Here are some stories I have been saving for quite a long time. Some of them from maybe a couple years ago. And one as recently as yesterday.
Wyatt: She didn't pick her own name.
Me: How do you know? Some people change their names. You can pay money and legally change your name.
Wyatt: How much does it cost?
Me: I'm not sure, how badly do you want to change your name?
Wyatt: I want to change my name. And I'm going to change it to... Billy / (slash) Willy the Third.
I hear Brett's side of the phone conversation and am reminded just how much an engineer he is when he says, "and how great of a magnitude would those dealer fees be?" instead of just saying, "how much are they?" Like a normal person.
For no reason, I remembered this and I don't think I told you. But at my book exchange party we were talking about first-borns vs babies vs middle, etc. and people who are driven or not, etc.
So we got around to what role we fill in our family, and I said, "In my family, I am the lazy one." And everyone looked at me, and my friend, the Bishop's wife, said, "Do they KNOW you?" 😂😂
I was looking at suits with Jethro yesterday and this store had a bunch of wax cologne thingees. I smelled them all, and the best was definitely the one that was tobacco and rum. Soooo... I guess in books when they say that their father/so smelled like tobacco, I guess it wasn't just literary fluff.
Also, suits are expensive.
Me: Talmage, what will we do when you're on your mission and not here to sit on Wyatt when he needs it?
Wyatt: He can sit on me over the phone.
Everyone: stares at Wyatt
Wyatt: He can sit on his phone, and we can put our phone on top of me.
Me: I'm not sure you know how phones work.
We played a game where you impersonate another person there, basically like Charades with the people in the room, and Wyatt picked Hazel's name and so he started flexing his forearm muscle (Hazel has wickedly ripped forearms from all her climbing, and likes to show them off very frequently), and Hazel instantly caught on to what he was doing (it took me a second longer than her to figure it out), and she immediately started melting to the ground, over the arm of the couch to the corner of the room in her embarrassment. 😂😂
At YM camp, Wyatt caught a lizard and carried it for three miles. I posted a picture on Whatsapp and said, "Wyatt , with his friend Fat Willy." And Hazel said, "Was his full name Willy slash Billy III?" And then Wyatt told us that his full name was Joquadius Johnson, but Bishop Shock nicknamed him Fat Willy for short. And Hazel said, "Naturally."
Funniest quote of the backpacking trip:
I was loudly singing a song from the musical Oliver (Who will buy this wonderful morning...) and everyone stared at me (we were stopped filtering water to fill everyone's water bottles) and Maria said to Sebas, "She's related to you, you know." And Sebas shrugged and said, "My mother is way worse."The second funniest quote was when we were going over Gunsight Pass, and Wyatt said in a pathetic, pitiful voice, "I'm too young for this! It's breaking my little heart!" 💔
Wyatt said one of his earliest memories was in Pittsburgh he was in his room screaming for some reason, and I came in and said, "Never scream like that unless a bear is attacking you."
One of the best parts of softball tonight was when Talmage was going to get out at first, so he suddenly yelled "Daniela!!!!" (Who was playing first) in this loud, bear-growl voice and she dropped it and he was safe. 😄
Also, he got a home run and he almost caught up to Wyatt because he goes a pretty good clip. And we like watching him run from one side of the outfield clear to the other side to catch things when the little girls can't. And we like watching the pitcher take a sip of his snowcone in between plays, and then set it down in the dirt again to pitch to the next player. 😂 Mendon youth softball is where it's at. 🥎❤️
Oh, and when Orrin was hitting and he had a great hit but it was foul into right field (he was really trying for the right field hits all night), then he hit a good one way out left, foul. So we said, "in the middle!!!" And then he hit one right to the pitcher. 😂
Actually, the BEST moment of the night was his leaping dive roll into second! It was incredible! He was safe. 🙌🙌
Oh, and when Talmage throws wild throws to Cooper, and he does wild cat leaps into the air to catch them.
We had lots of different ice cream flavors tonight, and the kids were impressed. And I said, well it's an ice cream party, because it's Hazel's last night (before she left for Juneau). And Wyatt said, "You should do that more often, Hazel." He also said: No talking about math at the ice cream party! It boggles my mind!
