Monday, December 31, 2007

Sledding










It wouldn't be wintertime without sledding. We are down at grandma's house and decided to take advantage of a fun day with the aunties and uncles. It was chilly, but tons of fun! I was amazed, Cooper even went down by himself, no problem.
Of course, he didn't enjoy the fact that his snow pants were too big, so he kept face-planting it. Poor kid. But they were both so excited to be outside, even if they couldn't feel their extremities. Anyway, fun times! It was a great little morning activity.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Christmas Pics

I decided I would be a little better than I was at Halloween and actually post our pictures from Christmas. So, I uploaded all my pics and guess what, I was really slacking in holiday pics. Sorry. Here are the few we got. Plus a video or so.
We had a wonderful Christmas, I will blog more later (when my pain sets in and I am immobile) but right now I am doing good so you just get a couple pics and thats all.Before the kiddos came out.
Cooper with his loader (d.i. find for $3 - they just don't make them like this any more)
Kami with her pink Barbie 3 wheeler from Cooper (Got to love d.i. - this was another find at $6)
Cooper with his dump truck. He had to ride EVERYTHING!
Cooper in his hard hat he got from Santa.

And lastly, our video from Christmas morning. You know, I was expected screams of excitement, shreeks of joy, running, jumping... instead I got my kiddos. I love the "look" on Kami's face (or should I say lack of look) At least Lulu seemed excited. Cooper did go straight for the horsey though, as I expected. If you notice in the end, Kami is looking out the window to see if she can see Santa. She was quite bummed that he didn't stay around to visit her. She really wanted to give him a hug.

Joyous Occassion

I have the happiest pictures to post on the blog. Honestly, they made my day. Here is my little girl with her hair in a PONYTAIL!!! YEA!!! I can not believe it. I have waited so long for this day. She looks fantastic. Of course, we did enlist the aid of hairspray and clippies (courtesy of Santa) and I am not expecting it to last all day...but what a great day it will be.
Sorry the ones a little blurry, I didn't realize we had kiddo fingerprints on the lens...)

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Merry Christmas

We wish you the merriest of Christmases! All of our love - the Bowen family

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Pee Sheets

I don't know if any of you have heard rumor of the infamous pee sheets. We thought it was an old wife's tale our selves, but we have since become believers. Okay, honestly I am just blabbing, but I am pretty sure there is such thing as pee sheets, and I am most definitely sure they are residing at our house. Let me tell you the story:
About a month ago we finally put sheets on Kami's bed. She had been "sheetless" for a little over a week and a half, and I currently don't remember why. Well, we periodically go through huge bedroom cleaning binges and this night was one of them. Kami asked us if she could try wearing panties to bed and we decided to take our chances. Needless to say, there was an accident.
So, these sheets got removed (the very same night they were put on) and placed in the washer. A couple days later, they were placed back on the bed. Sure enough, nap time came and guess what? Back into the washer (once again the very same day they were placed on her bed) A week later (yes it took us a week to get sheets back on her bed, don't judge us, I've had a rough month) these sheets were replaced on her bed. That morning she woke up saying she had had an accident. Now we were more than sure we had put a diaper on her so we figured it was next to impossible for her to have peed her bed. Guess what? Not impossible. her diaper had managed to fall off in the middle of the night and was down around her ankles, hence the wet bed. So, last night these sheets got put back on her bed one more time and we woke up to (at 3 am) a wet bed. Fun times! (yet so not)
So, I don't know if you are necessarily convinced, but we sure are. Needless to say, we replaced her sheets with a different pair. We will see if they are better, maybe we will at least get more than a couple hours of use out of them before they are soiled.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Frosty Humor

Gwen's aunt Janice sent this to me. I thought it was rather funny. (If it is hard to read, just click on it and it will get bigger.)

