First day of preschool!

On Wednesday Ethan had his first day of preschool. It was a bittersweet moment for me. Now I would be able to have time with just the younger two boys but at the same time my little Ethan is getting too big. Ethan was more than ready to go though. He has anxiously been waiting for the day that he gets to go to school. So we got up that morning and I told him he could ride his bike and I would walk him to school. It was too cute. He was so excited. We got to his school and he dropped his bike on the grass and said, "Bye Mom." That made me sad. Isn't he suppose to miss me? I told him that I wanted some pictures of him before he left. So he posed and then he was ready to go. My little guy is getting too big.

Before we left

Riding his bike to school

Ready for me to be done taking pics

Labor Day!

We finally took part in the whole labor day vacation weekend. Usually we don't do anything and stay at home. This year we decided to go camping with a group of friends. Let me say it was quite the experience. Camping with 3 children is definitely interesting. Luckily we had lots of help from others there. We went up to Lake Alta (near Pateros, WA) and stayed at the state campground there. It was fun because we were in a group campsite and had it all to ourselves with our friends. We boated and jet skied on the lake a lot and enjoyed the water. The boys enjoyed riding on Uncle Todd's boat and playing with Colin (our friends little boy). Sunday night was fun because after we put the kids to bed a group of us who all went to school together sat around and reminisced about the good old days. I haven't laughed so hard in quite a while. It was very enjoyable. We will probably end up making this our yearly tradition on labor day.

Hello Poser!

Ethan and Auntie Crystal

Cody with Kristin McDonnell

Crazy Boys!

Cody with Uncle Isaac

Thursday AGAIN???

Well here I am with my thankful Thursday post. I haven't been here in a while with this. It doesn't mean that I am not thankful it just means that I have been way to busy. This week I am thankful to return back to normal life. I have been canning constantly for the last 11 days. My sister, mom and I canned green beans, carrots, corn, tomatoes, and salsa (and more salsa and more salsa). I feel like I have food coming out my ears but at the same time I am thankful to have my storage built up. Like always I am thankful for my family and my loving husband. It feels like I haven't seen him in the 11 days that I have been canning. But he didn't complain once. He let me get the things done that I needed to do. Hope this finds everyone having a good and thankful week.

6 months old!

2 days old
3 months old

WOW time is flying by. Cooper is already 6 months old and it just seems like I had him a couple weeks ago. He is getting so big and really starting to get a personality. He started out as my smallest baby but he is becoming quite the chunk. Some of the things he likes and can do:

• Rolls from front to back and back to front (just started this week finally)
• Eats everything in sight-carrots, peas, beans, sweet potatoes, bananas, peaches, pears, applesauce, rice cereal, and he even likes vanilla wafers (thanks aunt Loren)
• is a very ticklish baby-under his neck, on his chunky thighs, and under his armpits
• started growling-especially at Aunt Krystal
• Sucks his thumb
• loves to watch his brothers play
• likes to listen to his piano music in the car, it puts him to sleep everytime

These are just a few of the highlights of the last 6 months. He is a pretty good baby and we wouldn't trade him for anything.

Cooper Michael 6 months old

Bowman Family Reunion!

17 of the 20 Bowman grandchildren

Ethan and Cody with Uncle Shane
Cody and I on the Waverunner
Cooper enjoying the sun
Ethan and Cody getting ready to go tubing

Every summer we have a Bowman family reunion with my immediate family. It is quite fun to get together with my siblings and all of their kids. You can only imagine 12 adults and 20 children (19 of them under 9) under one roof. It is a lot of fun though. This year we ventured down to Cascade, Idaho (by McCall) to have our reunion. It was a long drive but once we got there the fun never stopped. My grandparents were also able to come so that was also a joy to have them around. We spent a lot of time at the lake and in the sun. Ethan kept asking if his cousins could come home with him. It was too cute. The kids never stopped playing even though they were ate alive by mosquitos.

Multnomah Falls

The boys and I in front of the falls

Brian and the boys checking out the fish in the stream

What my boys do best, throw rocks!!

Last weekend we took a trip to Vancouver, WA to attend a wedding reception of one of my roommates/teammates from college. It was so great to see Andrea (my roommate) again and meet her husband. We had fun staying with Shane and Loren. On our way home we told the boys that we would stop at Multnomah Falls in Oregon. We see it everytime that we drive by so this time we told them we would stop. They thought that it was pretty amazing. It is a beautiful sight. They enjoyed the little break in the roadtrip (6 hours) and also enjoyed throwing rocks in the water.

It's Thursday!

Here I am again just a week later. This is going to be quick because I am utterly exhausted. First off I am thankful for my able body. I know you are probably thinking that I am crazy and how did this ever come up. Well I was able to spend sometime with my grandparents today and my grandma kept reminding me to be thankful for my body and being young and able to do things while I can. So therefore that is why am thankful for the health and strength of my able body. Next I thankful that I am able to live in an area that has "produce a plenty." I say this because there is not much that you cannot find within the Columbia Basin when it comes to fruits and veggies. It makes it a lot easier and cheaper when it comes to canning time. Sorry this is short but I definitely have lots of thanks this week. I hope all of you can also finds thanks in many things.