Brett is starting a new job with ASI (Autonomous Solutions, Inc) at the end of this month (4/28/25). It is the company up in Petersboro, the foothills of the Wellsville mountains. They do self-driving vehicle stuff, but there are a lot of different projects in different fields (things like mining and agriculture).
So he will be the Mechatronics Development Manager, reporting to the Robot Chief Engineer. 🤖
That's the news, kangaroos. That's what's up, buttercup.
On Sunday when we were having family council, I asked for any family updates, and Talmage said, "Ethne has a boyfriend." And then Ethne shrieked and tried to stop me from writing it down on the paper. And then she tried to rip the paper out of my hand so she could scribble over it or rip it up. But I've met Kyson, and he seems to be a nice guy.
Who knows what 'dab each other up' means? Wyatt got to go visit South Cache today, and he saw Orrin in his shop class, and so I said, "Did you yell out, 'that's my brother!'"?
And he said, "No, we just dabbed each other up."
So now I know what that means. But did you? It’s essentially a cool handshake 🤝
The doctor just before giving Wyatt a shot: This won't hurt me a bit!
😂
And he told him that he'll have to get these shots again before he's 18, and once for every pregnancy. Then he waited while Wyatt stared at him until Wyatt finally smiled, and then he pretended to scribble on his clipboard, "understands humor. Good."
He also asked Wyatt if they had studied Mesopotamia in school and Wyatt said that was last year, and he asked him why they study that and they talked about it for a minute.
I like this doctor. He was Jethro's pediatrician when he was born here 22 years ago.
I forgot Orrin at his soccer game tonight. 🤦
Poor kid was there waiting almost two hours total. Good thing some kind people stopped when they saw him sitting by the side of the road and asked him if he needed a ride or anything, so that he could call me.
The thing was, I did plan on being somewhat late to pick him up, and so when his coach and other parents asked if he needed to call me right after the game, he said no, because he knew I was going to be late.
Unfortunately, I was at the going-away party, and while I had planned on leaving early, then one of my best friends who had moved away last fall showed up surprising me (and everyone), so then forgot all about how I was going to leave early. 😬😬 Mi culpa!
Ah well. It will build character
I sent the video of our song to the guy who wrote it and this is what he said:
Hi Kayli,
What a beautiful performance and what a lovely tribute to your parents. Thank you so much for sending the video and for all the time and energy you put into learning the music. Really beautiful!
I’m so glad that this all worked out - sending my warmest wishes,
Tim
For our date we had 15 minutes (that's what we started with, but I begged for more time so we added 10) and planned a 3-day trip to anywhere in the world and then gave the presentation to the other and decided who won. Since we were at home, our kids joined in, and Orrin was on my team (he was disgruntled that I didn't let him make any decisions whatsoever or even really weigh in 🤷). And Talmage and Wyatt were a team.
Brett did an amazing presentation on a motorbike trip in Thailand. His was totally fancy because he did it in PowerPoint.
I did Corsica, an island in France.
And Talmage and Wyatt did Grenada.
And Navy literally went to school in two-sizes too big slippers with no socks because she "forgot" to put in shoes. Which is a very Navy thing to do . 🤦
On Sunday Wyatt didn't listen and then back talked me so I told him his consequence was that he had to do the dishes twice (without marking his name off, obviously) and then he took the little wooden mother's Day present he had made me and threw it in the garbage. I took it out and put it in my bathroom. 😂
I'm borrowing a food dehydrator from my friend and doing a lot of banana chips. The bad side: they're gone sooooo quickly after you spend alllll this time making them because they taste like candy so they get eaten as fast as candy
The upside: they taste like candy
Bell family update:
Navy finished the last Harry Potter today.
Orrin ran the mile yesterday in 6:20.
Brett is getting home from an expo thingee in L.A. tonight.
While he was gone Kami helped me paint the front room (we're calling it a primer because I can't decide what color) yesterday and Navy's room today.
I also gel-stained the frame on our big map a darker brown. 💪
Ethne smashed her finger at work and we've been watching the interesting colors it's been turning and how it's been swelling.
