Ashley's Wedding

For a day in December, in the Tri-Cities, in the midst of brutal winter weather, Ashley picked a wonderful day to get married. Although it was still cold, the temperature had warmed up from the previous two days and there was no precipitation. She and Kyle looked truly like a couple. Here are some of the pictures we got at the temple. The open house is tonight in Lewiston and we will add some more from that.








A number of people were slipping and sliding including the photographer and Connor, but, not Ashley. We wondered why, until we spied her footware.

Snow everywhere!

Kelsey called us Friday night and told us it was snowing. Apparently some of the snow had left by Saturday, because it warmed up a bit and turned to rain.

However, Sunday morning she woke up to snow again. She took a picture at the house.
Meanwhile, in Idaho Falls, we also got snow. Connor, Chris and I got to shovel Saturday Night and then again after Church. Ironically, in Kent, church was canceled, but not in Idaho Falls where we actually received more snow and had colder temperatures (between 2 degrees and 5 degrees f).

We did a "progressive" block for church; we attend Priesthood and Relief Society in Matt & Amy's ward, Sunday School in Jennifer and McKay's Ward and Sacrament Meeting in Stan and Sharon's Ward. Before we went to Jennifer and McKay's for Dinner, Connor built a snow cave. He has really enjoyed being around all of this snow!

TSR Raceway

For his birthday, Connor's grandparents paid for him to go to TSR and drive the go carts. Chris, Matt, Colby, Ashlynn and Brinley went with us.

Chris, Connor and I raced the adult race track. Because I had to keep my hands on the wheel at all times, I could not take pictures while I was racing. So, I got some before.

After the first race, we watched Ashlynn and Colby race the Youth track. Everyone had a lot of fun. I was surprised at how much work it was. What a blast, though!

Between the races we went and played some of the arcades since we got tokens with our entry to do so. We all challenged Chris at air hockey, but, he managed to beat every one of us! My commitment to true sportsmanship prohibits me from talking about my feelings about my losses.

As mentioned before, Friday night it started snowing. There was snow and lots of wind on Saturday morning so TSR was not really busy. It snowed more Saturday Night.

Last Night was Chris and Lindsay's graduation. We started off with the Graduation Banquet.


Even Parker was awake for part of the time.

President Clark, the University President, addressed those in attendance. President Uchtdorf presided and spoke to us as well. He talked about how the Temple, that now sits just above the campus, is Heavenly Father's temple and that our bodies are his true temple and we should care for our bodies as well as we care for the Temple.

After the Graduation we took some pictures of Chris and Lindsay after they put on their robes and went to the Hart center.

At commencement, we heard from President Clark and President Uchtdorf again. President Clark told the students to serve faithfully in church callings. President Uchtdorft talked about families and about how the graduates should go forth into the world and serve faithfully. There were 42 couples that were graduating together including Chris and Lindsay.

After the commencement, we prepared for the convocation. We took more graduation pictures.



Henry J. Eyring, VP of the School of Business spoke at the Convocation. He talked about having an "Autopia" experience, referring to the car at Disneyland. He noted that there is a metal rail down the middle and when you try to go off course, the metal rail puts you on. He told of how he had wanted to be an investment banker and planned a trip to Wall Street the week of the stock market crash of 1987 and how that changed his direction to where the Lord thought he would do best. He said that we should look for those experiences and yield to the Lord's will and that if we did our part, the Lord would help us to stay on the course we need to be.

The diplomas (or rather the diploma folders) were handed out:
After the convocation, we took more pictures. The snow held off until we got back to Idaho Falls and then the wind really started whipping up.

Connor's Birthday

Yesterday was Connor's Birthday. Last week we bought him a new suit as one of the gifts for his birthday, so, I thought it would be nice to post a picture of him in his Birthday Suit.


Yesterday, we started off the day with the traditional birthday breakfast. Connor had requested an omelet with Orange Juice. It was a such a simple request.



Connor's main gift request was "guitar hero". As you can see, it was one of the few Birthday requests that actually gets granted in the Gessel household.


Connor also had a recital on Saturday. He did an outstanding job, unfortunately, the video did not and I had to make him stay in his recital clothes and play his selection when we got home. Here it is.