Daily Gems

I get an email every day from lds.org called daily gems. It just has little bits from talks or articles. I have to admit that lately I have just deleted them without reading them. But, for some reason, I read this one. I really liked the idea of the message and so I am passing it on.
Demonstrating Enough Faith to Come unto the Savior
---------------------------------------------------

"We long to be close to the Lord, for we know that He loves each of us
and desires to encircle us 'eternally in the arms of his love' (2
Nephi 1:15). His touch can heal ailments spiritual, emotional, or
physical.
He is our Advocate, Exemplar, Good Shepherd, and Redeemer. Where else
would we look, where else would we reach, where else would we come but to
Jesus Christ, 'the author and finisher of our faith?' (Hebrews
12:2).
"He pronounced: 'Yea, verily . . . , if ye will come
unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is
extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive' (3 Nephi
9:14). His promise invites us not only to reach towards Him but also to
take the all-important next step: to come unto Him."

(Anne C. Pingree, "To Look, Reach, and Come unto Christ," Ensign, Nov.
2006, 113)

The Things Kids Pick Up

We were driving to Burley on Monday when Kami started in repeated the same phrase over and over. She had picked it up from the preview for the new Alvin and the Chipmunks movie. I thought her daddy had taught her, but he assures me he was just as surprised as I was when he figured out what she was saying.
By the way, for those of you who aren't gifted in translation, she is saying "bow chick a wow wow"

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

Poor Brandon has been in the foulest of moods recently. It just won't snow here and he is getting mad, really mad! Every time he watches the news (we have Utah channels) and sees that they are getting snow when we aren't, he starts screaming at the tv. Poor guy. Hopefully (fingers crossed) we are supposed to have a big snow storm today and again on Monday. It is also supposed to stick around for Christmas. (All of our previous snow melted with yesterday's rain)
Well, I was on the phone to my sickie friend Gwen this morning and glanced out the window to beautiful Christmas snow falling. Great big wet flakes, perfect for Christmas! I just had to get a video of it. Of course none of it is sticking to the ground yet, and of course it is not snowing now, because I jinxed it. But maybe it will forgive me for getting my hopes up and decide to snow a little/lot more for us...

Mommy's Little Helper

Heaven knows I could use a little help around the house these days (you know it's bad when you are calling offering to pay your best friend money if she will come and mop your kitchen floor...) Don't get me wrong, Brandon has been going above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to helping me out. But men just aren't meant to do housework. They are perfectly capable, mind you, but they tend to get the grumpies. Even my even tempered husband gets a little testy when he comes home from work to a messy house and a wife sitting on her lazy bum on the couch. (Go figure)
I know I shouldn't be so hard on myself but it is hard not to be because I feel so worthless and pathetic. I can't even pick up my own house (or mop my own kitchen floor - and it is disgusting!) Brandon is actually never upset at me (he apparently doesn't believe it is my fault, like I do) He is actually more upset that his children are making messes when they know how hard it is for their mom to clean them up. He is just so concerned for me that he doesn't realize they are just 1 and 3, they can't be expected not to make messes.
Anyway, the pain hasn't exactly been sympathetic to my needs recently. Apparently it doesn't care that I have a lot of stuff to get done - what with Christmas and a baby due in a month and a half (AAGH!!) and the limited activity it has been allowing me lately hasn't even been enough to get the necessities done; you know, things like meals, and laundry. So, obviously, getting to do things like clean out the microwave or mop the kitchen floor are luxuries I haven't been granted. (Honestly, being able to get dressed without my husband's help would be a luxury...stupid kidney stones)
Luckily, since heaven knows I could use a little help, they have seen fit to send it to me in the form of a little boy. Cooper has started the best little habits. For instance, after I finish changing his diaper, he always picks up his stinky diaper and takes it to the trash can. (That, sadly, is a tough job for his mommy - what with all the walking and getting up and down) He also will put his dish in the sink when he is done eating. He just hops down from the table, walks over to the sink and slips it in. He has to stand on his tip toes to get it in, but he does it. And whenever I start unloading the dishwasher, he is right there to unload things and bring them to me, a big help since it saves me a lot of walking back and forth (as we mentioned before, I don't do well with the walking)
The best thing about all of this, I didn't teach him how to do any of it. I have never once asked for his help unloading the dishwasher or taking his diaper to the trash. He just saw a need and did it. But the one that amazes me the most (and is the biggest help) is that he takes his own dirty dishes to the sink. No one in our family does that! It is our biggest bad habit we need to break. Apparently, Cooper realizes this and has decided it is time for a change.
I tell you what, I really love my little boy. I am so proud of him and so grateful for his help. I know it might not seem like much to most of you, but for me, it truly is a blessing sent from heaven. Mommy loves you Cooper.

