Year's Past, in case you're interested...

2004
Well the year began on somewhat of a downer…the family traveled to New Orleans (great time with Aunt Carol, Uncle Gary, cousin Andy and his wife Amanda) to see the Sugar Bowl where the Sooners lost the national title (not so great). Things stayed on an awkward course as Jeff broke his Tibia and Fibula in his first adult men’s soccer game on January 28^th. That injury meant Jeff and Colleen missed the Super Bowl, and the family missed the ski trip to Lake Tahoe in February.

But all things heal, and by summer Jeff was more or less mobile. He enjoyed his 20^th reunion at Kenyon College. Colleen and Jeff took fly fishing lessons in northern Michigan in July. Jeff was able to hook up with Kenyon friends Doug Heuck, Dave Guenther and Gerry Zyphers for some duck hunting in November in the Upper Peninsula. The make good from the spring was a great Thanksgiving ski/snowboard vacation in Telluride. Wonderful snow at the fantastic Wyndam Peaks Resort.

Matthew has just turned eight and is in second grade. He loves soccer, baseball, and has started karate. He is a Wolf Cub in Cub Scouts.

Jonathon had a strong baseball season in the spring, playing for St. Hugo’s and the Bloomfield league. He continued his football career in the fall. He has taken several acting classes, and will be performing in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar this winter.

Joshua is a sophomore at Brother Rice High School. He was named Captain of the junior varsity soccer team, scoring eight goals. He continues to excel academically, making the honor roll in each semester. He is serving his second year on the Student Senate.

Colleen has taken on more responsibilities at the parish and school of St. Hugo of the Hills. She led a very successful Book Fair. She leads a bible study. She is the Cub Scout Den mother. If you want, you can Google Jeff. He gets lots of quotes as the head of Chrysler and Jeep. Some are pretty funny!

We pray that this holiday season finds you well and happy.

2003
We continue to live very busy lives. The year began with a great trip to the Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl game to celebrate Mama June’s 90^th birthday. The trip with Carol, Gary, Andy and Amanda was fantastic. It was only topped by our trip to Oklahoma City in the summer to see everyone again.

The dream of a lifetime nearly came true when the Oakland Raiders went to the Super Bowl and Jeff and Colleen were able to attend. Of course the “nearly” part has to do with the Raiders being humiliated by the Buccaneers.

The whole family enjoyed a wonderful ski/snowboard vacation in Aspen during the Jeep King of the Mountain finals. Jeff and Josh went for snowboarding lessons, while Colleen, Jon and Matt honed their skiing skills.

Our little Matthew has just turned seven! He is playing anything that has a “ball.” He loves soccer, basketball, baseball…but is also swimming. He has joined Cub Scouts, and is reading with a firm determination.

Jonathon started his football career in the fall. He started at cornerback and wide receiver. He is looking forward to baseball, including a winter pitching and batting camp. He recently had his first concert playing the baritone.

Joshua is a freshman at Brother Rice High School. He was named Captain of the freshman soccer team. He continues to excel academically, making the honor roll in the fall.

Colleen has taken up pilates. She has also taken on more responsibilities at the parish and school of St. Hugo of the Hills. Next year, she will run the infamous Book Fair. Jeff has been named Vice Chair of the National MS Society of Michigan, and will be leading both Chrysler and Jeep Divisions in 2004.

May this Holiday Greeting find you well. We pray for your health and wealth, and wish glad tidings to all.

2002
2002 has been one of the most fun, and still most challenging years yet! There were lots of travels and experiences for the Bell family…a trip to the Super Bowl, the Olympics, Red Wings Stanley Cup finals, Camp Jeep with the Blues Brothers, and the Jeep World Outside Festival with Sheryl Crow. There was a wonderful week’s vacation in Canada with Colleen’s mom, Nancy.

There was also the loss of Jeff’s grandmother, Betty Bell, and the passing of his great aunt, Frances Mayall. We pray for them, and celebrate the lives that they shared with us.

