Wherever my family is feels like home.
For Bel, home has never really been about four walls.
It's been built through movement. Through mountains, oceans, roadside dinners, van life, snow seasons, and wherever her family happens to land together.
Don't get her wrong - she appreciates the comforts of home. Not having to run to the caravan shower block during a blizzard definitely has its perks.
But for years, Bel and her family have shaped life around the rhythms of the snow, splitting time between Europe, Jindabyne, and the coast. Along the way, they made a decision that changed everything: to raise their kids differently.
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Not through rigid structure, but through experience, nature, sport, and community.
"My husband and I grew up immersed in sport - it's what we know," Bel says.
"With three boys, we made a conscious decision to keep them active and out of trouble if possible. I think it's important for kids to have a passion."
That decision slowly evolved into homeschooling at Sydney Distance Education HS through snow seasons and building a life shaped by movement.
These days, her sons compete at an elite level snowboarding on the World Freeride tour, Vaughn in the open mens and Gabe U/18, representing Australia around the world. While Paris has swapped out racing motorbikes on the ASBK circuit to now running marathons.
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But surprisingly, that's not what Bel talks about most proudly.
"What makes us most proud is when people say how engaging and respectful the boys are."
"A huge focus for us has always been respect, kindness, communication, and being able to connect with people from all walks of life."
For Bel, adventure was never about chasing adrenaline. It was about connection. The kind built through years of shared experiences, travelling together, meeting people from different places, and learning how to adapt.
"We are drawn back to this way of living through the connections we've made," she says.
"Our kids have already made friendships all over the world through snowboarding and sport."
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Of course, life like this isn't always romantic. There are blizzards rocking the van through the night. Exhausting drives between competitions. Long stretches away from family and friends back home.
"We miss birthdays, weddings, births… even reconnecting with friends again can feel weird at times."
And while the kids compete and chase snow, life still happens in the background. Dinner still needs prepping. Work still needs doing. Honey still gets bottled.
Bell writes this while sorting vegetables, checking in on her parents downstairs, and trying not to paddle out for another surf before the afternoon disappears.
"Arrgh who am I kidding," she laughs. "I'll go check it. My jobs will still be here when I get back."
As much as mountain life has shaped their family, Bel admits the ocean is where she feels most grounded.
"If I'm in Jindabyne, heading back to the coast helps me reset."
"Having a surf. Tending to my beehives with Dad. Seeing Mum pottering in the garden. Appreciating the times when the whole family manages to make it to the dinner table together." It's not perfection she's chasing. Just connection. Motherhood, Bel says, has taught her resilience.
"Like most mums, I give a lot and often put my kids first — but it's worth it because spending time with our family is what brings me joy."
And her advice to other mums wanting to get outside more? "Don't overthink it. Get amongst it."
Because for Bel, the best parts of life have never come from standing still.
