I turned 32, Jeremiah turned 37....

Starting with Camryn's birthday we have 5 birthdays in a 5 week period. 4 of those are in September. 2 of those are Jeremiah and I. Obviously the kids care much more about getting older than we do so the majority of our celebrating revolves around them but since we did do a couple fun things this year I thought I'd just highlight them really quickly. I got a haircut, a new outfit and Jeremiah went out to the Starlight Theater to see Miss Saigon...which was totally depressing but amazing at the same time. 

 

Jeremiah loves Mumford & Sons and the week before his birthday I happened to score tickets from a friend like 2 hours before the concert!!  The best part is that they announced that it was their last concert for a long time because they were going to stop touring.  I feel so lucky that we got to see them because it was seriously the very best concert I have ever, ever been to.  We talked about it for days after. 

 

 

 

DARN FLASH! 

It took like 4 tries and Jeremiah was totally over the top cheesing it to keep his eyes open!

To celebrate Jeremiah's actual birthday we committed total gluttony for the second year in a row and went to Fogo De Chao which is a Brazilian Churrasco restaurant.  They bring you all the meat you can eat straight to your table.  I seriously need a 5 hour nap after eating there but OH MY! It's delicioso!

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US!

Happy Birthday to you and you and you....

September is a busy, busy month in our house. Starting with my birthday on September 15th the festivities continue with Aidan's birthday on the 26th, then Jeremiah's birthday on the 27th, and Julianna's birthday on the 29th. All we need is a Bday on the 28th and we'd have 4 in a row!!

For Jeremiah's birthday we went to this amazing Brazilian restaurant called Fogo De Chao. It's a really ritzy all you can eat dining experience where they bring the meat right to your table and you can have as much of it as you want. I ate a lot of Lamb. Like A LOT of it. My tummy hated me for days after but it was so incredible.

Aidan's 2nd birthday was pretty low key. He got a whole bunch of new Lego blocks, some new clothes, 2 year photos and a cupcake just for him.

For Julianna's 7th birthday she had her very first "friends from school" birthday party. She invited all the girls in her class, a few girls from the other class, and a couple neighbor and family friends. In total we had 18 girls there, plus my kiddos and Ashlynne's friend who helped us out with the party. It was a No Zzzz's Pajama Party theme with pizza, cake (which I made), make-up, nails being painted, and princess hairstyles.

We set up three stations and split the girls into 3 groups and they rotated through the stations. I was at the hair station styling everyone's hair, Ashlynne was at the make up station taking care of the make overs, and Ashlynne's friend was at the nail station painting everyone's a nails. I was so busy with the hairstyling that I didn't have a chance to take an pictures of all the fun. We had an absolute blast but I was so excited to send the girls home at the end of the night. They had A LOT of energy. I'm seriously so over birthdays and birthday parties! Good thing we don't have another one until November.

Happy 2nd Birthday Aidan and Happy 36th Birthday Jeremiah and Happy 7th Birthday Julianna. I hope all your wishes come true!

Lucky 13....

Generally 13 isn't seen as the luckiest number but today as I celebrate 13 years of marriage to my best friend and companion it seems like the luckiest number of all.

In 13 years we have been through so much, loved, laughed, cried, fought but still it's been the most amazing 13 years of my life. It seriously feels like I was just planning my wedding, like I was just wearing that white dress and professing my eternal love for my husband. The years have only made that love grow stronger and I realize there really isn't anyone else on this planet that I would want to spend forever with.

We aren't perfect. Oh boy that would be the biggest lie in the universe...we don't even come close BUT we get each other. We understand each other so deeply and with all our many quirks and faults we just click. We were meant to be together and I'm so glad that I have Jeremiah and that he has me.

With our move and a new baby coming and all the pressures and craziness of real life we hadn't really planned anything special to celebrate. We decided to go on a quick lunch date this afternoon to a restaurant we've never been too called the Elephant Bar. It was fantastic and even though I got lost and arrived late our time together could not have been more perfect.

Happy 13th Anniversary My-My! I hope for a million more!!

