Ya’ll.

Oh ya’ll.  We have been super-duper busy over here. 

And I haven’t been faithful about updating you on all the in’s & out’s of Bower life like I should.  So I thought, what the heck, let’s smoosh it all together and give to you straight.  Consider this an update on what we have been up to…and a little preview of upcoming events. 

1.  Lilley’s 1st Birthday Party

One of our favorite little chunky monkeys has turned numero uno!  Birthday parties best part?  Lilley tasting sugar for the first time.  I have been attempting to get her hooked for some time now but everytime I get close to the mouth of the child with a Pixie Stick or the Fun Dip, well, her mother karate chops me in the jugular. 

2. Trick or Treating with my nephew Cole

If you haven’t already guessed, Cole was Indiana Jones for Halloween.  Yes, he is five.  And yes, he knows who Indiana Jones is.  No, he hasn’t watched the movies.  He learned about everyone’s favorite archeologist from the PS3.  His favorite game is Lego’s Indiana Jones.  And he hums the theme song upon command.  As well as saying “SNAKES?!  I hate snakes!”.  Being a huge Indy fan (yes I attempted writing I LOVE YOU on my eyelids…it came out backwards), it’s pretty much a dream come true for me.  Best part about trick-or-treating?  Cole tipping his hat everytime a lady gave him candy….and them going “AWWW!” and giving him more.  Man. Cole you are making Harrison Ford proud 🙂

3.  Willow & her shirt

One of my best friends in the whole wide world, Stephanie, sent me some photos of her daughter Willow sporting a homemade onesie.  Homemade by whom?  ME.  Shocking, I know.  But seriously, it made my day.  And so do those blue eyes.  And that baby grin.  and those squishy fingers.  Don’t worry Willow – you may be confined by the baby gate, but you are dancing all over my heart 🙂

4.  Madi Kate’s Smile

Meet Madi Kate.  She belongs to Eric the Yard Dude.  (you may remember her birth announcement here!)  And I never, never get to see her.  It’s cause they live an hour away.  But it is a total treat anytime I do.  Seriously…I feel like Carrie Bradshaw in a Manolo factory when my eyes get to feast on this little one.  She is just darling.  And her clothes?  Her clothes make grown women cry.  But even more amazing than her clothes is her smile.  That dang smile is gonna get her in trouble.  I can tell.  Eric – if we birth a boy, I give you permission to shoot him. 

    

5.  Visiting the Pumpkin Patch

The boyfriend & I headed to the local pumpkin patch (known to many as the local Methodist Church) and scored some great ‘kins for the holidays.  Who knew that picking out produce could be so much fun?!?!  And those little ones were uber-cute for decorating the game night we hosted with our friends.  Maybe next year we can grow our own.  I mean, we figured out how to grow a human…a pumpkin can’t be that hard, right?

6.  Falling in Love…

…with our new washer & dryer.  My goodness.  It is pretty insane in there.  I mean, who knew that a little machine could enable a person to get ALL their dirty laundry done in a matter of two days?!?  It’s craziness.  And yes, like many of you, I sat in front of the first wash cycle & ooogled the innerds of our new appliance.  Only issue now is that the delivery people forgot our drying rack.  Did I mention that it had a drying rack?  Cause it does.  And it clips into the dryer for sweaters and all those lovely air-dry items.  Genius.  And if you look closely at the photo above – you can get a clue of what we have been up to 🙂

7.  Knocking one off the list

We actually finished a project.  I know.  It’s like a miracle on 34th.  Or Jesus walking on water.  Or Britney wearing underpants.  It’s hard to believe but it’s true.  And now…I am bursting (BURSTING) at the seams to show you all about how we did it.  And just how dang good it looks.  Contact your history book writers, this one goes down as a supernatural event 🙂

8.  Mom’s Portrait

My mother.  My poor, poor mother.  All I do is drive her crazy.  I know you all feel bad for her.  You would go nuts with me as your daughter too.  Did I mention that as a teenager I would yell at her in my sleep?  Literally. I would have no recollection of it later.  But she would end up crying.  How I have abused her.  How I have ridiculed her.  How I have unapolegetically posted unflattering photos of her on the internet. 

So now I am trying to make it up to her.  I took this photo for her college alumni newsletter.  There she is.  In all her white haired glory (I pray I get those genes).  So now…will you please say something nice about her in the comment section?  Anything.  Maybe about how pretty she is or how you love her teeth or her personality or even how jealous you are that she has a daughter that is groveling for compliments from complete strangers?  Because I am…I am groveling.  on my hands & knees.  with immense amounts of grovel.