New Puppy Pics


Apparently I have been a slacker and have been appropriately chastised. Here is the pic of our shaved dog. She actually doesn't look too bad (minus the sweater). I know it isn't the best picture, put taking a picture of a puppy is a lot harder than you would think. Just imagine a semi-bald dog in an ugly pink hooded sweater, an then you have it. I guess if you look at her scrawny little legs you can tell shes had a haircut...On the plus side, I think her shaved cut is a lot better looking than her schnauzer cut.

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Poor Stupid Puppy

What do you do people? If you can see through all the burrs our puppy is hidden under there. Seriously! AAGH! Last night our puppy came in from going potty covered from head to toe in burrs. I spent 2 hours trying to comb and but them out to no avail. Poor dog. Poor stupid dog, but poor dog just the same. She had so many burrs around her nose she couldn't open her mouth. She had one stuck to her eyelid so she couldn't open her eye all the way. Her ears were "glued" down to her head. Her feet are matted down beyond recognition, and now she has bald spots all over thanks to my pitiful attempts to help her out. After 2 hours I gave up. She has a grooming appointment on Tuesday and hopefully they will be able to help her out. We are thinking they will just have to take the clippers to her and buzz her down bald. Poor dog. I felt so bad for her, she was so traumatized by the whole experience (not to mention that these burrs are not your regular burrs, they are super powered burrs. There are cockel burrs but there are also these long skinny stick like ones and they are the worst.) she shook for a good 1 1/2. I just had to hold her on my lap and pet the few, non burr covered areas. Poor girl.
Because she is black it is hard to see all the bald spots, but maybe if you look close...poor dog.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Kameryn

Kami is growing up so fast and with each new day comes a new "phase". Right now she likes to talk about how one day she will be a mommy and I will be a little girl. "That will be silly, huh mom?" It is very cute. I guess her imagination just likes to imagine me as a little girl in the same situations that she is in. Kami is also VERY random. She does and says the most bizarre things at the most bizarre times. (I am pretty sure she gets that trait from her mother)
Anyway, the whole reason for this post is that I just came across some pics on my camera of Kami and wanted to post the. Hope you enjoy our silly little girl as much as we do.And you wonder where she gets her faces from?
Too bad Brandon looks stoned or this would be an adorable picture.
Kami chilling while she waits for her computer game to load up.

Kami got herself dressed this morning. Two shirts, a snow hat,thermals, socks, and shoes. Silly girl. Looks like she is almost ready to go outside and play. She's just missing a coat and snow bibs.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Snowman Challenge

Brandon and I have a challenge for you: Do you know the song "Frosty the Snowman"? Are you sure? Here is our challenge, sing the entire song, beginning to end, each verse, NO MISTAKES! Think it's easy? Try it. By the way, you can't use any help. No coaching, no lyrics, no having just barely listened to the song. If you pause or stumble, you are OUT! What can you win? We are offering a candy cane for everyone who successfully completes this challenge. (To collect your candy cane, come stop by and we will be happy to give it to you.)
How did this challenge come about? Well, it was Monday night and for our family night opening song Brandon picked Frosty the Snowman. I told him we didn't know that song. He looked at me smugly and just shook his head. After all, who DOESN'T know Frosty the Snowman. (If anyone should know it, it should be us. Kameryn watches the movie non-stop. Plus, we are in our 20's and have heard the song every Christmas. That is 20+ years of an annoying Christmas carol. How could you not know the song?) Well guess what, we don't? We started singing and made it about 6 lines in before we started the "da da da da da da da's" That is when it occurred to us. We believe that most people think they know this song, but they don't. Take our challenge, you will see. (By the way, my bet is that the only person who might be able to master this challenge is my mother. Kadon, you're toast. If I were you I wouldn't even bother getting cocky about it, you're so going down! Kiss your 15c cherry flavored candy cane goodbye!)

