Bowlin Beige

It's hard to believe that Christmas is just around the corner! This year we decided not to do a big Christmas tree - Parker is into everything and I didn't want to worry about him chewing on it. Instead we put up a small table-top tree. Ainsley still got to put on the ornaments, and Parker loves playing peek-a-boo under the table. A win for everyone!  This past weekend was the Christmas concert for Ainsley's preschool. She got to wear her Christmas dress and sing a few songs with the other 3 year olds. Videos are below. They're a little shaky due to the fact that I had to crawl over a dozen other parents to even get close to the stage. These preschool parents are a little crazy about taking pictures (notice I don't include myself in that stereotype.)  A fun afternoon for all, and definitely got us in the Christmas spirit! Ainsley and Julianne before their concert. There's nothing better than hearing those beautiful voices, and seeing those

Although challenging at times, raising children does add a bit of humor to life. I'm amazed at some of the things that come out of my daughter's mouth. Where does she get this stuff? Her little mind is always growing and absorbing new things. And although sometimes she makes me want to scream, she also makes me laugh everyday. While reading "The Big Red Barn", Ainsley looks at this picture and asks "Mama, why is there a pig in the cow's butt?" On the way to vote on Election Day I was explaining to Ainsley that I would be voting. "What's voting?" she asks. I explain that we will stand in line, and Mommy will stand in a booth and mark some things on a machine, and when we're all finished I'll get a sticker. She pauses for a moment, and then asks "Is 'voting' like pumping?" After running errands I tell Ainsley that she needs to take a nap when we get home. "I'm not tired! I don't want to ta

This year Ainsley joined Mommy, Daddy and Papa at hunting camp, an experience that she continues to talk about weeks later. She set a new family record, as I didn't start going to hunting camp with my dad until I was 5. She slept in the bunk beds, rode the Ranger and ATV up the mountain, hiked in the woods, stomped in the snow, and even got to help Papa build a fire! He also got her a new miniature "hunting camp" game, complete with a toy cabin, dogs, deer, hunters (with bows), and an ATV! She had a great time looking for deer in the woods (although if you've ever been around my daughter you know that her constant chatter will scare away any deer in a 4 mile radius). Ainsley was very conscious about staying far away from the wood-burning stove in the middle of the cabin (my biggest concern). She loved everything about the experience and I'm sure she would've stayed all week if we'd let her! I know she'll be looking forward to doing it again next year

It's hard to believe my little guy is 9 months old already! He's been out in the world for as long as he was growing inside me - really crazy when you think about it. At his check up he weighed 21 1/2 lbs (70%), and is 29 1/2 inches tall (90%). The past month has seen plenty of challenges. He now has 4 front teeth, which means he bites everything (including me). He has also discovered how to grind his teeth, a trait that he has clearly inherited from both his mother and grandmother. He's working on the next two teeth and I'm wondering how many nights in a row I'm allowed to give him Motrin... I know the next few months are going to mean even bigger changes as he starts expanding his sounds and vocabulary. From the beginning I was convinced that Parker's personality would be very different from his big sister. However they seem to be more and more alike each day. He is already (literally) on the move - crawling, standing, cruising on furniture, chasing the cat,