2014, but the most recent one I had access to.

I just looked at the blog...  Could it have been that long since I last posted?  Time flies.  Maybe it is about time to put some new content out. We now have 5 kids, and I should probably provide some updates, later, but soon!

Abigail's Baptism

School!

How do you keep a 4 year old still so you can take a picture on the first day of school?  I don't know, this one surely didn't stand still!  Is this the look of fear, excitement, or something else?

Happy Easter

Happy Easter from the Bowen Family!

Kell and Abigail

as Cop and Robber

Campbell as a firefighter

Jack-O-Lanterns

Cole played running back for the 7th grade football B-team. I know he also played one other position, but I can't remember what it was, and I never saw him play it. He had fun and is now going to try playing for the 7th grade basketball team.

Cole keeps us busy with sports, band, and choir.

Stage III

As you can see in this stage I replaced the baseboards and painted all the trim white. Talk about a pain in the behind. It took me longer than I thought it would take. I think I'll hire out the rest of the house. I am happy with how it is turning out so far, I just can't wait to finish the next stage.

Stage II

David and Cole put up furring strips for something to screw the roofing into.

Stage I

As you can see we started by taking down all the chair rail, primed, and painted. Starting

to look more like a pre-teen room.

Cole's Room Makeover

Before

We're Still Here!

In case anyone was wondering, we're still here just extremely busy. So much has happened since we last updated, so when I find the time I'll update.

Abigail's 6th Birthday

Abigail's 6th birthday took place over the course of one week. First, she got to open presents and eat cake and ice cream early because Grandpa and Grandma Bowen were visiting. Second, we celebrated her actual birthday by having her choice of cereal for breakfast (Trix) and for dinner chicken nuggets, french fries, and Jell-o jigglers. Third, she was able to have a birthday party where she invited her friends to a pretend slumber party. For a girl who loves birthdays, the way we celebrated this year was perfect.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween Everyone!

From Mario, Cheerleader girl, Clone Trooper, Buzz Lightyear, and Waldo!

By the way the Cheerleader, Mario, and Waldo had their costume crafted by the famous Sherrie. And yes, Waldo is outfitted by the magic of red duct tape!

Happy Mother's Day - Finally done

So Sherrie posted back in June about the great Mother's Day present that was in the works in our garage. Well a few weeks later (yeah, weeks... I need to get started now for 2011), here it is.

We had a lot of helpers (I use that term very loosely). Don't let the happy smile fool you. Dad's tools are always more exiting than the ones he has...


Nailing on the facing


Painting. Had a lot of good help on that.


Letting things dry for a last coat and some polyurethane.


And

here is what you (and especially Sherrie) have all been waiting for...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Now if the kids will use these new shelves/cubbies for their intended purpose...

Thanks to KnockOffWood.blogspot.com for the plans (you'll be redirected to ana-white.com), and a pre-emptive sorry to all the husbands who just got a new weekend project. There are a few things we would do differently, but overall it was a fun project, albeit much to drawn out...

Mothers Day/Fathers Day

For Mother's Day this year I told David the only thing I wanted was for him to build me some locker cubbies for the garage. Basically a place for the while family to hang coats, take our shoes off, and to sit. He then told me for him to do this he needed some tools. So, for an early Father's Day gift he got a scroll saw.

So here is David using his new saw and what my cubbies look like so far. I'm not sure it's fair that he gets to use his gift early and I'm still waiting. We'll post when they are built and all painted with hardware.

Birthdays #2

Kell's Birthday

Kell just turned 7. Since he had a friend birthday last year, we just had a small family party this year. We went to Incredible Pizza where we played glow-in-the dark miniature bowling, mini bowling (little lanes, little pins, little balls), played games, and ate pizza (or whatever else was on the buffet). When we got home we ate cake and ice cream. This year I made Kell a shark cake, but if he tells you he didn't like it, he did, just not eating it. He received a butterfly garden before his birthday and was able to watch the caterpillars form cocoons and turned into butterflies and then we let them go. He got a Big Bike and horn, a squishy dinosaur and two Kung Zhu pets.

Birthdays #1

Campbell's Birthday

Two months ago our baby turned two. He's a very active two year old that keeps us all on our toes. There's never a dull moment in our home, seriously, just when I think I can take a breather, Campbell has made more work for me. He's a very curious little guy, and the kids like to call him Curious Campbell, in fact, they often ask who I think is more curious him or George. This is fitting as George is one of his favorite PBS shows.

I don't know if it's because he's the youngest and watches all the older kids or if it's just his personality, but he seems to be doing things earlier than the rest. To give you an example, He has figured on his own that he can watch a Thomas video on the computer if he just puts the dvd in the computer. When I discovered it was in, I asked all the kids and David if they had put it in, and they told me they hadn't. He's a smartie and anything with buttons fascinates him. I'm interested to see where this will take him as well as us.

For his birthday I made him a train cake, since he loves Thomas trains (Sorry grandpa I'm working on the tractors). He got a Mickey Mouse tricycle that has buttons and makes lots of noise, a helmet, and paly dough that he likes to make his own colors with. For dinner we had Waffles, fruit Kabobs, and cake and ice cream.

EASTER

I had a hard time getting excited about Easter knowing that it would just be the kids and I. It's not fun celebrating anything without dad, but we had a good time.

The Easter Bunny comes to our house on Saturday morning so as not to distract from the real reason we celebrate Easter. So on Saturday the kids woke up to find their baskets filled with all sorts of things and eggs hiddedn all through the house. They all went searching for eggs. Campbell wanted to open and eat the candy in each egg before he hunted for another. I'm not sure he got it, but maybe next year.

We then went to Living History Farms for and Easter Egg hunt. The kids each got to hunt for eggs and prizes. Then we went home after Cole did a potato sack race. The crowds were outrageous.

Sunday I made ham, potatoes, rolls, corn, and Jell-O jiggler eggs. I admit when I first found out David would be gone for Easter, I didn't want to have a big meal. I then felt bad, because my kids love ham.

We also enjoyed being able to watch General Conference on TV. The kids did a great job sitting and listening to the speakers.

Cole at the Easter egg hunt (he was able to get a bunch because he didn't follow the pack)

Kell and Abigail right in the middle of the hunt

Kids wearing their new shirts from mom

Campbell excited to find eggs

The baskets

Spring Break

For Spring Break we decided to go to Minnesota. While there we stayed in a hotel two nights, went to Ikea, swam in the pool, played at Nickelodeon Universe in Mall of America, went to Science Museum, and played with friends. We had a great time!!

Who can resist a picture with Blue?

Log Ride was a FAVORITE

Carousel Ride

Kids with their bags from Grandma and Grandpa Bowen

Princess Peepers

For about a year Abigail was seeing the eye doctor every few months. The doctor detected a slight turn in her right eye that wasn't of too much concern until recently. Abigail started telling me she couldn't see some reds and then she complained about not being able to see the dark TV screen. I talked to the doctor at my visit and he suggested she have her eyes checked again. Sure enough, they had changed enough that she needed to get galsses. Abigail was so excited to finally be getting galsses. She picked out some pretty pink princess glasses with sparkly bows on the sides.

We picked up her glasses and she was excited until just before I took her to school. I was fixing her hair in the bathroom and she was looking at herself in the mirror. She started to cry and say she didn't like how they made her look different. I explained to her that she'll get used to them and soon she'll look different when she takes them off. She went to school and has been okay since.