The boys just keep on growing. Wow! Where did the time fly? Josh continues to play travel soccer. He also played baseball in the spring and summer. Can you believe that he will be entering high school in the fall. The great news is that all the choices are good ones, and his grades will take him wherever he desires. Josh really loves playing his Telecaster guitar. He plays punk and rock music (really quietly, yeah right). He went to his first concert -- Green Day – last summer.

Jonathon is playing soccer and baseball. He has joined the school band and is playing the baritone. He enjoys Indian Guides with his dad, and loves the campouts and pine car derby. Jon has really excelled at swimming, and is playing tennis weekly.

Matthew has entered Kindergarten and is really enjoying himself. He started 3-on-3 soccer in the spring, and scored his first goal! He is taking swimming and tennis lessons.

Colleen and Jeff have become more involved in the social life of Detroit. The Detroit Symphony, charitable events supporting the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Swan Lake performed by the Bolshoi Ballet, and the Christmas Spectacular by the Rockettes were all cultural highlights for the family.

We hope that this note finds you well. We would love to hear from you, and our door is always open!

2001
2001 was obviously a memorable year. Away from the fall’s tragedy and subsequent global impact, we found our lives continuing to change. We returned to USA. We are glad to be home. We have seen it from afar. Whilst it is not perfect, it is our home, and one of which we are tremendously proud.

We have moved into a new house, and have spent the full year settling in. Colleen is our leader. She runs our world. All three boys are in school with lots of activities. As with all new homes, there are lots of home improvements. We have walls to paint and tile, basements to finish, landscaping to improve. With all this come furniture purchases, contractor negotiations. Of course, nothing ever goes wrong (laugh track begins)…

Josh and Jon are very happy at St. Hugo. Matt attends Echo Park. Next year he will switch to St. Hugo for kindergarten. Jon and Josh both play travel soccer, baseball, and take Spanish lessons. Josh has added electric guitar to his piano lessons. Jon and Matt are active swimmers. All vacations were spent with family. It was also the year of weddings (at our age, we thought we were done). Colleen’s brother Brian, Jeff’s cousin Wendy and cousin Andy were married between March and June.

Big news in the Spring: Jeff left Ford and moved to Chrysler. He is working on advertising and marketing for Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler brands. The job means that Jeff has to stay in touch with popular culture, so there are lots of concerts, lots of sports events and lots of socializing. It is a tough life!

We send our love to you this holiday season. Our hearts and front door are open to you always. Let the 9-11 tragedy move us to reaffirm family ties and renew friendships lost.

1999
We are settling in to our new home very well, albeit, with some stresses and strains. One reason we have really liked it so far is that we have travelled so much as a family. We have vacationed in the Lake District (Northwest England), South Wales, and Scotland. We have visited Canterbury, Cambridge, Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon, and Bath. We have been to Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, St. Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, Tower Bridge…anyway, you get the picture. In fact, as more guests visit, the more we get to see of the same attractions, and that doesn't bother us (actually, we start re-directing people towards lesser known places which we have not visited yet, but don't tell anybody).

The stresses and strains occur when we stop the "tourism." Yes, making a transition to England is easier because of the common language and similar culture, but it is still tougher than a domestic move. We have found the local townspeople very friendly (actually, we oftentimes try to refrain from speaking, because we are greeted by a wary and/or suspicious glance). It is harder to find the "conveniences" of home (or better said, the goods and merchandise we have come to rely upon in the States). We haven't bothered with all the hysteria over Mad Cow Disease (we simply haven't had any beef in the last seven months, except for some USDA import that turned out to be spoiled…during a visit, Dr. Bob Sperry commented that it smelled like a morgue). The washing machines and dryers are about 25% of the size of the US versions, which make laundry a 24 hour job. We also got off to a rough start…we lived in an apartment for three months before finally finding a house to rent. We also had our computer "lost" during the move. That is why communicating by e-mail has been very hard, and why these cards are a little late.

