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,...

Halloween was exciting this year for a number of reasons. Ainsley was much more aware of the festivities this time, and really enjoyed showing off her costume and collecting candy (although she doesn't eat most of it). Parker spent his first Halloween doing what he does best - watching his big sister and wishing that he could keep up with her! Ainsley was a ladybug again this year. The costume that Nana made last year still fit so we decided to get as much use out of it as we could! Parker was a lion - a puffy, wiggly, screeching lion. Luckily they had two opportunities to show off their costumes! Ainsley's preschool has a Halloween parade and party, so Parker got dressed up so we could go watch her class.  Halloween night we went to Jon and Brandi's neighborhood so that Ainsley could trick-or-treat with her "boyfriend" Owen. They had a great time riding in the wagon, running from house to house, and yelling "trick or treat" whenever someone opened a d...

Fall is my favorite time of year. The cooler temperatures, the beautiful leaves, the outdoor activities, Harrisonburg on game days, our wedding anniversary, hunting season, and the promise of holidays just around the corner. Pumpkins always bring back fond memories of youth - carving pumpkins with my parents, the variety of Halloween costumes (many made by my mom), and the delicious chocolate treats that seem to fall from the sky! This year we enjoyed a trip to the pumpkin patch with the kids, complete with a hayride and some very selective pumpkin gathering. Enjoying the hay ride to the pumpkin fields. Climbing on hay bales! Last Friday we invited all of Ainsley's friends over for an impromptu pumpkin carving party. As with most things at this age, the kids lost interest with the pumpkins after they had cleaned all of the seeds out of the inside. The actual carving duties were handled by the adults while the kids ran around outside in the rain. Ahhh.... the carefree joys...

As a mother (and essentially a single mother for many weeks of the year), I pride myself on being able to comfort and control my children when we are out in public. However I have quickly realized that these skills are inadequate when it comes to watching live sporting events. My scooting, crawling, chewing-on-everything son, and my bouncing, talkative, high-energy daughter, have a difficult time sitting through a 3+ hour college football game every weekend. However - being the smart woman that I am - I married a man who is perfectly capable of keeping his children entertained while watching the game. Exhibit #1:  He gets Parker to take a nap (30 minutes at least) during every single game. In the middle of drunken cheering college students, yelling hot dog vendors, and Ainsley's incessant chatter, Eric takes on the role of "Baby Whisperer" and gets our little guy to snooze. Napping through JMU-Towson Napping through JMU-W&M Snoozing throug...