surprise surprise. after a full week off because...i was busy. busy doing what? i'm not certain. but i felt busy, so get off my back.

buuuut, guess what. exciting news. remember this little post (i did it just last week)? wellll...it kind of took off in pinterest-land and i've seen a nice little jump on my instagram, facebook, and pinterest! so i know there are new faces around here! plus it's the new year, so what better time to share 25 random bits and bobs about me. twenty. five. (thanks courtney for the inspo!)

25 things you never knew you wanted to know.

oh, 25 things you still don't want to know. got it. anyway...

1. i was born and raised in idaho. idaho has my heart and i just wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

2. with that said, i've traveled quite a bit. i lived in prague, outside of philadelphia, and boston!

3. speaking of philadelphia - i was a nanny during the summers of college. the worst part? the kids i nannied for have since graduated from college themselves (well, emily will graduate soon). while i'm super proud of them...time - you are a thief! (at least they are facebook friends and let me follow them on instagram.)

4. i broke my elbow a one year ago on a dirt bike ride with my farmer. that sucked.

5. i taught myself illustrator a few years ago because i wanted to learn how to create blog graphics. ha! it's taken on a life of it's own with new businesses - Karli Bell Branding & Design AND Wink & Ink! (If you need invitations or a new blog header, just ask!)

oh my gosh - it's hard to think of 25 things.

6. i went to college with a certain social media influencer. she competed in pageants and told me i should totally do it too and that i could totally win. well, she talked me into it, i did it, i looooost. but it did make for a funny blog post.

7. i have three daughters and knew with each one that it was going to be a girl. i just had a funny feeling. kaye's birth storysawyer's gender reveal / elli's gender reveal (we don't have one for kaye because we didn't find out until she was born!)

8. i asked my farmer out on our first date after we met on a golf course. he turned me down because he was going rock climbing with friends that weekend. so, a few days later i asked him out again! (because i'm crazy like that.) i proceeded to chase him for five years until he finally proposed.

9. while i was "dating" my farmer - i auditioned for the bachelor. i thought it could be fun.

10. i don't loooove cleaning, but i love a clean house. if the house is clean my soul is peaceful.

11. cats - no thanks. their fur is too soft and that creeps me out. i also don't like feeling fur coats for that reason...or feather boas. feather boas literally make me gag.

12. i have a degree in psychology and a minor in education. i use them both so very very much. or...nope.

13. i've tried waxing myself several times. it's turned out epically disastrous each time.

14. my college roommate was a stripper my freshman year. i've talked briefly about this one before and i really think it could make for a good blog post, but i have yet to write it. maybe 2018 is the year.

15. each morning i wake up around 5am so i can just sit in the quiet and do whatever. it's glorious. i do this even if i've been up to nurse elli several times in the night. that quiet time with my coffee is gold.

16. i have an insane sweet tooth. give me all the chocolate and ice cream.

17. on that note - i do NOT like candy...like skittles. gross.

18. i prefer beer to wine all the days of the week. who's with me?

19. i used to eat cereal for dinner all the time. (unless i was going on a date or something.) i'd still eat cereal for dinner if i didn't have to cook for children and the farmer.

20. speaking of cooking - i don't really looooove cooking but i love the result. the satisfaction i get when the girls tell me dinner is "yummy" is just beyond.

oh my gosh - five more. i need a break. do you need a break? i need a break.

21. i don't love going to concerts. i find them extremely loud. right? aren't they always too loud? however, i did go to the back eyed peas yearrrrrs ago and that was really fun.

22. i've completed three olympic distance triathlons and three half marathons. i'm strongly considering signing up for another half - particularly the race to the silos. if i win, maybe i'll get to meet chip and joanna. they just seem like such nice people. (ps. i'd never win.)

23. my farmer and i never went on a honeymoon. whomp whomp. we stayed in mccall for a couple of extra days and then got right back to farming. he told me that's what would happen if we got married in the summer, but i was determined to have a summer, outside wedding.

24. however, with that said, we do take trips and manage to make it to mccall, idaho quite a bit. my dream is to one day have a second home there so our girls can spend as much time in the mountains as i did growing up.

25. speaking of mccall - our favorite family activity is to ski...in mccall. kaye has done a great job and can get down the hill. now we need to get sawyer more comfortable. our main problem is elli. what to do with elli? she gets two years of grace and then she'll have to learn real real fast-like.

a few more ski posts - what to wear skiing / skiing with kids

that's it! 25 things. now you know i eat too much chocolate, i love to ski, and my roommate was a stripper. yay!