But enough complaining! All in all, with a good baby-sitter, and a nanny in training, we are finding ways to accentuate the positive. The theatre, restaurants and concerts of London are enthralling and accessible. In 1998 the Continent awaits us (France, Spain, Belgium), and a trip to the motherland – Ireland! In fact, we vacationed in Vaujany, France the second week of January…a wonderful ski trip to the French Alps. Colleen, Josh and Jon all took lessons, and Jeff worked on regaining some form (even with a knee brace).

Matthew is healthy and thriving. He is our biggest baby yet at 23 lbs. on his first birthday. He is a red head, and very wilful. He watches what his brothers do, and he wants to do it too, and no one is going to tell him otherwise! When he starts charging, we call him our "firebrand." He started walking at 11 months, and is more and more steady each week.

Jonathon just received a glowing report card from school. He has been attending full-day since September, and he was commended by the Head Mistress, "Well done, Jonathon!" Jon is reading and writing, and learning basic arithmetic. He loves his swimming class each week, and enjoys playing football with Josh.

Joshua is doing very well. He has quickly acclimated into the British system, which starts one year earlier than in the States. He worked hard to catch up on all the fundamentals, and is doing very well in math and science. He rushes sometimes (I wonder where he gets that!), but otherwise, appears to be very popular with the boys and the girls. Josh has joined a football club, and is playing rugby at school. Dad is trying to keep his baseball and American football skills up with some practice.

Birthday parties are a very big thing in England. The general protocol is to invite all the children from the school class to an event which features a meal, entertainment (clown, disco, puppets), and prizes. Given that Josh and Jon are in school, we have one or two parties each month to attend. Jonathon's birthday party was a big success at "Bumpy's Magic Kingdom" – a big indoor playground with climbing equipment, a puppeteer and lots of food.

Jeff is progressing…he started a new position as Director of Central Europe September 1^st. He enjoyed his brief stint as Manager of European Fleet, Rental and Leasing. He was able to secure significant volume and profit increases with some major accounts which helped Ford of Europe turnaround in 1997. In his new job, he travels about 8 to 10 days each month to Warsaw, Prague, Budapest and Athens (with a few trips to Germany in between). He seems to be enjoying the challenges, and Ford of Europe appears to be on the way back.

As in every move, and we've had a few, the easiest transition is for Jeff (all hotels are the same on the road), and the boys (school is school everywhere), but what about Colleen? Well, she is getting plenty of support from other ex-pat Ford women, and she is slowly, but surely meeting other "mums" from St. John's School. She has an active social calendar with "Ladies Night Out" dinners, and as the nanny comes on board, will be able to enjoy more recreation and leisure (that means shopping) without the struggle of three little men in tow.

We look forward to a 1998 with more travel and entertaining. We hope that this card finds you and yours well. It goes without saying that you are welcome to visit us here…we will not return to the States until late summer. Please plan ahead, because, like nomads, we are on the move! And don't worry if you wish to see all the traditional London sights, it doesn't bother us at all (yeah, right)! With love and thanksgiving, Jeff, Colleen, Josh, Jon and Matt

1998

1998 was a continuation of our European adventure.  We have continued to explore the wonders of English history and its beautiful landscape.  We also spent even more time in London.  As Josh studied Tudor period in school, we visited Hampton Court Palace (Henry VIII) and Hever Castle (Anne Boleyn).  We also made it to Battle, the cite of the Battle of Hastings (where William the Conqueror of Normandy, France defeated King Harold of Brittany to begin the present monarchy).

In March, we welcomed Phyllis and Rodney.  We traveled to York and learned about the Viking invasions, and saw the lovely Moors and Dales.  Also in March, we met our long-lost friend, Brian Deobald.  The best friendships are the ones which pick up where they left off, and leave you wondering, "why didn't we stay in touch more often?!?"  We had the great pleasure of seeing the Pickrel family in March for a day in Essex and a night on the town.  Dan, Julie, Lauren and Kaitlyn returned the favor when we were home leave in late summer.  We ended the Spring with our first trip to Disneyland Paris for Jon's fifth birthday...it was a really special trip (even in French).