Talmage has not much to report? He read The Count of Monte Cristo again the other day?
Wyatt ordered two cool Lego (but other brand) WWII planes for $76 and they came yesterday and he put them together. One's a spitfire and one is a Mustang P-51.
I don't know any updates on Jethro and Maria.
Hazel deleted her Instagram account. She went climbing with a friend from HXP. She sold her blood.
That's about it.
Talmage: I sit on Wyatt all the time but his character doesn't ever improve.
Hazel: You're going to put the hat on over your enormous bun.
Me: This bun is the best thing that's happened in my life.
Hazel: I feel like that's a gross overstatement. What about me?
Me: ...
Talmage: I'm sore. My bicep almost cramped. It's because I'm on steroids.
Hazel, unexcitedly: Not the 'roids.
Today we sang our song that I had asked random people individually to come sing --people who aren't in the choir and normally do NOT sing- and we had children and youth and adults and violins, viola, and cello.
There was a visiting area authority seventy and he said "You have the best ward choir in the state." ❤️❤️ And we were all grinning because it wasn't even a ward choir. But now they should all join!!!
(And 2 ladies DID join! They came to choir practice today!)
And Brother Torrie was talking to the area authority seventy and said, "Yeah, Kayli's done more to convert and bring people in to ...yadda yadda than I ever could! And I'm the ward missionary committee leader!)
Thank you for the gifts! Talmage is currently snuggled up reading The Anxious Generation (🤷) and I had to call Jethro to show him the hilarious socks! He was impressed. 😆
(He has finals next week and I asked him if he was wearying of chemistry, and he said, "no, I never weary of chemistry, but I am wearying of worrying about my grades." 😂
Anyway, thank you so much for your thoughtful gifts!
Merry Christmas!! 🎄❤️🎅🦌
The visiting Stake Presidency member today spoke for a few minutes and he said, "Of course the music was absolutely beautiful. I have just come to assume we will definitely have some gorgeous music whenever I'm here in Petersboro 2nd ward...not saying you're the only talented ward or anything, but you've got a lot of the talent!"
And I fell in love with him immediately. 😏
(We had two numbers, one by the choir and one from the Porters)
Kami: So this ward is officially the nicest we’ve ever moved into. No less than three people told us about Jubal’s activity night including the leader in person. Someone came to pick Sebas up for ym’s. Someone brought us pizza. And three kids came over to invite Nicolas to play after school, (he recognized all of them from church) but unfortunately now he’s still out with them and I have no idea where he is. Oops. But umm, the neighbor is texting people for me trying to find him.
Ethan: Who would’ve thought he’d get kidnapped in Nibley instead of Colombia.
We couldn't understand what Ethne was saying (after getting put to sleep and having her wisdom teeth taken out), so Jethro gave her a paper and pen to write it, and he's like, "This is cool, you're like Stephen Hawking!" 😂
We were talking about what flavors of chocolates the kids want me to make for Christmas, and then Wyatt said, "Who made this up?" and I said, "Well, my mom said HER mom made them..." And Wyatt said, "Great brain!!!" (Then I had to tell him that I don't think she made them up.)
Hazel: There are 4 boyfriends in the apartment, so my roommates and I were talking about making them compete for the title of best boyfriend 😂 What would some good events be?
Me: First thing to come to mind is best kisser. Must do a blindfolded test where each boyfriend kisses you and you rate them, add up their score from each girl, and you get the winner.
Hazel: The gasp I just gasped 😂
I was telling the kids about how Grandpa Cougar Jack watched the movie Ben-Hur and then made himself a chariot to ride. And Wyatt said, "Why was he called Cougar Jack? Did he kill a cougar?" And I said "Yep." And he said, "I could be called Chicken Wyatt." 😂😂😂
Santi, boat tour guide: you're going to do a backflip? Oh, I inspirate my clients!
Me: How would Navy have been handling this trip?
Dad: Fine.
Talmage: Like a waif. Like the wee waif she is.
Wyatt: What in the John Hancock is he doing? What in the San Juan County is happening?
Hazel: feel my muscle.
She has dad feel her muscle. Then Orrin asked, "Did you feel Dad's muscle?"