Here we are celebrating 13 years of marital bliss over a quick lunch date!

35 years on the planet....

Happy Birthday to my awesome husband!

You're 35! Good golly you're old.....this makes me

feel much, much, much better about turning 30.

I Love You!

Happy Anniversary, 12 years

Happy 12th Anniversary
to my best friend,
my eternal companion,
the love of my life
Jeremiah.
Thank you for making the last 12 years a spectacular adventure. It's with great excitement that I look forward to spending the rest of eternity with you.
I wonder what craziness the future will bring?
Whatever it is I'm sure we'll be HAPPY TOGETHER!

Day 4: You are my best friend....

30 day Challenge

Your favorite photo of your best friend

There is a song by John Michael Montgomery called "Home to You"

The chorus says,

"You are my best friend,

and you are where my heart is.

I know at the days end

I get to come home to you,

oh, I love coming home to you."

Along with our wedding song, "I Do, Cherish You" by 98degrees, the above song has always been our song. Jeremiah truly is my best friend. Sometimes, I'll admit, we get wrapped up in our roles of Mother, Father, Nurturer, Provider. However, all it takes is a night out or few quiet moments alone and we are able to reconnect, laugh, and enjoy each others company as best friends. I'm so lucky that I married my best friend.

Being Mary...

When I was 9, I played a heralding angel in a Christmas Nativity program put on by my church/stake. The highlight of the night was when we sang "Silent Night," because I had been given a solo in the 4th verse. I had a great time but what I really, really wanted was to be the "Mary". Mary didn't sing, there was no solo for Mary in Silent Night, she just knelt there and rocked the baby. Her job seemed so simple, kneel and rock. I thought of a thousand reasons that I should be "The Mary" but most of all I just wanted to rock the baby.

Since then I've had several opportunities to play Mary in different live nativities and programs. In several of them I rocked my own child as they slept soundly in my arms, as I imagine the tiny infant Jesus must've done in his mother's arms. I understand now my yearning to rock the baby. To hold, if only in performance, the holy infant so tender and mild.

I have such an admiration for Mary, the mother of Jesus. Her faith, her strength, her love. Everything about her just amazes me. Having had 5 children myself I know it is no small feat to carry a child and to love them with every ounce of yourself, even before you have met them. I can never imagine what it must've felt like to be in the throws of labor and at every turn be told that there was no room...no where for you to rest your weary body, no where to have your child. It must've been despairing, but with a prayer in her heart she pressed forward.

For the last 7 years I have performed the song "Breath of Heaven" by Amy Grant, dressed as Mary, for various functions. Each time as I prepare myself to be Mary, I pray that I can share my testimony of Christ's birth through song. Beginning last year the Olathe, Kansas Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, began holding an annual Creche' Exhibit. A Creche(just in case you don't know, because I didn't) is a representation of a nativity scene. Hundreds of Nativity's from all over the world are displayed and in the center of it all is a live Nativity which includes Mary, Joseph, and baby. Last year, Jeremiah and I, along with Liam who was then 8 months old, were a part of the Live Nativity. It was such an amazing experience that this year we chose to do it again (sans Liam).

Becoming Mary is always such a faith building experience for me. The way the little children walk by the live nativity and really think we are Mary & Joseph. The way they ask me "Mary can I hold your baby?" Being able to play Mary is the perfect way for me to remember that Christ truly is the reason for the season.

Following, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite nativities that were on display and I'd like to leave you with this last thought...Jesus Christ IS the son of God. He was born to save us all, he died for our sins, and he was resurrected so that we may return to live with him one day.


I know this is true.

P.S. Since I was too busy in the live nativity these photos were actually taken by Ashlynne. :)

Birthday Wishes to my favorite guy...

Do you know how much you make me smile?!

Well you do!

I love you...Happy 33rd Birthday!!

A WICKED Anniversary....