In April, we were in search of warm weather, and decided to visit the Canary Islands; specifically, Tenerife.  We went with a British package tour, and found the accommodations a challenge.  The time outside the room, however, at Mount Teide (a dormant volcano), and the water park, more than saved the trip.  Later that month, we went to SegaWorld for Joshua's 9th birthday.

In an evolution of corporate life, the entire Bell family went on a business trip to Warsaw in June, and then to Budapest in October.  During our trip to Poland, we drove to Krakow and visited the famous salt mines and the Krakow castle.  Central Europe is an amazing place.  It is flourishing in its new found freedom, but it is also struggling int he chaotic world of global financial markets.  Jeff has traveled extensively throughout Europe, learning and teaching.  The results appear promising for both Ford and Jeff.

We've never been to Broadway, but certainly know the West End well!  This year, we have seen Chicago with the Pickrels, Whistle Down the Wind with Colleen's Mom, Nancy Murphy, Miss Saigon with Jeff's folks, Phyllis and Rodney Miller.  Jeff and Colleen even went out on a date to see Phantom of the Opera.

On the romantic side, Colleen and Jeff traveled to Paris in May.  We visited the Louvre, Musee D'Orsay, and toured the city along the River Seine.  The weather was wonderful.  It is such a beautiful city, with the Eiffel counting down the days until the millennium on a giant billboard.  Speaking of the millennium, where will you be?  We are pretty certain we can get you tickets to the $150 million Millennium Dome in London!

Joshua received an award as outstanding student (mind, body and spirit) at the end of the last school year.  He continues to enjoy soccer, tennis, but still longs for street hockey and American football.  Jon also received an award for best behavior last year.  At 6, he has earned his red belt, an dis working towards his yellow belt in karate.  He enjoys drawing, singing and dancing.  Matthew just turned 2, and is beginning to speak his first sentences.  He loves Barney and attend music and art classes each week.  Colleen ventures forth into the greater London area every Tuesday and Friday with friends to enjoy the culture and high life of the city.  This has been made possible by Emma, our nanny...she is a true blessing.


We really enjoyed our first home leave in July and August, after 18 months in England.  Of course, we chose the perfect time to visit Jeff's grandmothers, Mama June and Betty; his aunts Francis, Carol and Pam; his uncle Gary, and cousin Andy.  It was only over 100 degrees Fahrenheit every day!  While we missed Jeff's cousin Wendy (who had left for Alaska), we did have the great joy of meeting cousin Amy's wondrous little baby boy, Cody Lee.  The beggest question for Joshua was trying to figure out how he was related to Cody.  I think we settled on third cousin (second place went to "second cousin, once removed").  We also enjoyed our time in Dayton -- water skiing, seeing TO, Sally, Addison and Quinn Wagner, and going to see Uncle Greg Bell coach the Centerville Elk's football team (which went to the Stat Playoffs with a 10-1 record, but lost in the first round).


Returning to England with Nancy Murphy, we made the marvelous journey to the Republic of Ireland.  We flew to Dublin and enjoyed one of the most dynamic and exciting cities in the world today.  We then drove by Power Court waterfall, along the Irish Sea, down to Wexford, where Nancy's family is from.  It was beautiful port town.  Then we traveled on to Waterford, staying in a nearby bed & breakfast.  The tour at Waterford Crystal was a highlight, with Josh getting a chance to blow some glass.  We moved further west, stopping to kiss the Blarney stone at Blarney Caste, and resting at another B&B (the only way to go to really meet people). We then drove the ring of Kerry on a beautiful day, and headed back to Dublin via Cork County.  We did come across a few Murphys, but only a few.


In November, we moved across town.  Our new address and phone number is:

166 Norsey Road

Billericay, Essex CM111BU

011441277659961 (Home)

We hope that this note finds you and yours healthy and blessed.  While we know not where the next few years will take us, you can rest assured we go with adventurous hearts, open minds, and able bodies.  We will, remain, you faithful friends,

Jeff, Colleen ,Joshua, Jonathon and Matthew Bell

P.S. If our card came to you last year "postage due," we are sorry.  I guess that is part of learning how to live overseas....adjusting for oversize cards.