Hazel: ...Dad's muscle doesn't count.
Me to Navy, who is putting homemade strawberry jam on her scone: You need to take a reasonable amount of jam.
Wyatt: Is that like Grandma and her butter?
Wyatt: I think I was at summer too long because I kind of forgot how to divide...
Me: what if every person had an alternate version of themselves of the other gender. Like, what would the female version of Wyatt be like?
Wyatt: Amazing. Super hot.
Last night we started playing a game where one person is blindfolded in the middle of the circle, they turn around and point at someone and tell them a kind of animal to make the sound of. Then that person makes the sound, then the person in the middle tries to guess who it was.
But we didn't play very long because it was too easy. But at one point they were using a stick to point to whom they wanted to make the animal sound, and then the person would tug on it (this was to eradicate the ambiguity when they would point between people). So then Ethne had her eyes closed and I tugged on the stick and she's like, "that's Mom" and I was like, "how did you know?" And she's like, "I could just tell from the way you tugged."
So THEN she claimed she could tell who was who just by our walking past her and/or breathing. So then for a long time, she and other people tried to just sit, and listen as someone walked past. She was surprisingly accurate, though not totally, of course.
Then we were doing the handshake game and seeing if we knew people by their handshake. Hazel, Ethne, Orrin, and Wyatt were hard to differentiate, but poor Navy was so sad that people always knew hers.
Then at some point, I poked Wyatt and he was like, "that was Mom!" because apparently he can tell my poke.
So then today at lunch, we said we should make THAT a game, and we told Wyatt to close his eyes and see if he could tell who poked him, so then everyone just started to poke him mercilessly until he was reduced to a ball on the ground.
So then Brett came over a little later, and we told him to close his eyes and we'd poke him and he's like, sigh. "Fine." So then he closed his eyes and we all started poking him and then he opened his eyes and was like, "This is a dumb game." 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
We pranked Chad, Brett, Talmage, and Navy tonight with a dill pickle snowcone. We told them it was lime and then gave them a bite. 😫😖😵🫨 Chad really hated it. Talmage said, "wait, why does this taste like a hamburger?" And Navy had a really grossed out, horrified face that was hilarious.
P.s. Talmage got 5th out of 125ish people in his last FFA Ag Mechanics competition thingee! 🎖️👨🌾🚜
Talmage did FFA State, and he got 16th on his personal ranking. He got the best exam score of ANYONE (2 other people got the same score as him). They were the 4th team overall. And they first for welding.
Super exciting morning!!! Listen to this 📣
First, we went and cleaned the church (that's not the exciting part). Then, Navy ran down to enter the Kids Fun Races. Since we weren't there to cheer her on and threaten her with disownment, she didn't place.
Then we all came down and watched Wyatt get third place in the 10-year-old boys race!!! (It was the outside perimeter of the ball diamond). 🎉🎉
Then, we watched Orrin get third place in 12-year-old boys!!! 💥🎉
Then, we convinced Talmage he must race in the 13-16 year-old boy division, and he did some awesome pacing and slowly and surely moved his way up to take first place!!!!!!! 🎉💥🏆🙌
Then, Hazel joined the 17-25-year-olds race and got second place, but first place was a guy, so I consider it to be first place!!!! 🎉💥🏆
Then when they called for the moms race, I was physically propelled to the starting line, and I started running really fast, and apparently Brett said, "what is she doing--she'll never be able to hold that pace!" which was somewhat true, because when I got to the final stretch and knew I should put on the extra speed, I tried, and then I almost fell down, so then I was just like, just stay up! 😂😂 Anyway, I took first, and no one was ever in front of me. And I didn't biff it. 😂😁🙌
Here in Malad, ID for Orrin's tournament. They lost both games yesterday, and today we were down 5-9, Orrin got a not-amazing hit but ran like mad and got a triple out of it, then stole home, and with that they pulled up to 10-9. Then they had to field for one inning but it was probably going to be the last, so they HAD to hold them. The coach put Orrin in shortstop, and he had one snag from over by third and got it straight to first for an out, and then there was another grounder that got past second baseman, Orrin backed him up, touched second then threw it to first for a double play!!!! It was soooo exciting!!