For our 5th anniversary we had a chance to go to Hawaii for 11 days. It was the most fun I've had...ever. I was pretty sure nothing would ever top that trip, so fun in fact that we went back 2 years later! At that point we started planning our 10 year anniversary trip. What would we do? Where would we go? It had all but been booked that we were going to take a trip to NYC, go to a million Broadway shows and every tourist spot possible. Of course, I'm from NYC but having left there at 12 yrs old I really never got to do all the "touristy" things that people who travel there get to do. We never imagined that 5 years later our lives would be so incredibly different and we'd be living in Kansas...with 5 kids...and a dreadful economy. Therefore, our grandiose plans of a NYC trip for our 10th anniversary have been postponed. Which is okay by me because I would much rather go to NYC and do everything then go on a budget and do nothing, lol.

Dinner with my husband was an amazing way to celebrate our 10th anniversary. On a date. Alone. Without children. Then my wonderful, loving husband surprised me with the most amazing gift EVER! He purchased tickets to see the Broadway Musical Tour of WICKED at the ORPHEUM theater in Omaha, NE.

I have been in LOVE with the soundtrack for a few years now but hadn't had the opportunity to see it. Let me just say that it was EVERYTHING I hoped for and more. As the show began and they chorus started singing the tears fell from my eyes. Was this real? Was I really, really here seeing Wicked? I leaned over and told my husband how much it meant to me. I pretty sure that this was by far the best anniversary present...or any present for that matter that I have ever received. Thank you Jeremiah.





I had my camera and we took photos of each other on the grand staircase but just as we were going to have a picture taken of us together the batteries on my camera died!!!! Ug...I guess photos were not meant to be.

10 Amazing Years

10 years ago today I married my best friend. We have been through so much together...ups, downs, happy, sad, good, bad. On this day I want to say THANK YOU to my wonderful husband for all the continual love and support he gives me. Thank you for being my partner and my best friend. Thank you for being an exceptional father. Thank you for laughing at my jokes....even when they aren't all that funny. Thank you for aggreeing to disagree....cause you know I'm right anyway. Thanks for always being there for me. Thanks for the 10 years of wild, crazy, loving, happy, fun we've had so far. I pray for an eternity of smiles and laughter to follow. I love you.

When life throws you curve balls....

The last month in the Bowles home has been filled with a bit of uncertainty as to what the new year would bring. Actually, it seems like the last year and a half has been plagued by this same uncertainty. Of course none of us can ever know what our future holds, however we can attempt to plan to the best of our knowledge...and life always throws us curve balls. It is when we are thrown these curve balls that we need to drop to our knees and ask for help. There is a saying that goes "Man never stands taller then when on his knees," and I firmly believe that HE is always listening (even when you don't get the answer you were hoping for.)

I was pondering our situation this last week and having a hard time working through some feelings..mainly the WHY ME? pity feelings people often have when faced with trials. I sat down to read the Ensign and I said a little prayer...Lord help me find something...anything...

I opened the pages of the magazine with my eyes closed(I know it sounds silly...) I landed on a page but felt the need to turn one more page before I settled and opened my eyes. There I saw my answer, an article entitled "Gather to the Temple". Of course!! That is exactly what I needed to do...go to the house of the Lord and take it up with him. Just one minor issue...the only temple close to me is in St. Louis about 4 hours away and when would I be able to get away to take a day trip like that?! As I read the article I read about this family in Brazil who traveled for nearly 7 days and over 2,000 miles by boat, bus....surely I could make quick 4 hour trip to St. Louis (which after reading that article now seemed like a 15 minute trip down the street).

We were blessed to have my parents here and they were very willing to allow us the time on Tuesday morning to head to the temple. My only worry was Liam...having a nursing baby and being away from him for so long can cause issues. I prayed that he would be good for my parents and he was....he was completely content to eat his solids and take his naps and didn't give them any trouble.

Jeremiah and I woke up at 4am and head out to St. Louis. We had a lovely and highly insightful morning in the temple. I am so thankful for the opportunity to be able to attend the temple (even if it is farther then I am used too). The St. Louis Temple was much smaller than I thought it would be, but then again maybe I am just used to massive west coast temples...

We stayed for lunch, checked out the St. Louis Arch and then made our way home...exhausted but spiritually uplifted and prepared for any more curve balls that may come our way.