Nicholas as "Jungle Man"

Today my day started out with a few little adventures. With none other than...Nicholas. First I go into his room looking for him, as he told me to come play with him after I finished making my bed. He was nowhere to be seen but one clue was left behind. The screen to his window!! Through the curtains, I see Nicholas trying to open the window which was completely shut. I open the window and drag him back into his room. I'm not pleased. I tell him to NEVER get on the roof again. He looks at me kind of bewildered through his tears and says, "The roof?" "Yes," I say. Again he looks at me confused. Thinking of "the curb story", I realize he doesn't know what the "roof" is. Thinking of what would make sense to him, I point to the window and tell him not to go out the window ever again. He got it. At least I hope so. My goodness, if it wasn't for the screen I would of never found the boy! (Until a neighbor called, right?!)
Next, Nicholas is outside trying to ride his bike. After a few minutes out there, Jed said, "Michele, Nicholas is crying out there. Go check on him." I just assumed he fell over in the snow when the bike tipped or something like that. I walk out the door and hear him crying but don't see him. His bike is on the porch which seemed odd enough so I walked over there. My word, the boy had fallen into the window well! No scrapes or bruises, just a sad boy. Aahh, thankfully.
Finally I find Nicholas at the top of a tree in our front yard and I tell him that seeing him up in the tree so high makes me very nervous. He says to me, "Oh mom, its okay. I'm jungle man!" I laughed and said, "Nicholas, you can still fallout of that tree and crack your head open." "No mom," he says, trying his darn-dest to reassure me. So my brother Aaron, who happens to be there, says the same, "Nico, you need to get down from the tree so you don't fall and crack your head open!" Nicholas puts up his hands (aahh!) and says, "Oh Aaron, Jungle man don't fall out of trees and crack their head open!" So obviously we are laughing listening to this little fellow, who's oozing with confidence and giving us a big story. I can barely watch him as he tells me, "Look mom, I can get down myself. See!" When he finally reaches the ground, without falling or cracking his head open, he says, " See mom, Jungle man can get down from the tree ALL by his-self!" Relieved, I say to him, "Yes, you got down alright. Now go play with your cars." Without missing a beat, he says, "No mom, jungle man don't play with cars...you know, jungle man don't play with toys either." Oh my, oh my! Never a dull moment.

Wow! Where has the time gone?

Unbelievable! A New Year is now upon us!
My last post said we would move into our house in Spanish Fork in a week or so, well, that didn't happen. We moved in a week and a half before Christmas. I got our tree up the weekend before! Not long enough! I love Christmas and decorating for the Season. We enjoyed our first Christmas at home in over four years! It was fun! It really felt nice to be together and watch each other open a few gifts. We did miss going to Mexico for the service projects and spoke fondly of those memories.
So now Christmas comes down and we settle in for a New and Fantastic Year. My intent is to keep this blog up to date now that we are in. I'm thinking we are here to stay. But I'm not a betting woman so I won't bet on it. :)
May you all have a wonderfully successful Year filled with love, friendship and adventure. Please keep in touch! Loves

Dear Family and Friends...

Its been over two months since I've posted!! Ahh! We have been up to our eyeballs with a move last month to Salem and now remodeling a home in Spanish Fork to move into in the next week or so. Wow! It was certainly no small task to pack up our house in Payson, glad that's over! I'm all for simplicity. But all is well. Counting our many blessings!
There is much to post but wanted you to know we are doing well and I'm anxious to get settled and start "journaling" again through blogging. Take care - loads of love -
Belle and family

And he sleeps...

Jed woke me up on Saturday at about 6:45. He had a smile on his face that resembled that of the Chestshire cat. He wanted me to see something. He had gone to Ethan's room to wake him in order to get him off to his football game in Orem as he had to be there by 7:45.
As Jed began to wake him, he said to him, "Time to get up Ethan. We've got to get ready for your game." At the same time, he began to turn over his bedding and found him dressed in his FOOTBALL GEAR! He had on his football shoulder pads with the jersey and his pants with all the pads on. Jed was laughing and said to Ethan, "Ethan bud, what are you doing?"
Ethan, still half asleep, puts his hand up as if to surrender, "I know. I shoulda wore my helmet."
Oh how Jed laughed!

Our Teenager turns 14!!

And the birthday girl is...Emily Marie. Introducing our 14 year old! (Funny sidenote. Emily was born on a rainy day and today, it was raining!)
Emily gets a new bedding set, socks, a down vest, two shirts and a pair of pants!
Because we didn't have any candles we gave Emily "14 cupcakes". She graciously shared them with us. Happy Birthday Emmy!

What we love about Emily -

Nicholas says: "she's nice!"
Macy says: "I loved it when Emily jumped with me on the trampoline and we jumped really high and I bounced on my head and we laughed. And also I liked it when we planted flowers together cuz it was fun."
Ethan says: "Emily is nice and funny and kind and loves to play around. I like to laugh and play with her."
Sarah says: "I love how caring Emily is to me and how she sticks up for me when someone hurts me. We have had lots of great times together hanging out, talking and laughing about funny things."
Mom says; "I love how Emily has always had the ability to reason and to listen. Ever since she was so little, she would listen attentively. She was actively listening to ideas and thoughts. She is good at making friends - I remember vividly seeing her among her little friends and watching with pride how comfortable and accepting she was with them. I remember the first time she gave me an absolute belly laugh - she can make me laugh hard. I love how delightful and witty she is. But most importantly, I love watching her grow into a lovely lady with a growing testimony and a desire to do good.
Dad says: "I remember so well the moment Emily was born. She was crying a little as the doctor handed her to her mommy. I was looking at her, just above her and I said, "Hey sweetheart. This is your father speaking." She stopped crying and turned to my voice. I was struck by her ability at such an age to listen and to "reasonably" look to her daddy. I love her ability to reason and to seek understanding."

And its off...

Macy was ecstatic on Tuesday, September 10Th. She got to go to the clinic to have her "pretty pink" cast taken off after 4 weeks. She was eager to cross the monkey bars again and to ride her bike without any interference. So here she sits, ready to get the saw to her arm. Nicholas instantly giggled and covered his ears as the saw cut away at Macy's cast.
Finally with the cast off, she says to me, "All better. It feels like new Mom! I can do anything!" And sure enough, she was acting as good as new - crossing the monkey bars, riding her bike and even doing handstands for added measure.

In the leavy treetops...

Who said monkeys don't live in the treetops of the United States. I found TWO -Macy and Nicholas!! I could hear (I know, pretty amazing) them a hollerin' and went to see what all the ruckus was. Discovery: Two little monkeys swinging in the trees.