What have the Shondelmyers been up to anyway?

Hello Folks!

Well, I don't feel THAT bad about the lack of posting seeing how this will be my second one in the month of July! Might be a new record as of late! But thought I'd update ya all on our lives and the fun things Bella Boo has been up to.

Chris and I have been doing well. Chris finished all of his course work for his summer seminary class, so now he is OFFICIALLLY graduated and can now receive his diploma! It has been a huge sigh of relief for him to finish up! Future education to some degree may be in the future, but for now, he will definitely take a year or two off! He continues to work at Family Matters and has a few new things on the horizon that he's trying to pursue, but more about those in months to come as they develop! For now, he is just enjoying being a dad to Isabella! She is certainly the one that pulls at his heart strings! Something about a Daddy and his little girl...ah, its beautiful to see and Chris is one awesome Dad!

I have been busy with work mostly and taking care of Bella...which is my FAVORITE THING each day! I LOVE being a Mommy! I also tend to be the one that plans and schedules all social events and interactions we have, so Yes, I have been keeping our schedule very full (thanks to an incredibly flexible baby and an equally flexible hubby!) Last week we had something every night I think! I try not to overbook my "introverted" husband too often, but sometimes this girl just needs to get out and have people over...okay, the word "sometimes" is probably not accurate...OFTEN might be more appropriate! Regardless, Chris has been a trooper through it all and has really enjoyed catching up with some of our friends we haven't seen in a while. We still have a few more to catch in the next month before school starts up for kiddos and our opportunity slips away! Aside from that, Work has been very busy for me. I have been planning all aspects for our International Missions Festival at work where over 90+ missionary families and individauls will come home for a week in November. All details and planning for travel, logistics, events, and outreach opportunites fall under my direction. I LOVE getting to do this for a job each day! Truly is my passion and the next best thing to traveling and being in each country individually! Oh, and its cheaper too!

Bella, well, she is quite the personality! She has been teething this month and has her top four teeth peering through. She has been a real trooper through most of it, but with four at one time, even this little child has had her tantrum challenges of pain! Bella jabbers constantly! What a chatter box! She must get that from her Daddy, I would say! :0) Bella is still on a pretty consistent routine for the most part, but is very adaptable when I throw a late night at her or change up the plan! Her personality has really been one to just go with the flow, which has been nice for this "on the go" couple! Her normal routine is wake at 6:45am-7:00am (depending on if we sleep in and forget to go get her up!), nurses, has breakfast around 8:00am, goes down around 9:00 or 9:30 and sleeps for 1 1/2-2 hours, wakes at 11:30 for bottle and lunch at noon, then sleeps from 1-4 usually with an occassional 4 hour nap till 5, dinner at 6:30pm, and nurse and bed at 8:00pm. She continues to be an AMAZING EATER! No seriously....I don't think we've been with a set of friends since this child started eating that hasn't made SOME TYPE of comment about her eating ability! I'll have to post a video sometime of our little human vaccuum! It really is a sight to see!

She loves to move around and try and climb all over and up on everything. She has almost gone head first into the tub trying to get up, but thankfully to quick cat like reflexes...we managed to save her! :0) She is a Class A Speed crawler, and THANKFULLY has not decided to start walking yet! She wants to, you can tell as she cruises from furniture to furniture and all around the coffee table on her two little legs, but thankfully she is giving us a break for a little bit longer...which we appreciate because once she starts...um...yeah...enough said!

In just 14 days our little munckin will be 1 year old! Time has FLOWN by and we can't believe it! We are having a little Princess Party for her on the 8th of August to celebrate the miracle of life that God has entrusted to us! If in town, let us know! Would love to have you around to celebrate her life with us!

Here are some pictures of her I took for her 11 month progress photos (more like 11 1/2 months!) and also a short little video Bella wanted me to share. In a few days, I'll try and post photos of our trip to San Diego and you can see how much Bella LOVED the sand! ENJOY!