After the recital, Connor, Briana, Mike, and three of Connor's friends, Spencer, Jason and Alfredo, went and played Laser Tag. Jason fought me for my code name, James Bond, so I let him have it and simply went by 007. Everyone had a great time, I think Spencer was the high scorer out of our group.

We then came home and the boys challenged each other at guitar hero; I think Alfredo, who beat everyone, plays way too much. We then had birthday cake!


I was enjoying watching the boys play guitar hero, but, we had to cut the festivities short to attend another party in Bonney Lake where we exchanged Christmas gifts. I ended up with items of food, Laurie ended up with a blanket and Connor ended up with another Lava Lamp.

It was a very fun, but exhausting day!

Kelsey's New Apartment

Last Monday we helped Kelsey move into her new apartment. To date, she is the first of our children to leave home at age 19 and venture out on her own. But, with her cosmetology training and job, she is certainly capable of doing well. She is very excited about her apartment and it is a very nice apartment. We didn't take any pictures, but, Kelsey must have some on her blog.

Pre-Thanksgiving - Family Photo

I thought since we had everyone here, except Ash, that we would take a pre-Thanksgiving Family Photo (Ashley will be photo shopped in by someone more talented than me). Here are a couple of pictures!

Connor's Covington Piano Competition

Connor played 2 musical selections for the Covington Piano Competition. Here they are!!

Happy Halloween!!

We took Parker to his 1st Halloween Trunk or Treat at our church parking lot. It was a lot of fun, but he slept through most of it, basically until after we were done making the rounds and collecting candy. He was a good sport, being hauled around in his little costume!! We had a fun time.

2 Months Old

Well Parker turned 2 months old yesterday. He is growing so fast, it's just amazing. He is changing every single day. He loves to play with his floor gym that we bought him a couple weeks ago. He likes to look at himself in the little mirror and also make the little fish swing back and forth. He also really likes his music and lights on the bouncer and has figured out how to make it keep singing...all he has to do is kick is legs a little to make the animals swing back and forth and the music starts all over again! He is so cute and makes us laugh everyday. Here is a picture of his cute self...Enjoy! :)

Bell Family Update

Okay, so it's been awhile since anyone has written anything on here so I thought I would update you all on us. Parker is 1 month old today which is just amazing. I can't believe how fast he is growing and changing. He is starting to stay awake more and is also smiling more. It's so much fun to watch him grow and change. Here is a picture of him that I took this morning and I think it's one of my new favorites!


We have been so blessed to have a very content baby. He doesn't scream hardly at all and after getting fed and changed will just sit or lay around looking around just as content as can be. We are trying to get him through his first cold which has been interesting, but I think he is starting to get over it. Once I get the video I took of him this morning to work, I'll post that as well.

Chris and I have started school and are just about to complete the second week. It's going well so far but we are still trying to get used to taking care of a baby and trying to juggle all the homework. It's getting better but it's definitely a challenge. At least we only have until December and then we'll be done with school!! Well I think that's all the news we have for now.

No longer single

Well I said I would add something when "something" happened...well in my life I guess when it rains it pours; good thing I like the rain. This is Kyle, my boyfriend. Yep. I'm no longer single. I like him...lots...and I think he is muy guapo ;).

Hmm...I don't know what else to say on here about it, just thought I would give everyone an update on my life. Well the leg is doing fine and I am getting over being sick...so I should be back at BYU shortly :).

Hospital Detour

Well I told ya I would add something when something "interesting" happened so here it is....When I was in high school I ruptured a ligament in my ankle and torn another one. To fix this they took half of my tendon and drilled a hole in my bone and put part of my tendon through that hole to act like the ligament. Yesterday I was playing tennis and I was putting a ball away and I came down wrong and my foot went right under me and I kinda rolled.

When I got up at first I thought I was fine it just hurt a little bit. Well then blood seriously started gushing out of my ankle and there was a whole that you could see down to the bone. The medics took a little bit to get to me, but they did and thought I had broken my ankle. I got to ride in the ambulance. 

They took some x-rays of my ankle and hand...nothing is broken thankfully. But my old surgery had so much elastic power that when it snapped it went through my skin and other layers (at least I think that's what the doc said).

So now I am in a cast for three weeks and the next three weeks a walking cast. Plus I think I will be moving apartments to be on the first floor. Oh but the exciting part is I get a cool wheel chair :).