglasses on after looking at it she asked if we could take another one without her glasses on...and here we are.
Cailah took this picture all by herself.

Yes I am super fun...I took them on the Carousel ride even knowing it would make me sick..the sacrifices we make.

I think this was Delayna's favorite part. She would hide in the lava tube, you can see her and Cailah...she would wave at me then run out and boo me then do it all over again.

The slides were fun but we had a few incidents. The very first time up Delayna did a face plant on the gridded platform (yeah she had a gridline on her forehead). The first time down together I think Delayna got separated from Cailah as you see in the first slide picture below. Then I went up with them and I tried to take a inside the tube while going down picture.....we were all going down together so it's not he best picture but it turned out ok and is evidence that yes, they did have fun while coming down.

Cailah does not always take the best picture but look at this cute one. :O) I finally captured the real Cailah in a picture.

And this one is just because she is so stinking cute!!!!