Happy Holidays!

Wishing you health and happiness in the coming year!!

Awesome Face Painting

Apartment Living

Many apologies for not posting in several months; many changes have consumed us this summer.

We sold our house (quicker than anticipated) and moved to an apartment in Plymouth. Along with this came:

• Having most of your stuff in storage
• No high speed internet at our finger tips
• Trips to the emergency room (Bella)
• Adjustment to all the changes
• Lack of space
• Bella in a new school
• A promotion for Jess
• People!

We are enjoying the beautiful pool and shorter drive to work. We are continuing to search for a new home in the west metro area. More to come...

FOR SALE

It was very surreal to turn into my driveway last night and see the "Edina Realty" sign standing there.

For all of you who haven't heard we have our house on the market. Since word of mouth advertising is the best way to sell anything, please feel free to share the link below with family and friends who might be interested in buying a great property (or know someone that is looking for a slice of heaven). Sorry, slightly bias.

http://www.edinarealty.com/MN/Monticello/55362/homes-for-sale/13943-Duffield-Avenue-NW-48236822/popup

We will be sad to leave the home and neighborhood we've lived in for the past 9-years, I tear up actually. Funny thing how attached you can get without even realizing it.

3!

Bella had a wonderful tinkerbella themed birthday party this year. At 3-years old (where has the time gone?) her imagination is booming, her social skills expanding and she remains our little dare devil.

Here we go!

2010 is off to a busy start. Jason was just promoted to lieutenant within the state patrol's training unit. He is now in charge of all the recruiting and training for all new officers. This new role is a good one but it forces us to move. Moving has been a topic of conversation at our house for some time but this certainly forces our hand. Not bad, a little sad though. We both love our house, our property, our neighborhood. If anyone want to buy our house let me know. :-)

Busy? Yes, exactly!

Bella making a snow angel.

Merry Christmas!

We went to see Sue the T-Rex!

Jason and Bella headed off to a disco party!

Wonderful to see Rich and Jaedyn !

Here I am again shamed that its been months since my last blog post. Life in the Bartell household has been busy. Jason and I both traveled for work in November and December and the normal festivities around the holiday season didn't give us much breathing room. I managed to get everything x-mas ready in the nick of time. Our holidays were wonderful, full of family and fun. Christmas was quickly packed away at our house, decorations and gifts all found their proper place. As we were packing everything up Bella asked me "Christmas is over?" when I confirmed that Christmas was in fact over she replied "ooh, poor Christmas" she was much relieved when I explained that Christmas would be back next year.

I haven't even really taken notice that we are now in the year 2010. No new resolutions, no list of annual goals, nor to-do lists started...notta! Bella has been keeping us very busy and very entertained during the cold, snowy days of winter. (as you can see from the video) I look at pictures of Bella from the past year and can hardly believe how fast she has grown...clearly no longer an infant or toddler but now a little girl. I sent in her application for preschool this past week...before I know it we'll be deciding on high school activities and which college to attend.

Work continues to be busy for me with some travel planned in the next few months and an announcement this past week that my boss is planning to retire at the end of March. Although it's too soon to say what that might mean for me I'm hopeful that it will be positive. Jason is busy as always and although he will be working one less job soon (as the NFL season wraps up) I have no illusion of him becoming any less busy although we may see him more often on Sunday.