Friday, December 7, 2007

My Brother

I was just getting together some photos of my brother for my sister. (Who, may I say, is being totally awesome and going out of her way to make a spectacular gift for his girlfriend for Christmas.) Both my brother and his "girlfriend" are currently on missions. My brother is in Georgia, and Nicole, his "girlfriend", is in Pennsylvania. (The mission is why girlfriend is in quotations) Anyway, as I was looking through to see what pictures I had of Brandon to send her I realized just how much I love my brother. I only have a few pics of him, (and most of them are from our trip to New Zealand) but every picture makes me laugh, or smile, or cry... (dang pregnancy!)
My brother Brandon truly is one of those remarkable people you only meet once in a lifetime. (and I am not just biased because I am his sister.) He has a thirst for life that infects every one he meets. You can't help but love him. He is so full of passion; for everything, life, his family, his friends, the gospel... He is doing so much good in GA. But we knew he would, he is a hard worker but he also just has that something special that draws people to him and rekindles their faith in goodness.
We miss him so much and can't wait until he comes home. (And I'm sure he is dreading the day) Anyway, I just wanted to take a couple minutes and dedicate this post to my brother (who won't even see it). We are so proud of him! We love him very much and we miss him daily. We are definitely looking forward to the day when we get the benefit of having him around.

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Holiday Spirit Pics

ornament close up (YEA for TaiPan Trading! - I got the large jingle bells and the glossy red jingle bells there for $2-4 cheaper a piece than they were at Robert's craft - which Robert's craft is always very reasonably priced...unlike Sierra's in Pocatello. I also got the silver balls and iron star at TaiPan as well - along with my GORGEOUS new holiday wreath - but that is a post in and of itself)
I know these pics are blurry...but I am posting them anyway.
This one is my favorite.
We were trying to get her to pose...we'll keep working on it.
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Holiday Spirit

I know, I know, I know...I have heard your complaints and I have updated my header. By the way, it is only the 2nd of December and so I am not a complete slacker. (I just look that way because Gwen beat me to the punch.) I have also added more holiday music to my player. I couldn't find my all time favorite, quintessential holiday music, but I got some music nonetheless. You know, the thing is, these things take time, which I haven't had much of late. Fortune smiled upon you today though because Kami and I are both home sick from church so we are forced to be lazy. (Kami is having asthma problems and I have the flu...YEA!)
In my blog stalking escapades this morning I noticed that everyone had pictures of their Christmas decorations, even the blog slackers. (Of course, Gina, Alyssa, and a few others still don't have any updates...) I have a perfectly good reason why none of my holiday decorations have been posted: I haven't been allowed to put them up. That's right, my husband forbade me from decorating until yesterday (the first Sat in Dec) He wants to start a tradition. Which I say good for him...bummer for me. Nevertheless, Christmas is finally up at our house, for the most part.
Brandon climbed up on our slippery roof yesterday morning to put up our tacky Christmas lights, which Kameryn picked out, and I must admit, while tacky, they are festive. (No pics yet, because it is daytime right now)
I do, however, have pictures of our Christmas tree. It turned out remarkably more put together then I had anticipated. (much in thanks to TaiPan Trading: best store EVER!) It has a much more rustic/country feel as well. But that is because I didn't paint my large jingle bells. I was hoping for a more whimsical look with red, black, white, and lime green. But the look we have instead is acceptable* (thanks Kadon). It actually looks really good, and like I meant for it to look that way, but I assure you it came about by accident. The silver balls don't even clash against the rust jingle bells...go figure. The "double" star at the top is an experiment. We LOVE the iron star, the other is a left over from last year that I just nestled in with the other one just because I had it. I'm still not sure how I feel about it. But I obviously don't hate it enough to climb up and take it down. (Or I just really am that lazy, because I am pretty sure I don't like it up there)
Anyway, that is all for this post. We are happy to share with you our holiday spirit.